Some Important Safety Precautions dealing with these solvents;

• Adequate ventilation must be available, never in a confined room
• Eye protection & Respirator w/charcoal filters are a necessity
• Rubber latex gloves keep contaminants and chemicals from skin absorption
• All rags used should be laid out flat, wadded up is a fire hazard and could easily ignite
• All open flames such as pilot lights for water heaters, stoves, furnaces should be turned off

1. Mineral Spirits: Aliphatic Hydrocarbons similar to Lighter Fluids

• Typically used to thin varnishes, shellacs, and most alkyd oil based paints.
• Another name for Mineral Spirits is Paint Thinners.
• Used to clean paint splatters, brushes, spills, adding to paint only when recommended.
• Not as “Hot” as Lacquer Thinners

2. VM&P Naphtha:  Stands for Varnish Maker’s and Painters Naphtha Solvent

• Similar to Mineral Spirits, VM&P Naphtha used by Professional Painters as paint thinner
• VM&P Naphtha’s are faster drying allowing quicker second coats for some Alkyd Paints.

3. Lacquer Thinner Solvent:  Strong “Hot” Solvent based of Different Mixtures

• Used to thin Urethane, Alkyd, or Polyurethane Varnishes
• Being “Hot” Lacquer Thinners can melt Styrofoam, plastics, fiberglass. This product is extremely flammable.
• Great to use Lacquer Thinner cleaning brushes with dried oil based paints and stains.
• Lacquer Thinners can revive some wood fillers which have dried and hardened, being Lacquer Thinner based.

4. Denatured Ethyl Alcohol / Denatured Alcohol Solvent:

• Ethyl Alcohol is drinkable, Denatured is not
• Denatured Alcohol used in Shellac based primers
• Cannot substitute with rubbing alcohol or methanol

5. Xylene and Toluene Solvents:

• Xylene and Toluene primarily used in mixing with certain manufactures Enamels, Varnishes and Conversion Varnishes.
• Xylene and Toluene are very strong, these are some chemicals used within Lacquer Thinners, and some Paint Removers.
• Use only Xylene and Toluene when Paint manufacture recommends it’s specific addition for exact measurement.

All Solvents should have containers tightly closed in metal containers, placed into a fireproof metal cabinet when not in use. Painting Denver uses a metal storage cabinet housing all flammable solvents when not in use.

Random Posts

• November 1, 2011 -- Painting Exterior Siding Saves Money (1)
  Investing in the maintenance of your home will save your family thousands down the road. What I can tell you, not painting an exterior will cost you much more in the long run. seeing many exteriors no...
• November 22, 2009 -- Painting my Home in Boulder Colorado (0)
  Denver's premier house painting contractor, Eco Paint, who employs only the best Denver painters, Boulder and Colorado homeowners can offer. If you are painting yourself, or hiring house painting proj...
• August 23, 2010 -- Home Interior, Exterior Painting (4)
  No better time than now redecorating your home, having fresh new colors in or on your home. Bringing new paint colors into your home will give a fresh new sense of ownership, if you have just moved in...
• November 5, 2009 -- Interior House Painting Video (2)
  Interior painting with eggshell comes in a multitude of paint colors, ceilings too can be painted with the same eggshell sheen, providing warmth and cohesiveness to any decor....
• August 5, 2010 -- Paint my Home in Greenwood Village (0)
  You've landed at the right place with Eco Paint, Inc. painting company. Denver's leading house painting contractor, Cal Phillips & Eco Paint, who employs only the best Denver painters, Denver and Gree...