How to Make CBD Oil at Home (DIY CBD Oil)

How to Make CBD Oil at Home (DIY CBD Oil)

Do you want to make your own DIY CBD oil and do not know how to? This blog discusses facts about CBD oil, hemp oil, and THC and making CBD oil.

More people are falling in love with the benefits that CBD oil is giving its users. Moreover, most people are interested in making CBD oil but do not know how to. That is why in this article, we get to provide you with tips on how you can make your own CBD oil at home. You can use CBD oil in food, drinks, salves, or even alone. It is very easy to make CBD oil at home. CBD is a compound in the hemp and marijuana plant. It is also known as cannabidiol. This compound gives its consumers a relaxing effect, unlike THC. THC is also a cannabinoid in the said plants. However, it has psychoactive effects that make one high.

Facts about CBD Oil

CBD oil manufacturing involves the heating of cannabis at low temperatures. CBD and THC compounds are hydrophobic. This means that they are not water solvents. However, the advantage is they are fat-soluble and bind to fatty acid molecules.

Several oils are used in making CBD oil. However, the most common ones are coconut oil and olive oil. This is because they are delicious and nourish the skin so that they can be ingested orally or evn applied topically. Another reason is that they contain anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties. These properties help in extending the shelf life of CBD oil.

CBD Oil, Hemp Oil, or THC

It’s your choice and up to you to decide what you want to incorporate in your CBD oil. However, it also depends on whether the product is legal in your state or not. Moreover, your choice is also determined by the effects you want to experience since they have varying effects. Pojic et al. (2014) stated that marijuana oil has THC and CBD compounds.

According to McCall & Chris (2015), THC has more potent pain and anxiety-relieving properties than any other cannabinoid. The oil that is made with both THC and CBD is more potent and has many benefits than oil made of CBD or THC alone. This is because it has an entourage effect, where the compounds complement each other’s work.

Making CBD Oil

This recipe needs decarboxylated cannabis. According to Moreno et al. (2020), decarboxylated cannabis is cannabis that has been heated. This makes it more powerful hence providing health benefits.

When heating cannabis, do it at low temperatures. This is because it makes it possible for THCA and CBDA to be converted fully into their active compounds, THC and CBD, respectively. When cannabis is underheated or overheated, it may destroy the active compounds.

The following recipe contains instructions that will help you attain your raw cannabis.

Ingredients and Apparatus Needed

  • One cup of decarboxylated cannabis, weighing around seven to ten grams.
  • One cup of coconut oil. You can also use your preferred oil, like olive oil. Coconut oil is most preferred since it tastes good, and at room temperature, it retains its solid form.
  • Optional: Little grams of raw cannabis.
  • Double boiler, preferably one that is made from glass or stainless steel.
  • Cheesecloth.
  • Glass Bowl.
  • A thermometer.
  • Fine mesh strainer.
  • Storage container.

Directions

Before we get to the instructions, you should never overheat cannabis oil. In this recipe, the heat used helps during the cannabinoid process to attach to the oil; since our cannabis is already decarboxylated, it will be heated at around two hundred degrees. Attard et al. (2018) stated that lower temperatures help preserve the active THC and CBD compounds. Use the double boiler to heat since it will prevent overheating cannabis. You can monitor the oil’s temperature using a thermometer so that you can not overheat or underheat the oil. Since oils’ boiling point is higher, they do not look to be hot as they are. That is why you do not have to wait for it to boil to know if it is hot already.

Instructions

  • If you are using cannabis that is not decarboxylated, you can tear it into small pieces first. Next, spread it on a baking sheet. Place it in an already heated oven whose temperature is around 250 F. Bake it for around thirty minutes. If the CBD strain is high, you can heat it up to one hour. For balanced strains, heat it for forty-five minutes.
  • On the bottom pan of the double boiler, add water. Afterward, put your one cup of coconut oil on the top of the double boiler. Heat it until it melts.
  • In the melted coconut oil, add around ten grams of decarboxylated cannabis. This is where you can add raw cannabis if you want to.
  • Heat the cannabis and the oil at low temperatures for around thirty to sixty minutes. You can stir occasionally. You can check the temperature using the thermometer if you have it. Keep on adjusting your heat when needed to maintain the temperature at 200F.
  • Place a strainer and cheesecloth on top of a glass bowl. Pour your mixture into the filter. Then gently squeeze the excess oil from the cheesecloth once you are done pouring.
  • Put your already strained CBD oil inside a storage container. Then store it away from direct sunlight. If you want, you can refrigerate it too.

You can use the oil for up to a year only if it doesn’t mold or go bad. However, its potency may reduce.

Conclusion

Homemade CBD oil can be tricky since you do not know its exact potency. It is because you can perform a lab test that will help you know its THC and CBD content. If you bought your cannabis from a pharmacy, it might have a known THC and CBD content. However, its potency depends on factors such as the age of the pot, how you store it, how long the cannabis was decarboxylated and the temperature used. Also, how you made your CBD oil matters. All these factors can affect the THC and CBD content. It is also important to start dosing on small amounts of CBD oil if you are a beginner.

References

Attard, T. M., Bainier, C., Reinaud, M., Lanot, A., Mcqueen-Mason, S. J., & Hunt, A. J. (2018). Utilization Of Supercritical Fluids For The Effective Extraction Of Waxes And Cannabidiol (CBD) From Hemp Wastes. Industrial Crops And Products, 112, 38-46.

Mccall, C. (2015). Momentum Grows For Medical Use Of Cannabis. The Lancet, 386(10004), 1615-1616.

Moreno, T., Montanes, F., Tallon, S. J., Fenton, T., & King, J. W. (2020). Extraction Of Cannabinoids From Hemp (Cannabis Sativa L.) Using High Pressure Solvents: An Overview Of Different Processing Options. The Journal Of Supercritical Fluids, 161, 104850.

Pojić, M., MišAn, A., Sakač, M., DapčEvić Hadnađev, T., ŠArić, B., Milovanović, I., & Hadnađev, M. (2014). Characterization Of Byproducts Originating From Hemp Oil Processing. Journal Of Agricultural And Food Chemistry, 62(51), 12436-12442.

Charlotte Cremers
Latest posts by Charlotte Cremers (see all)

MS, University of Tartu
Sleep specialist

Using the acquired academic and professional experience, I advise patients with various complaints about mental health - depressed mood, nervousness, lack of energy and interest, sleep disorders, panic attacks, obsessive thoughts and anxieties, difficulty concentrating, and stress. In my free time, I love to paint and go on long walks on the beach. One of my latest obsessions is sudoku – a wonderful activity to calm an unease mind.

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