Pine Tar Uses

Pine tar is a sticky substance produced from pinewood through a process of high temperature carbonization. This process of applying pressure and heat to the wood in a closed container produces the byproducts charcoal and pine tar. Pine tar is used as a wood sealant and preservative but is also widely used in veterinary medicine and as an ingredient in medicinal soaps for people with skin ailments. Baseball players even use pine tar to improve the grip on their bats.

Marine Uses

Mariners have used pine tar as a wood and rigging preservative for over six centuries. Mixed with gum turpentine and boiled linseed oil, pine tar is applied to the sole of a wooden boat to preserve the wood. Pine tar is also used to protect cordage and oakum. Pine tar and varnish are applied to rigging to protect the natural fibers, which become hard and shiny after a coat has dried. These days marine pine tar use has greatly diminished due to technological advances and use of different materials other than wood in shipbuilding.

Medicinal Soap

Pine tar is also used as the main ingredient in certain natural soaps designed for people who suffer from skin ailments like eczema and psoriasis. In addition to soap bars, pine tar can be used to make shampoo, conditioner and shower gel. Pine tar soap consists of between 15 percent and 20 percent pure pine tar.

Veterinary Medicine

Pine tar is widely used veterinary medicine, especially for treating livestock like horses and cattle. Vets often give pine tar water to horses that suffer from chronic cough. Pine tar is also used as a hoof care product for horses and cattle. Animals that suffer from eczema or psoriasis are often treated with pine tar. Tar oil is also used to treat mange in certain animals.

Baseball

Both professional and amateur baseball players use pine tar as a grip enhancer for their bats. Applying pine tar to a bat improves a batters overall grip and prevents the bat from slipping out while the player is at the plate. Batters also dont have to grip the bat as hard, resulting in more pop.