A Complete Guide to Turpentine

Turpentine is the odd solvent out on the shelf, because it is not made from oil at all. It is distilled from pine resin, which makes it the one traditional solvent in common use with natural, plant origins rather than petroleum. That heritage gives it a distinct smell, a long history in art and finishing, and a different profile from a modern aromatic like xylol (xylene).

The essentials:

• What it is: a natural solvent distilled from the resin of pine trees, chiefly a mix of terpenes.
• Origin: plant-derived, unlike the petroleum solvents around it.
• Strength: moderate; stronger than mineral spirits on some jobs, milder than the strong aromatics.
• Smell: the familiar sharp pine odor.
• Flash point: around 35 °C, so it is flammable.

Its classic home is the artist’s studio and the traditional finishing bench. Turpentine thins oil paints and artist’s mediums, cleans brushes used with oil-based colors, and helps dissolve natural resins and waxes in varnish-making. Before petroleum solvents were cheap and everywhere, it was the standard paint thinner, and it holds on today where its resin-dissolving character and tradition still matter, especially in fine art and antique restoration.

On safety, turpentine being natural does not make it gentle. It is flammable, its vapor is harmful to breathe, and it is a notable skin sensitizer, meaning repeated contact can trigger allergic reactions in some people, so gloves and ventilation apply as they would for any solvent. Set against xylol, turpentine is the milder, plant-based, pine-scented thinner tied to oil painting and traditional finishes, while xylene is the stronger, petroleum-based aromatic built for modern coatings and heavier industrial work.