Teak

[commander315]

Hi all, ...I have a lot of teak on my boat (Steps, Door frame, gunwale, trim, anchor pulpit, etc..) and want to refinish it (Pic attached..) I also have a large teak tackle box that mounts to the set of rails on the right. I sanded down all the teak last year and let it sit a season unfinished. Anyway, Some guys use varnish and some use teak oil, which one is better and whats the pros and cons of each?. How should I prep it since it sat a whole season unfinished? Also, whats a good product and way of sealing it so it looks good for a few years.?? Thanks in adavnce

 

[md-lucky]

Re: Teak

Light sanding and teak oil for me.

This is one of the most beautiful woods in the world. The person that owned my boat before me actually PAINTED the teak. I almost cried when I took it apart. What a waste of some very nice lumber.

If you check out my build thread you can see the process. Very light sanding, followed by a few layers of oil. Very easy to do. If you don't want to take everything apart, you should be able to do it right on the boat. Just be carefull as the stain will stain!

 

[commander315]

Re: Teak

Light sanding and teak oil for me.

This is one of the most beautiful woods in the world. The person that owned my boat before me actually PAINTED the teak. I almost cried when I took it apart. What a waste of some very nice lumber.

If you check out my build thread you can see the process. Very light sanding, followed by a few layers of oil. Very easy to do. If you don't want to take everything apart, you should be able to do it right on the boat. Just be carefull as the stain will stain!

WOW painted teak?? thats a shame.. the Po of my boat had the teak done professionally, it beautiful and lasted about 8 years. Do you seal your teak? If not how long does it look good with just the oil?

 

[md-lucky]

Re: Teak

Looks great a year later. However, when the boat isn't in use it is covered.. So I imagine that it will look good for a long time to come.

 

[Flyvet]

Re: Teak

I prefer teak oil over varnish, I think it looks more natural. It will have to be retreated more often but that is more than made up by how much easier it is to rub more oil on it once a year instead of sanding and revarnishing.

 

[dockwrecker]

Re: Teak

Sanding and oil only. Varnish and polys crack and peel and are a pain to redo. Teak with a bit of sanding comes right up, and after it has soaked up a bunch of oil, holds up well in the long run.

 

[MRS]

Re: Teak

WOW painted teak?? thats a shame.. the Po of my boat had the teak done professionally, it beautiful and lasted about 8 years. Do you seal your teak? If not how long does it look good with just the oil?

Do not coat with anything use teak oil. I just bought a new old boat last year and they did not take care of the wood at all (1986) but some one had coated the teak with something and it was a pain to get off what was left on. I used the starbrite kit has cleaner and conditioner and the teak oil came out sweet not hard to use, all but one piece came out nice. I did go over all the teak with a scoth scrub pads or sand paper where needed first. the oil has repelled water and still looks great but it said to let soak 5mins. but mine was really dryied out and would let soak over night put on with a brush did that about three times after that teak looks great. P.S. This weekend I am redoing the one piece that does not look has good has the rest.

When ever it needs a touch up just wipe it down with a rag with some teak oil on it.....

 

[commander315]

Re: Teak

Do not coat with anything use teak oil. I just bought a new old boat last year and they did not take care of the wood at all (1986) but some one had coated the teak with something and it was a pain to get off what was left on. I used the starbrite kit has cleaner and conditioner and the teak oil came out sweet not hard to use, all but one piece came out nice. I did go over all the teak with a scoth scrub pads or sand paper where needed first. the oil has repelled water and still looks great but it said to let soak 5mins. but mine was really dryied out and would let soak over night put on with a brush did that about three times after that teak looks great. P.S. This weekend I am redoing the one piece that does not look has good has the rest.

When ever it needs a touch up just wipe it down with a rag with some teak oil on it.....

What do you guys think of this product?http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=109346&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&storeId=11151&storeNum=10104&subdeptNum=10374&classNum=11061 its a teak oil and a sealer. (I used to use it on my small boat back in the day) It lets the teak be more natural.....(I heard using varnish kills the teaks natural oils and dries it out...so)

 

[Knot Waiting]

Re: Teak

Sand every piece down to good fresh bright wood and wipe on several coats of "Boat Life Golden Teak Oil". It is by far the best looking, longest lasting, glossy teak oil I have ever found. You wont be disappointed. Ive used many different oils and most are crap, almost like tinted water.

 

[Shife]

Re: Teak

If you want it to last, read this:

http://www.epoxyworks.com/18/varnish.html

 

[commander315]

Re: Teak

I just had an idea and took a look at the Chris Craft website (They still use a hell of a lot of teak on their boats) There is a Teak Care Area. Here it is.http://www.chriscraft.com/index.php?submenu=TeakCare&src=gendocs&ref=TeakCare&category=ChrisCraftBoatCare So, according to them, I guess the Star Brite sealer oil is the way to go???

 

[commander315]

Re: Teak

btw... i just found an older pic with all of her teak finished..she looks so much better...

 

[Flyvet]

Re: Teak

I prefer not using any "coating" on solid wood. Epoxy has many great properties but one limitation is that it breaks down in UV light so needs to be kept coated with a UV inhibiting varnish or paint. You would eventually need to revarnish. As a long time woodworker, I have used "drying oils" for years, i.e. Danish Oil. I'm pretty sure Teak Oil is a super duty version of a drying oil, which means it contains at least small amounts of a curing component like varnish. In fact, Watco makes a teak oil also. You can make your own "Danish" oil for furniture by mixing varnish, linseed or tung oil, and mineral spirits. It wouldn't contain the UV inhibition that is probably in the teak oil. Here is a couple of photos of a drift boat I built from teak. The teak plywood is covered with epoxy and glass cloth so needed to be varnished, the gunwales and seat is solid teak. You can see the difference, I like the natural look of the oiled wood over the shiny varnish but the plywood needed the varnish.

 

[bcons]

Re: Teak

Light sand with 220 grit & oil, oil, oil every spring. The Watco from Lowes or Homedepot works for me. Any other finishes are harder to bring back.

 

[Grand Larsony]

Re: Teak

Cetol by Sikkens. Unbelievable product.. just light sanding and three coats. No sanding between coats. Add a coat annually.

 

[SeanMcl]

Re: Teak

Here is the Dumb Question of the Day: Does oiling the wood make it slippery when wet?

The only pieces of (exposed) wood on my boat are the steering wheel and steps up to the bow. I've never oiled them and they could use some attention.

 

[commander315]

Re: Teak

Here is the Dumb Question of the Day: Does oiling the wood make it slippery when wet?

The only pieces of (exposed) wood on my boat are the steering wheel and steps up to the bow. I've never oiled them and they could use some attention.

YEs, it does... Teak Oil takes away teak naturals non skid surface....but it looks better..

 

[bcons]

Re: Teak

YEs, it does... Teak Oil takes away teak naturals non skid surface....but it looks better..

Slippery?

I have not problems, nor do my wife & 4 kids. Swim platform is all teak, as is ladder, ladder to the bridge, & step into the cabin

 

[Aviator5]

Re: Teak

Teak oil does not make wood slippery. I use it all thru the boat without any problems.

 

[wa_ssv197]

Re: Teak

Cetol by Sikkens. Unbelievable product.. just light sanding and three coats. No sanding between coats. Add a coat annually.

This is exactly what I did. Check out my teak here