Nitrocellulose Wood Finish

June 14, 2012, by Debra Lynn Dadd

Question from Orsoly

Hi Debra, Is Nitrocellulose finish safe on wooden playpens? Thank you! 

Debra's Answer

Nitrocellulose lacquer is aquick-drying solvent-based lacquer that contains nitrocellulose, a resin obtained from the nitration of cotton and other cellulostic materials. These lacquers are used on wooden products, primarily furniture, and on musical instruments and other objects. The nitrocellulose and other resins and plasticizers are dissolved in the solvent, and each coat of lacquer dissolves some of the previous coat. Nitrocellulose lacquers produce a hard yet flexible, durable finish that can be polished to a high sheen. The downside of these lacquers is the hazardous nature of the solvent, which is flammable and toxic, and the hazards of nitrocellulose in the manufacturing process. Lacquer grade of soluble nitrocellulose is closely related to the more highly nitrated form which is used to make explosives. Nitrocellulose lacquer becomes relatively non-toxic after approximately a month since at this point, the lacquer has evaporated most of the solvents used in its production.

I can tell you that I have owned and played various instruments with nitrocellulose finish and it was not a problem once dried.

Some solvents I found on MSDS include methylbenzene, methyl isobutyl ketone, ethylene glycol monometyl ether, mutyl acetat, butyl benzyl phthalate, toluene, xylene, methyl alcohol, ethyl acetate...just many toxic chemicals, but they all are very volatile and evaporate, leaving a hard nontoxic finish.