Mineral spirit for wood finishing

Mineral spirits or known also as Stodart oil or white spirit is made from petroleum distillate that is widely known as solvent  used for various purposes. The mineral spirits is used for degrease and cleaning the machinery. It also widely used as cutting oil, and solvent for paint thinning in the wood finishing. Mineral  spirits is a mix of hydrocarbon compound. The composition for mineral spirits is the mix of aliphatic solvent hexane with maximum aromatic hydrocarbon content of 0.1% by volume. He has the kauri-butanol value of 29, an initial boiling point of 149 °F (65 °C), a dry point of approximately 156 °F (69 °C), and a specific mass of 0.7 g/cc. (wikipedia)

Mineral spirits will emit the unpleasant odors during its evaporation. For the human interaction uses there is available the odorless mineral spirit, the type of mineral spirit that is been refined to release its aromatic solvent

In the wood finishing industry the mineral spirits is lot used as a substitute for solvent turpentine to thin various finishing materials. 

Here are some uses of mineral spirits in the wood finishing industry.

• Mineral spirit is thinner for finishing material.

Mineral spirits is lot of uses to thin the oil base finishing materials such as: glaze, wiping stain, wax, varnish, oil filler, etc. Mineral spirit also widely used as a thinner for oil pigment that is widely used in hand paint by the artist. Mineral spirits is good solvent to the wiping stain, which is need a long drying time to make the wiping application can be done easier. The uses of mineral spirits to thin the wood stain make the wood stain will dry longer so it can soak and fill in  the wood pores and grain. It will enhance the attractive looked of the grain and pores.
Mineral spirits is also very ideal as a thinner thinner glaze. This material has  long drying time and does not dissolve the clear coating. The glaze can be applied over the sealer or top coat without damaging the layer of top coat or sealer underneath.

•  Mineral spirit is a cleaner liquid for finishing layer.  

The mineral spirit also can be used as a cleansing agent on the dry finishing layer. In the refinishing the old finish, first time we do is  cleaning the surface. Mineral spirit is a good cleansing liquid for this purpose. It will clean residue of wax, polish, silicon or other dirt, without solving and damaging  the coating layer.

•  Mineral spirit is the liquid in the wet sanding.

Wet sanding is a process of sanding the sealer or top coat which is done by using a liquid to absorb the heat arisen as a result of friction between the sandpaper and clear coating. There are several fluids can be used as a coolant (cutting oil or lubricant oil), one of which is mineral spirit. Mineral spirit as rubbing this oil can be used alone or mixed with a lubricant material that makes it more leverage in assisting the process of sanding.

The things that must be considered in the uses of mineral spirit.

•   The mineral spirit should be handled properly.

Although the mineral spirits is considered to be safe solvents, however he remains a toxic substance. This material will emit hazardous toxins when it used and evaporate which is harmful for humans . It is believed that too much exposure to mineral spirits may lead to brain ailments. This material is also a hydrocarbon which is highly flammable. Since that this material should be handled and used carefully.

The mineral spirits should be stored and used in an area with ample ventilation, and located at a distance from the spark, heat source, and flame. We should wear rubber gloves and masker while handling this material.  

•   The mineral spirit needs relatively long time to evaporate.

The mineral spirit need  long time to evaporate. Since that the  material be thinned such as: stain, filler, etc. will take a long time to dry. Make sure that we provide sufficient drying time for them before continuing with the next finishing processes.