Turning Motor Oil Into House Paint? – On the House

Turning Motor Oil Into House Paint?

By on March 15, 2016

Q. When I was in high school 35 years ago, my father had a friend who talked about converting used motor oil into house paint. I did not learn his formula, but I would imagine it involved filtering the used lubricant and adding a fungicide and color. Do you know if it is feasible for the average citizen to make his own house paint out of used car oil. It would be a good way to avoid the recycling problem and save on paint. -Robert U., New Orleans, LA

A. Patent a cost effective way to purify used motor oil and every paint company in the country will be willing to share their formulas with you. In the mean time you can make an acceptable wood preservative for old fences and barns (no kidding) by mixing the oil with turpentine (one part thinner one part oil) and then strain the mixture through a coffee filter. Petrochemicals are in fact pesticides of sorts and therefore adding a fungicide would not be needed. Adding pigment might render some very interesting results. Remember all motor oil (new or used) will darken whatever it is applied to. Motor grade oil when new is not very clear. In fact, some are jet black when they come out of the can. And, good luck!

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