What is Stockholm Tar?

Stockholm tar is an especially high grade of pine tar which is used among mariners, and also to treat outdoor furniture and rope designed for outdoor uses. Hardware stores and maritime suppliers are a good source for Stockholm tar, which may also be labeled archangel tar. Typically, Stockholm tar is mixed with other substances like linseed oil to make a spreadable solution which can be applied with heavy brushes or rags. The production of tar in Scandinavia dates back to at least the 1400s, and it is probably even older. Tar is produced by burning pine in specially designed kilns which maintain a steady low temperature. As the pine burns down, the dense pitch runs out, and it is collected in a chamber located underneath the kiln. This process is known as “destructive distillation,†because it requires complete destruction of the wood to extract the valuable sap inside. Originally, pine tar was extracted for use in ship building. A layer of pine tar could be applied both inside and ...  more

Stockholm tar is an especially high grade of pine tar which is used among mariners, and also to treat outdoor furniture and rope designed for outdoor uses. Hardware stores and maritime suppliers are a good source for Stockholm tar, which may also be labeled archangel tar. Typically, Stockholm tar is mixed with other substances like linseed oil to make a spreadable solution which can be applied with heavy brushes or rags. The production of tar in Scandinavia dates back to at least the 1400s, and it is probably even older. Tar is produced by burning pine in specially designed kilns which maintain a steady low temperature. As the pine burns down, the dense pitch runs out, and it is collected in a chamber located underneath the kiln. This process is known as “destructive distillation,” because it requires complete destruction of the wood to extract the valuable sap inside. Originally, pine tar was extracted for use in ship building. A layer of pine tar could be applied both inside and ...  more