trying to make my teak look better and for longer

[Cptkid570]

I have some teak on my boat that was looking very shabby. So, last year I sanded it down and then applied a stain to it called Cetol. Actually, I have no idea what Cetol is (whether a stain or a varnish). Anyway, I loved the way the teak looked after doing this. Unfortunately, now it is apparently starting to fade and/or peel up. 2 questions:<br /><br />After I’d applied the Cetol (and after it dried):<br /><br />1. Should I have put something else over the Cetol? Like a varnish of some sort? To make it stay looking the way it was for longer.<br /><br />2. If I put a thin coat of fiberglass resin (just a thin clear coat) over it, would it be ok? I figure that a thin clear coat of fiberglass resin would keep it looking like that for a real long time.<br /><br />I don't like the faded teak look. I like it to have more of that auburn-looking color to it.

 

[CalicoKid]

Re: trying to make my teak look better and for longer

Teak does not hold varnishes or other hard coat finishes well. Teak is too oily and finishes bond poorly to it. There are good 'kits' around for teak finishing and refinishing that basically amount to cleaners and oils. Oils need to be periodically reapplied to keep the nice finish you want.<br /><br />I did something a little different: I scrubbed my teak with lemon oil and a stiff brush a few times, until the wood was clean and brite. I then coated the teak with a lot of Snoseal brand beeswax paste and set it in the sun to warm and soak in. I recoated until no more would soak in to the teak, then wiped off any excess wax and reinstalled the pieces on my boat. It looks great I haven't had to do anything else for a couple of seasons, but eventually the wax and oils will dry and I will have to do it again. That's just the way it is...

 

[Paul Moir]

Re: trying to make my teak look better and for longer

How many coats of cetol did you use? Did you wash the teak with acetone first? That stuff is not really a varnish or a straight oil.<br /><br />Coating with polyester resin & fiberglass would surely be a disaster. But pre-coating with epoxy seems to have a bunch of proponents. Search this forum for "epoxy teak" for more information.

 

[Purebreed]

Re: trying to make my teak look better and for longer

I had a ton of teak on my old boat. I used bleach white soft and scrub with a scrub brush and then finished it with a product called Tip Top teak. It lasted longer than most of the other products I had tried over the last 8-9 years before.

 

[DangerDan]

Re: trying to make my teak look better and for longer

Watco oil works really well on teak. It's an oil with a sealer or varnish. it dosent chip or peel off. I have been using it for years and with exception of the heavy traffic areas such as swim platform and floor grate. You'll Only need to make one application per season. The first year using it I applied it on fresh wood after sanding I put like three coats on, now it's just a onceover at the beginning of the season. This can be purchased at any home improvement store for just a few dollars a quart.

 

[Cptkid570]

Re: trying to make my teak look better and for longer

I wouldn't put fiberglass matt over it, I'd just put a thin coat of resin... it just seams like it would preserve it the way it is.. thank you for some suggestions everyone!

 

[fishingdan]

Re: trying to make my teak look better and for longer

Try Bristol Finish or Honey Teak (basically the same product). They are excellent two-part products that are very easy to apply and give excellent resuts. Besides ease of use, I think they have two big advantages over varnish. First, many coats can be applied in a single day. Another coat can be applied as soon as the previous coat is tacky. Second, the don't have to be completely removed when it is time for a touch up. Light sand and then apply.

 

[dmarkvid2]

Re: trying to make my teak look better and for longer

Just like DangerDan, I used Watco Teak Oil too.<br />fist I used bleach and scrubed the wood with a stiff nylon brush. I did what the instructions on the can said to do, a heavey coat let it sit for 30 min. and reapply a second coat for another 15 min. and then wipe off the extra. It looked great! But i went one extea step, i let the teak sit for about 3 days, and then gave it a 3rd coat. This time it was a light coat that I brushed, and brushed, and brushed until the oil was so even, it disapreared on to the wood. and later dried with a satin shiny finish.

 

[Reasons]

Re: trying to make my teak look better and for longer

See my post in "how much is too much??" .

 

[recess]

Re: trying to make my teak look better and for longer

This is one of those topics that you will hear so many different opinions that you will be more confused than when you started, but, f/g resin is not the way to go. I have always been a proponent of clean, oil, clean, oil, clean, oil; well you get the idea. But, on this forum a few years ago I saw the recommendation about using an epoxy to seal the teak, then using a good quality varnish to protect it for the ultraviolet. So far, this has been the answer. My boat sits exposed to the elements and the teak looks great. If you want a shiny finish, use the gloss varnish; if you want a natural looking teak, use the satin finish varnish. 3 coat of varnish over epoxy. No more or you stand the chance of chipping. This is a case of too much really is not the best. If I had a cover for my boat, the varnish would last even longer. I foresee having to recoat the varnish in a year or two, but it sure beats the cleaning and scrubbing.