DISTILLED GUM TURPENTINE

Distilled Gum Turpentine (Rectified)

The oldest solvent in the oil painter's tradition, and still one of the most effective. Rectified turpentine is pure gum turpentine that has been double-distilled to remove water, impurities, and residual resinous compounds, producing a clear, clean solvent of the highest artist grade. It is obtained by tapping living pine trees and distilling the collected oleoresin, a process unchanged in its essentials for centuries.

Compared to mineral spirits, rectified turpentine has greater dissolving power, making it particularly effective for thinning stiff paints, preparing lean underlayers, and dissolving natural resins used in varnishes and mediums. It evaporates more quickly than oils, keeping early layers lean and promoting good adhesion between successive paint films.

Key properties

• Powerful solvent action, superior to mineral spirits for dissolving natural resins and stiff pigment-heavy paints
• Fast evaporation rate, supporting the fat over lean principle in layered painting
• Double rectification removes impurities that could interfere with drying or cause yellowing
• Suitable for thinning paint, preparing lean underlayers, and formulating mediums and varnishes
• Gives paint a slightly faster drying time compared to working with oil alone

How to use Use in the early, lean stages of a painting to thin paint and establish fast-drying underlayers. Can also be used to clean brushes and dissolve natural resin varnishes. Use in a well-ventilated space, as turpentine emits stronger fumes than odourless mineral spirits.

Critical storage warning Rectified turpentine is sensitive to both light and air. Exposed to oxygen over time, it oxidises and gradually turns into a thick, gummy, amber-coloured resin that is no longer fit for use as a solvent and will actively interfere with the drying of your paint and mediums. Always store in a tightly sealed, opaque metal container, away from light and heat sources. Purchase in small quantities and replace regularly. If your turpentine has turned cloudy, yellow, or viscous, discard it immediately.

For a low-odour alternative with similar working properties, see our Odourless Mineral Spirits. For a solvent-free approach in the upper layers of your painting, explore our Painting Medium or Stand Oil (45 Poise).