When buying a paint thinner, consider how you plan to use it, as some are better for thinning certain types of paints. Some are preferred for removing residue or scuff marks, and others are more suitable for cleaning tools. Some are odorless, while others may leave behind a strong smell. Finally, think about the quantity you’ll need for the project and how much you’re willing to spend. Types of Paint Thinners Odorless paint thinner and turpentine all are solvents. Regularly those used for paint thinning and cleaning paint brushes. But the main difference is odorless paint thinner is safe for regular use. On the other hand, turpentine is a toxic chemical for regular use. If you’re sensitive to fumes, use Low Odour Solvent. Perfect for thinning paints mixed with Alkyd paint mediums such as Liquin. The odorless paint thinner is regularly used for craft and painting projects. Professionals and beginners use the material for thinning paint and cleaning art equipment. On the other hand, turpentine uses hardware and professional projects like wood painting, metal painting, and more. Smell The odorless thinner is a refined chemical and has already removed harsh chemicals as much as possible and added a nice smell. On the other side, turpentine is a very natural product without refinement and comes with a strong hush smell. Famibility

L – R: Shellsol T, Winsor & Newton Artist White Spirit, Low Odour Solvent, Gamsol and Sansodor – all petroleum distillate based solvents Solvents are extremely flammable—they’re considered household hazardous waste—so disposing of rags and left-over thinner properly is paramount. Never ball up wet rags and toss them into a container as they can spontaneously combust. Instead, rinse rags out with water and let them dry completely before throwing away. Always keep paint thinners in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area away from heat, ignition sources and, of course, pets and children. The highest quality turpentine (e.g. Rectified Spirit of Turpentine) is made solely from the resin of Pine trees which gives it a clean, pleasant scent. Conversely, the forest waste used to make lower quality turpentine gives it a bad smell! Although it is possible to purify low grade turpentine enough to make it suitable for oil painting, it will always have a less than pleasant smell. Citrus based Solvents such as Roberson: Studio Safe Orange Solvent and Chelsea Classical Studio: Citrus Essence Brush Cleaner are non flammable and non aromatic. As a result they emit hardly any heady fumes and tend to be kinder to skin too. They are also suitable for use in painting mediums. Larch Venice Turpentine is a professional grade painting medium which is not suited to thinning paints and cleaning brushes. Collected from the heart of the larch tree, it is a highly viscous balsam. It is free from abietic acid crystals which can cause discolouration. Larch Venice Turpentine will not cause yellowing and dries with an enamel-like gloss. It is slow drying, thixotropic, and is a wonderful ingredient for glaze mediums and varnishes. Place Larch Venice Turpentine in a Bain Marie or dilute it with high quality distilled turpentine to make it more fluid.

Types of Paint Thinners

Alcohol-based: These products include acetone, and are often used to thin lacquers, shellacs and epoxies. I would be cautious when using a medium only comprising varnish and turpentine – without any oil the medium is very brittle and inflexible. Varnish is made of a solvent (turpentine) with resin, which is very hard and inflexible when dry. Solvents dilute paint and thin out the oil content of paint. You have not said how much of this medium you are adding to paint but I would advise only adding very small quantities, or adding some linseed or safflower oil to it, as this will ensure than your paint + medium mix has enough fat to hold the pigment content. Not only this but the oil content will help to retain a degree of natural sheen (slightly glossy). If you dilute paint with too much turpentine the risk is that there is not enough oil to hold the pigment, and once dry, it may be possible for the pigment to flake away from the surface. If you ‘oil out’ after using the turpentine and varnish medium then I would suspect that the surface will absorb some of the oil in the oiling out process, but it may be such a dry paint film that it may not be as receptive to oiling out than if you had added some oil to the medium itself. In short, I would add oil to your medium if you can bear to, as it will make your painting infinitely more long-lasting.

Odorless thinner is quite refined, so it has no or less famibility. On the other hand, turpentine comes from pine or similar trees, so it is extremely farmable. EvaporateDo not use Household Turpentine in your art studio as it is likely to leave a residue in painting mediums and cause yellowing over time. Petroleum distillates will not dissolve natural resins such as dammar, copal or mastic, but it will dissolve alkyd resins. Therefore use low odour solvent to thin Oil, Alkyd paints and alkyd mediums, but not varnishes or any mediums (such as glaze mediums) that contain natural resins. However, it is a solvent, so you should not touch it when you use it. Try to use gloves for big projects like brush cleaning. How to use Bob Ross odorless paint thinner?

The odorless thinner safety level is good because the version of thinner main focus is safety. And turpentine is very natural, so it does not maintain VOCs levels properly. However, you can use it 1-2 times. It does not directly harm your health. But for regular use, turpentine is a toxic chemical. Dry time Petroleum-based: These include many paint thinners, mineral spirits and turpentine. When deciding between paint thinners vs mineral spirits, the differences are subtle (but thinner is cheaper).

A Guide to White Spirit

Natural: Using natural ingredients, these plant-based products can be used anywhere you use paint thinner or mineral spirits. If you want to avoid toxic fumes and want a greener alternative, Real Milk Paint Citrus Solvent is made of 98% pure citrus peel oil extract (the other 2% is water). Use this natural solvent anywhere paint thinners or mineral spirits are required. It has a crystal-clear formula, and leaves any woodworking project with a rich, natural finish.