What Is NC Thinner and Where Is It Used?

NC thinner — short for nitrocellulose thinner — is a blended solvent used to reduce nitrocellulose lacquers and finishes to the right viscosity for application. It is one of the most widely used thinners in wood finishing and fine industrial coating.

What is NC thinner made to do?

NC coatings are supplied at a high viscosity so they store well. Before spraying or brushing, they must be reduced so they atomise cleanly and flow into a smooth film. NC thinner is a balance of fast, medium and slow-evaporating solvents chosen to control that process — too fast and the finish blushes or dries rough; too slow and it sags or stays tacky.

Where is NC thinner used?

• Furniture and wood finishing with NC lacquers and sealers
• Fine metal and machinery finishing
• Automotive touch-up on cellulose systems
• Cleaning spray equipment used with NC coatings

Choosing and buying NC thinner

Always match the thinner to the coating system. For NC lacquers, use a purpose-made NC thinner rather than a generic reducer. If you are sourcing in volume, see our NC thinner supplier page or the NC paint thinner product details. For polyurethane systems, read our comparison of NC vs PU thinner.