Pine tar is a thick, dark substance produced by slowly burning pine wood, and it has a surprisingly wide range of uses. People apply it to protect outdoor wood, soothe irritated skin, treat scalp conditions, care for horse hooves, and even improve their grip on a baseball bat. How you use it depends entirely on what you’re using it for, so here’s a breakdown of the most common applications and the specifics that matter for each.
Using Pine Tar on Wood and Outdoor Timber
Pine tar is never applied to wood undiluted. It’s too thick and won’t penetrate properly on its own. The standard approach is to mix it with purified raw linseed oil at a 50/50 ratio. This blend thins the tar enough to soak into the wood while still providing deep, long-lasting protection against moisture and weathering. You can adjust the ratio to get a lighter or darker finish, so doing a small test patch first is worth the extra step. Some sources recommend a 3:1 pine tar to gum turpentine ratio for a first coat, though linseed oil alone works without any additional solvents.
If you’re working with rough-cut, kiln-dried, or especially dry timber, apply a primer coat of raw linseed oil before the pine tar mixture. This gives the wood some initial moisture protection and helps the pine tar coat go further. One gallon of a 50/50 pine tar and linseed oil mix covers roughly 500 to 600 square feet.
Temperature matters. Apply pine tar at 60°F or warmer. If your workshop is cold, you can gently warm the tar in a double boiler or set it on a radiator (keep it under 90°F). Never boil it and never microwave it. Apply a thin, even coat with a brush or rag. Drying takes about 72 hours in warm conditions, though humidity and wood type can slow things down. Full curing, where the finish hardens to its final state, takes one to two weeks.
Treating Skin Conditions
Pine tar has a long history as a topical treatment for itchy, inflamed, or flaky skin. It’s used for eczema, psoriasis, seborrheic dermatitis, hives, sunburn, insect bites, heat rash, and even chickenpox. Over-the-counter products typically contain between 0.1% and 2.3% pine tar, and the concentration determines how it’s used.
Lower-concentration products (around 0.1%) come as lotions and are suited for general itching, mild dermatitis, and localized irritation. Mid-range concentrations (1% to 1.6%) are found in bar soaps and gels, targeting more persistent conditions like psoriasis and eczema across larger areas of the body. The strongest over-the-counter formulations (2.3%) come as oils or solutions and are intended for stubborn eczema, contact dermatitis, and psoriasis. All of these can be used on the entire body, including the face.
To use a pine tar lotion or gel, apply a thin layer to the affected area and let it absorb. Pine tar soap bars are used like regular soap: lather on the skin, let the lather sit for a minute or two, then rinse. The smell is strong and distinctly smoky, which takes some getting used to.
Pine Tar for Scalp and Hair
Pine tar shampoos target scalp psoriasis, seborrheic dermatitis, and stubborn dandruff. These conditions involve inflammation and excessive flaking, and pine tar helps reduce both the itch and the scaling. When using a pine tar shampoo, work it into a lather on the scalp and leave it in contact with the skin for several minutes before rinsing. This gives the active compounds time to work. Many people alternate pine tar shampoo with their regular shampoo rather than using it daily, especially once symptoms improve.
Making Pine Tar Soap
If you make soap at home, pine tar can be added to your recipe at 5% to 25% of the total oil weight, though most soapmakers settle on 10% to 15%. Some insist that 20% is the minimum for any real skin benefit, while commercial brands like Grandpa’s likely contain 5% or less.
Pine tar soap has a reputation for being tricky to make. It causes the soap batter to thicken extremely fast, sometimes in seconds, which means it skips the normal “trace” stage that soapmakers use to gauge readiness. You need to have your molds prepared and work quickly once the tar is mixed in. The resulting soap is dark, heavily scented, and prized by people who find it effective for dry or irritated skin.
Horse Hoof Care
Pine tar is a traditional topical treatment for horse hooves. It acts as a natural antiseptic, helps retain moisture in the hoof wall, and maintains flexibility, which reduces the risk of cracking and splitting. Apply it directly to clean, dry hooves using a brush, working it into the sole, frog, and hoof wall. Regular application keeps hooves conditioned, and it’s particularly useful after hard exercise when hooves lose moisture. For minor hoof issues like small cracks, pine tar promotes healing by keeping the area sealed and protected from bacteria.
Pine Tar on Baseball Bats
In baseball, pine tar is applied to the handle of the bat to improve grip. MLB rules allow the bat handle to be covered with pine tar or any grip-improving substance for up to 18 inches from the end of the handle. Beyond that mark, it’s a rule violation. Players typically rub pine tar onto the lower portion of the handle using a pine tar rag or by rolling the bat against a pine tar stick. The coating is sticky and dark, and it prevents the bat from slipping during a swing, especially in humid or rainy conditions.
Safety Considerations
Pine tar is distinct from coal tar, which is a different substance with different health concerns. Pine tar comes from wood; coal tar comes from processing coal. Both have been used in skin treatments, but they have different chemical profiles. Over-the-counter pine tar skin products sold at regulated concentrations (up to 2.3%) have a long safety record for topical use.
When using pine tar for wood finishing, work in a well-ventilated area. The fumes are pungent and can be irritating in enclosed spaces. Keep pine tar away from open flames, as it is flammable. Store it sealed and away from heat sources. For skin applications, test a small patch first if you’ve never used a pine tar product, since some people develop contact sensitivity to it.