Alcohol, a soft solvent for wood finishing materials

Alcohol, by definition, is the organic chemical that contains a hydroxyl group (OH). According to this term, there are many alcohols according to the amount of carbon chains that bind the hydroxyl group. But in the chemical trading, the alcohol refers to ethanol, the alcohol that has 2 carbons in its molecule compound (C2H5OH).

Alcohol is made from the fermentation reaction of the hydrocarbon compound with the help of yeast. Alcohol formed from fermentation reactions from fruit (cherry, grape, etc.) and hydrocarbon seed (rice, wheat, etc.) is also mostly used as food or drink. Beer and wine are well known as beverages that contain alcohol. There are also many alcoholic foods and beverages found in every region of the world; each has a unique taste and name.

Alcoholic beverages and food can result in drunkenness and cause health problems when consumed overdoses. Since then, it is sold and traded with tight regulation. The alcohol in the food industry is subjected to high taxes to regulate its distribution.

Alcohol in the wood finishing industry

Alcohol in the wood finishing industry is widely used as a solvent or material to make thinner. Alcohol is a solvent that is relatively inexpensive; then it is sometimes used as filler in the mixture of paint thinner to reduce the price. It can be made from the fermentation of molasses or other materials that contain high hydrocarbon compounds. Alcohol for industrial purposes is sold at a cheaper price than alcohol for the food and beverage industry. Alcohol for the food industry should be more hygienic and also subjected to the high taxes. Therefore, the common alcohol is added with some toxic compound to prevent it from being used in the food industry. This material is known as the denatured alcohol that can be sold at a lower price since it does not pay a high tax. 

The physical properties of alcohols

Density                                                 : 0.789 g / cm

Boiling point                                         : 171-174 F

Flash Point                                           : 61 F

Evaporation rate                                  : 2.0 (compared with Butyl Acetate)

The uses of alcohol (denatured alcohol) in the wood finishing industry is quite lot. It has a low price, so it is added to the lacquer thinner to reduce the price. Alcohol has a relatively low solubility to the lacquer, so it cannot be too much in the lacquer thinner. Too much alcohol will reduce the quality of the lacquer thinner.

Alcohol is widely used to dissolve the shellac. Traditionally, the shellac is sold in flake form. Shellac will last longer if stored in the solid (flakes) form. The flakes of shellac are needed to be dissolved in alcohol to form liquid when it is used in the finishing process.

Alcohol is also widely used as a thinner to make stains. The organic pigments are highly soluble in the alcohol. The N.G.R. (non-grain raising) stain is dye pigment that is dissolved in alcohol. Alcohol is also dissolving in water perfectly. Since then, it is also mostly used as a thinner for water-based wood stain.

Alcohol is also used to make pad stains. Pad stain is a special stain that is designed to be applied to the clear coating by padding. Alcohol as a solvent can dissolve the stain, but only slightly dissolve the lacquer. The pad stain can be applied with padding on the sealer or lacquer without sticking to the clear coating. Pad stain can be padded to color the clear coating with an easier control. The pad stain color can still be reduced and highlighted if necessary. 

The things to be considered in the uses of alcohol.

• Alcohol should be handled carefully

Alcohol is a flammable material. There is much research being held to develop the use of alcohol as a fuel. This material should be handled carefully. The alcohol liquid and vapor should be kept away from fire. The room to store the alcohol must be equipped with the safety standards equipment for flammable chemicals.

• Use alcohol according to its purposes.

The alcohol for industrial finishing purposes is probably the same compound as the alcohol used in the food industry, but it is not supposed to be consumed. The alcohol for food industry has to fulfill the hygienic standard. The alcohol for paint industrial should be used just as a solvent and thinner and need to be treated as the other solvent. Always use the standard safety equipment, such as a glove, masker, and eye protector, when dealing with this material.