Residol is used in brake pads as friction dust and to make Foundry core oils. Residol is comparatively a cheap material and can partially or completely replace linseed oil and other drying oils and resins in coating formulations where light color is not a consideration. It retains its phenolic character and can be condensed with formaldehyde, hexamine etc., and can react with styrene monomer, drying oil and synthetic resins easily.
The film of varnishes, enamels and paints formulated from Residol, dries hard either under ambient conditions or on baking. The films of such varnishes have high gloss, good hardness, flexibility, resistance to water, dilute alkalies, acids and common organic solvents. They have exceptional anti-corrosive properties.