Dilution for Exterior Wood Finishes

This page has some general information about dilution. Specific dilution recommendations are found on the back label of each product.

Earthpaint provides High Density wood finishes. This means that you get more resin and solids in each gallon rather than solvent and filler. It is the resins and solids that provide protection. This is part of the reason our wood finishes survive so well outdoors. Useless fillers and solvents do nothing to protect wood. Wood that is weathered will typically absorb our wood finishes readily. For wood that is not weathered we recommend dilution for the easiest most uniform application. Some woods (such as redwood and some exotic hardwoods) can be so dense that even after weathering they still need diluting. Testing is quite simple to determine if your wood type requires dilution.

DILUTION: General Ratio is 4:1. 4 parts wood finish to 1 part solvent. Dilute first coat 1 quart per gallon with Pure Citrus Solvent or Corn Solvent for even absorption on less porous woods. Less porous woods include: New Wood, Cedar, Redwood, Hardwoods, Locust or any woods that are not significantly weathered. Significantly Weathered means the wood has been exposed to the elements for a year or more and readily absorbs wood finish when tested. 

TEST: Brush undiluted product onto the wood in a test area. Come back in 2 hours and back brush with a dry brush. Pushing the oils into the wood. The next day the wood should have an even, FLAT sheen. No shiny spots. If there are shiny spots or all of the product did not enter the wood fully then the product should be diluted. 

AVOIDING DILUTION: If for some reason you would rather not dilute the product you can avoid dilution. To do this simply come back 2 hours after application and dry brush the wood finish into the wood. At the end of the day BEFORE leaving for the night, wipe off any areas that are still on the surface and not penetrated into the wood surface. For most woods this will be the knot holes and some of the heartwood sections that are tighter grained and more dense. Brushing full strength wood finish from these sections into the drier sapwood areas can actually be beneficial. 

Corn Solvent is a fast drying, biodegradable- bio based solvent. It is considered environmentally benign. It can be made from bio mass but our corn solvent is made from corn primarily. It is the strongest solvent we offer. It is stronger than Citrus Solvent and has many uses including pharmaceutical, food additives and fragrances. Corn Solvent can be formulated to replace nearly 80% of petroleum based solvents including MEK and NMP. 

Pure Citrus Solvent is biodegradeable-bio based solvent. It is derived from citrus peel waste created mostly during juice production. Citrus Solvent is superior to mineral spirits and is not dependent on petroleum feedstock. Our Pure Citrus Solvent is d limonene which is used in foods and fragrances in various forms. 

NOTE: WOOD ASSURE 1 is a water and mineral based product. Dilute with water not solvent. 

INSTRUCTIONS ARE ON THE BACK LABEL OF ALL PRODUCTS.