Butyl glycol (2-butoxy ethanol) is employed primarily in the production of lacquers based on nitrocellulose, cellulose ethers and chlorinated rubber. Small quantities are also used combination lacquers. Solutions of nitrocellulose in butyl glycol may be diluted with large quantities of white spirit, aromatic hydrocarbons or ethanol without adversely affecting the film property. Small quantities of ethylene glycol monobutyl ether improves both the flow and dilution capacity of the lacquers and also enhance the gloss of the resultant lacquer films.

since butyl glycol (2-butoxy ethanol) dries lacquer coatings very slowly, it is ideal for the preparation of brushing lacquers based on cellulose esters, cellulose ethers and chlorinated rubber. Even quite small additions of butyl glycol (2-butoxy ethanol) to alkyd, the viscosity of the lacquer solution considerably reduce, thereby improving the brush-out property of such lacquers.

2-butoxy ethanol is a good intermediate solvent for use in mineral oil emulsion. Even small quantities of butyl glycol (2-butoxy ethanol) can disperse and stabilize such emulsion quite effectively.