<p>Cooking oil certainly isn't a direct substitute for linseed oil. Oils used for paint and treating wood are so called 'drying oils' this means that they naturally polymerise when exposed to air, forming a dry flexible material. </p>

<p>All vegetable oils will do this to some extent but for something like sunflower oil it will take a very long time and you will end up with a gummy sticky mess long before it actually dries. It is also likely that during this time it will end up being colonised by bacteria, turning it rancid. </p>

<p>Also many drying oils are further treated by steaming (ie boiled linseed oil) and/or adding drying agents to speed up the drying process. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-09-02T10:49:33.737Z
2016-09-02T10:49:33.737Z
Chris Johns
<p>Flax oil is often boiled before it's used as a finishing product. I guess sunflower oil can be boiled too to get the very same result. My guess is that the curing time will be longer. I have just check it out and <a href="https://www.schmincke.de/en/products/mediums/binders/sunflower-oil.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://www.schmincke.de/en/products/mediums/binders/sunflower-oil.html</a></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-06-25T05:42:56.340Z
2018-06-25T05:42:56.340Z
Patrick
<p>Usually when I paint there is enough linseed oil.</p>

<p>However, in the kitchen there is always some sunflower oil,
for cooking of course.</p>

<p>It appears to work well but I wonder about a few things.</p>

<ul>
<li>How is the drying process affected? Will it take longer or shorter?</li>
<li>Does it have any affect on the paint itself?</li>
<li>Does it affect the color of the paint over time?</li>
<li>Could you mix it with turpentine?</li>
</ul>

<p>Has anyone used sunflower oil, like what is used for cooking food, in oil paint?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-08-29T18:35:43.527Z
Forgive me if the intention changed too much but I wanted to fix the wording of the question. You can roll it back if you want or [edit] if you think I missed something. It is an interesting question.
Matt
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-08-29T19:15:36.690Z
well thank you,your not that far off,so it's ok :)
IljaRepin
<oil-paint><medium-selection>
Can I use sunflower oil in oil paint?
IljaRepin
# Can I use sunflower oil in oil paint?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-08-29)

Usually when I paint there is enough linseed oil.

However, in the kitchen there is always some sunflower oil,
for cooking of course.

It appears to work well but I wonder about a few things.

* How is the drying process affected? Will it take longer or shorter?
* Does it have any affect on the paint itself?
* Does it affect the color of the paint over time?
* Could you mix it with turpentine?

Has anyone used sunflower oil, like what is used for cooking food, in oil paint?

**Tags:** oil-paint, medium-selection

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Forgive me if the intention changed too much but I wanted to fix the wording of the question. You can roll it back if you want or [edit] if you think I missed something. It is an interesting question.  
> **username_0**: well thank you,your not that far off,so it's ok :)  

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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2016-09-02. Score: 6

Cooking oil certainly isn't a direct substitute for linseed oil. Oils used for paint and treating wood are so called 'drying oils' this means that they naturally polymerise when exposed to air, forming a dry flexible material.

All vegetable oils will do this to some extent but for something like sunflower oil it will take a very long time and you will end up with a gummy sticky mess long before it actually dries. It is also likely that during this time it will end up being colonised by bacteria, turning it rancid.

Also many drying oils are further treated by steaming (ie boiled linseed oil) and/or adding drying agents to speed up the drying process.


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### Answer by username_3 on 2018-06-25. Score: 1

Flax oil is often boiled before it's used as a finishing product. I guess sunflower oil can be boiled too to get the very same result. My guess is that the curing time will be longer. I have just check it out and <https://www.schmincke.de/en/products/mediums/binders/sunflower-oil.html>


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