Who we are
Tar.fyi is an independent information site about tar, pitch, resinous materials, traditional coatings, and the long history of sticky, protective, carbon-rich substances.
The site is operated by the Materials Journalism Foundation. Its purpose is simple: to make clear, readable information about materials available to the public. Tar is a small word for a surprisingly wide subject. It can refer to wood tar, pine tar, birch tar, coal tar, road tar, roofing tar, historical naval tar, archaeological adhesives, craft finishes, and many other related materials. Tar.fyi exists to explain those subjects carefully.
Most people encounter tar as a vague black substance: something on roads, roofs, old boats, ropes, fences, timber, or historical artefacts. Behind that word is a large world of forestry, chemistry, maritime history, archaeology, traditional craft, conservation, building, and industry. Whatever people want to know about it, we can help with that.
Who we write for
Our articles are written for readers who want straightforward explanations. That includes students, writers, craftspeople, reenactors, heritage enthusiasts, boat owners, researchers, and curious readers who want to know what a particular kind of tar is, how it was used, why it mattered, and how it behaves.
What content we make
The site focuses on four main areas: the different kinds of tar, common questions about tar, how tar behaves as a material, and how tar has been used in crafts and traditional work. Over time, the archive will also expand into related subjects such as pitch, resin, rosin, bitumen, creosote, naval stores, natural adhesives, historic coatings, and traditional material culture.
Our Editorial Approach
Our editorial approach is based on clarity, accuracy, and proportion. We try to distinguish between natural and industrial materials, historical and modern uses, craft practice and safety guidance, and similar terms that are often confused. Tar, pitch, resin, sap, asphalt, bitumen, and creosote are related words, but they do not always mean the same thing. Much of the value of tar.fyi is in making those distinctions easier to understand.
Tar.fyi is also designed as a long-term reference site. Instead of publishing scattered short notes, we aim to build a structured archive of specific articles answering specific questions. Each page is intended to stand on its own while also contributing to a wider map of the subject.
Tar has helped seal ships, preserve rope, protect timber, bind tools, waterproof surfaces, mark roads, preserve archaeological evidence, and shape trades that are now mostly forgotten. It is ordinary, ancient, messy, useful, and often misunderstood.