# Denatured Alcohol



## grego (May 2, 2011)

Asked for it in Home Depot yesterday to use with shellac. Looked at me as if I was a degenerate looking for a high, said "no", and told me to use mineral spirits instead. Didn't sound right to me.

Where should I look for denatured alcohol (and should I go out of town so my friends don't see me buying it?)


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## jmos (Nov 30, 2011)

Most Home Depot's do carry denatured alcohol. Lowe's as well. They keep it with the turpentine, paint thinner, and other solvents. You can also find it in paint stores. I've taken to using the Kleenstrip Green.

It is (some to mostly depending on brand and formulation) ethanol, which is the same type you can drink, but they put something in it that would make you sick if you tried. That's what denatured means.

I think you just got someone who didn't know what they were talking about.


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## Durnik150 (Apr 22, 2009)

I know that Woodcraft and Rockler carry it in their retail locations. You could also try Ace Hardware if they are closer.

It's a common material and shouldn't be that hard to locate. Sounds like you just got an uninformed employee.


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## stonedlion (Jan 12, 2011)

Try asking for Methyl Hydrate aka Wood Alcohol at HD or Ace Hardware.

I don't know that Denatured Alcohol is commonly available in Canada. If you are close to the border any hardware store in the US would have it.


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## BillWhite (Jul 23, 2007)

"Make you sick…..............." 
No! It will KILL you.
I agree that you've encountered a real dumba$$.
Bill


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## crank49 (Apr 7, 2010)

It's cheaper and available in larger containers at HD than Walmart.

Walmart restricts the sale of denatured alcohol to 1 quart containers and one per visit because it is an ingredient sometimes used in the manufacture of meth amphetamine (spelling?)

Of course they will sell you all the peroxide and acetone you want, and those are the main ingredients for the explosive that terrorists like to use.

At any rate, they are a bunch of morons if they think you can substitute mineral spirits for alcohol. One is oil based and the other is water based. Like mixing oil and water.

Besides shellac can ONLY be disolved or thinned with alcohol; period.


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## grego (May 2, 2011)

Thanks all!

May be a Canadian thing.

I believe they had Methyl Hydrate on the shelf. That will work ok?


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## davidmicraig (Nov 21, 2009)

Things are getting more bizarre when picking up these types of products. I recently got carded for buying spray paint. They told me it was because some people sniff paint. I guess those that sniff paint don't have a driver's license.


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## pons (Jan 24, 2012)

Wood alcohol as mentioned above is methyl alcohol, slighty different from denatured alcohol. if you can't get it anywhere else, go to a liqour store and get Everclear or grain alcohol. A little more pricey, but the same stuff. 
If you are in Tn, Ky or other rural areas, moonshine will possibly work.


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## Everett1 (Jun 18, 2011)

Would Rubbing alchohol work?

I do have denatured from HD


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## Rick Dennington (Aug 27, 2009)

100 proof Wild Turkey should do the trick…...if it don't thin the shellac, just drink it…..it'll thin your innerds…...lol. I prefer the moonshine myself….lived in Tn. for 20 years…Knew a moonshiner from there…..
My hair used to be straight….now it's curly…...!!!

I buy DNA made by KleenStrip in a quart can…...


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## rwyoung (Nov 22, 2008)

@Everett1

No, rubbing alcohol will not work properly as it has too much water mixed in. Stick with the DNA and purchase the smallest quantity you will need as it will absorb moisture from the air every time you open the can.


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## KenBry (Sep 13, 2011)

Just go back to HD, grab the paint department manager while you are there and straighten the issue out. They sell Denatured Alch. I


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## TrBlu (Mar 19, 2011)

In my local Home Depot DNA is on the same shelf as mineral spirits. I have also bought DNA at Wal-Mart.


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## grego (May 2, 2011)

Okay, I just Googled "Canada denatured alcohol" - 1,770,000 hits.

Apparently this is a big issue up here. Not sure why we are not to be trusted with the stuff…


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## dhazelton (Feb 11, 2012)

Denatured Alcohol is sold right next to mineral spirits, turps, paint brush cleaning solvent. etc. On the can it usually says for thinning shellac, as a camp stove fuel and a glass cleaner. If you can't find it in HD look in a sporting goods/camping store for fuel.


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## BillWhite (Jul 23, 2007)

"I guess those that sniff paint don't have a driver's license." 
They're easy to spot 'cause they have funny colored nostrils.
( My humor for the day.)
Bill


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## LittlePaw (Dec 21, 2009)

Personally, you couldn't pay me to shop at Home Depot. They used the profit from my (and your) purchases to support the gays and lesbians and same sex marriage. They are definitely NOT a family store, IMHO.


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## eccentrictinkerer (Feb 9, 2010)

Maybe he just pointed the nozzle the wrong way?


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## JimDaddyO (Dec 20, 2009)

Denatured Alcohol is not available in Canada…..For my project I used Methyl Hydrate, works great.


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## bluekingfisher (Mar 30, 2010)

I don't think DNA exists here in the UK either, at least not off the shelf.

The preferred solvent here is meth spirit, works a treat


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## SnowyRiver (Nov 14, 2008)

Like others have said, Home Depot, Lowes, Rockler, and Woodcraft sell it. I would think you could buy it at most good paint stores too. It would be funny when the kid points it out on the shelf to take a sip of it and say "Yeah, thats the stuff"


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