It was also used as ingested medicine for a long time, but this is strongly discouraged as it does far more harm than good. It was applied to wounds and sores to stave off infection, used to treat lice, and combined with animal fat to make a chest rub for respiratory problems. It was actually used as a sort of topical medicine for a long time. However, turpentine has actually had many other uses over its long history. Turpentine works as a paint thinner or solvent, just like many other products. It does take some synthetic processes to produce turpentine, but the base ingredient and even some of the usual additives are naturally occurring, like beeswax. Thinners we’ve discussed so far in that it is made from natural resources like However, it is different from many of the You may have guessed it by this point, but turpentine (also called gum spirits or turps) is actually a complex mixture of monoterpenes that is also used as a paint thinner. When it comes down to it, naphtha is another paint thinner, but it is flammable and tends to be a bit harsher than mineral spirits. It is often made with natural gasses, petroleum distillation, or the distillation of coal tar or peat. Naphtha is a liquid hydrocarbon mixture that can be produced from many different chemicals. Other names for mineral spirits were “mineral turpentine” and “white spirit”.Īlthough it’s been referred to by the same names, mineral spirits are not the same as naphtha or turpentine. “naphtha”, but these two products are not made from the same chemicals. Traditionally, mineral spirits were known as Little milder than many other paint thinners, but you should still exercise This particular product is considered to be a

Typically used as a paint thinner, mineral spirits are also used as a solvent sometimes.

Let’s take a brief look at each type of thinner. Many paints are oil-based, which obviously will not mix well with water.Įven if they aren’t oil-based, paint thinners are designed to thin out the paint without diluting the ingredients as much as water. You might be wondering why you wouldn’t just add some water to the paint. These products can be used in many different ways, but the intended use when they are produced is as paint thinner.

Some examples are mineral spirits and naphtha. Choosing the Best Solvent For Thinning Paintīefore we get into the differences between these products in detail, let’s explore what paint thinner actually is.įor starters, paint thinner (also referred to as white spirit solvents or mineral spirits) is actually just a sort of generic term for any product that is used to thin out the paint.

Other Household Alternatives to Paint Thinner.

The basic difference between a thinner and turpentine is that the thinner is a liquid mostly used for thinning the consistency of another liquid while turpentine is a kind of volatile essential oil (extracted from the pine trees wood by steam distillation) used as a solvent and paint thinner. It is very likely that you will need to use these products at some point, so it doesn’t hurt to know which makes sense for you. We’re going to help in this article by clarifying one specific question what is the difference between paint thinner and turpentine? The whole thing can make you dizzy if youĭon’t have someone to break it down and simplify the process. There are hundreds of colors of paint, dozens of different brands, and scores of different products that are supposed to make it easier for you. Store and realize that there is a lot more to it than buying a can of paint and When you’re doing them on your own, particularly when you get to the paint Painting projects can be a little daunting

Mineral spirits vs paint thinner