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Dry time is the recommended length of time between coats of product, often called recoat time, and cure time is the length of time recommended before subjecting your finished project to daily use. The following factors can influence your dry time:

Answer: There are several ways to determine whether a surface is dry.

Dry OIL BASED products are no longer tacky and they do not emit a smell.

Dry WATER BASED products no longer feel cool to the touch and a powder will form with light sanding. 

In this video, Tom and Sheryl Monahan of General Finishes show how to refresh existing oak cabinets with General Finishes Brown Mahogany

Haze (the technical term is blush) is caused by too many coats applied too quickly. A recoat time of 12 hours is not enough dry time when applying over an EXISTING finish. To remove the blush or haze, you can either wipe the area with a strong solvent, like xylene or lacquer thinner, or you can try sanding out the haze and then reapply the topcoat.

Yes. Cedar naturally contains oil, which prevents a finish from polymerizing (cross-linking or attaching together), slowing down the dry time.

Wiping with mineral spirits prior to application will help. Increase dry times as well. Regarding prep-sanding Cedar for a finish, sand to 180-220 because it is extremely soft wood.

If the finish feels cool to the touch, it's not ready. When you can sand it to a dry powder, it is ready for the next coat. Dry times will be longer if it is raining, cold, or humid. When in doubt, waiting longer is always better.

"Cure time" is the amount of time needed for the finish on a piece to reach maximum hardness and be ready for normal use. This is different than "dry time." 

Water-based finishes cure faster than oil-based finishes, approximately 21 days vs 30 days under ideal conditions (70°F and 50% humidity).

Check out this mention of General Finishes's Enduro Extender in Family Handyman Magazine, July/August 2013. Thanks for the shout-out, familyhandyman.com.

ANSWER:

Refinishing furniture in a space that is below or above the 65*-75* F range can lead to problems, and a space below 55* F is definitely too cold. One issue caused by cold temperatures is the development of dimples in the finish called "Orange Peel".