Turpentine oil is most commonly used to dissolve or dilute natural oils and waxes. We call it turpentine oil to distinguish it more clearly from white spirit.

Ingredients:

Turpentine oil is made from the sap of coniferous trees. That sap is then distilled (rectified). The sap can be tapped from the bark or extracted from the roots of the tree. Nowadays, pine cones are also used as a source.

When the sap from the used trees thickens slightly on its own, it becomes slightly rubbery and is called gum. Turpentine oil is also referred to as Gum turpentine for this reason.

This is how to process this turpentine oil:

• First layer of oil dilute with 30% turpentine
• Dilute second layer of oil with 10% turpentine
• Apply subsequent layers undiluted

White spirit, gum turpentine or turpentine oil is the volatile substance released at the end of the rectification process. The hard substance remaining after distillation is rosin. We use this resin to make Improved Danish oil, for example. Each type of tree resin has its own properties that make it more or less suitable for making varnish. Colophony's properties are that it is highly weather-resistant and gives a full varnish. The downside is that it makes the surface a bit rough which some people find slightly sticky.

What is turpentine oil used for?

Turpentine oil is most commonly used to dissolve or dilute natural oils and waxes. We mainly call it turpentine oil to distinguish it more clearly from white spirit.

Is there a difference between turpentine and white spirit?

White spirit and turpentine are often used entirely incorrectly interchangeably. Some manufacturers even use both names on one package... While there is a world of difference between the two products. Turpentine (oil), as mentioned, is a natural solvent excellent for diluting natural oils and waxes. White spirit, on the other hand, is a petroleum derivative with lower dissolving power and even more very different properties. White spirit is therefore an excellent thinner for many more modern paints but not suitable for natural products.

Is turpentine (oil) unhealthy?

Many people like the smell of turpentine oil and there are even people who swear by the occasional spoonful of turpentine. In Iceland, people used to make sweets with turpentine. However, the more or less pleasant smell and exotic uses are an "instinker". Indeed, it could give the impression that turpentine would be harmless but unfortunately this is not the case. Turpentine oil is also harmful, just like the citrus oils commonly used nowadays by the way, which also smell so good.

What do you use turpentine oil for?

Among other things, you can use turpentine oil to dilute boiled and unboiled linseed oil, raw and boiled Tung oil, Bankirai oil, Teak oil, Hardwood oil and Improved Danish Oil. Impregnating oil and Enhanced Boiled Linseed Oil are products we prefer not to dilute. We have boiled these products in such a way that the use of solvents is not necessary, even though the oil is already very thin and therefore impregnates very well. Impregnating oil and Enriched Boiled Linseed Oil thus contain no solvents as standard.

Tips:

Because we use as few solvents as possible in our products as standard, we very occasionally hear from users that they find our Improved Danish Oil, our Bankirai Oil, our Hardwood Oil and our Teak Oil a bit on the thick side. For those products in particular, it is no problem to dilute them a little yourself in order to be able to work with them more comfortably.