I just put the first coat of finish on a router table that I made using half tung oil and half terpentine to thin it (as per the directions on the bottle.) How long before the smell goes away in my garage. I did it with the garage doors (I have a front and a back door) open, but since it's late, I needed to close it up. SWMBO wants to park her car in there, but I'm a bit worried about the vapors.
How long until it's safe again?
Thanks, Tom Wojeck
Depends on her nose. Though it's vapor safe within a few seconds with the doors open, I have learned a few things in 36 years, so I'd have her park outside the night or, if she pulls in, make sure the windows on the car are closed and the garage door open.
Tung oil will stink for quite a while, especially if it's not over 60 degrees or so.
It's safe already. Turpentine is very smelly - you'll notice the smell far more easily than a flammable level will be reached.
You probably won't lose the smell though until Spring. It dissipates easily when warm, but not in cold weather.
-- Do whales have krillfiles ?
Last time I used turpentine it stank for days and that was in the summer. I hadn't used any for years but read on the ng that some people believed it to work better in certain applications the mineral spirits. Maybe so, personally I saw no difference. I stick to odorless mineral spirits or naptha now, turp just smells too much.
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