wood swim platform

[ericcarr2000]

I will be re-finishing my wooden swim platform on my Larson boat. Can anyone give me some insight on what type of stain I need and what type, if any, of clear coat I need....Thanks in advance...

 

[81 Checkmate]

Re: wood swim platform

You got any pic's?

Most likely Teak wood....But the experts will be along soon.

 

[jbach]

Re: wood swim platform

it's teak. do NOT ruin it by staining it or varnishing it, or putting any type of poly on it. easiest is to use starbrite's 3 step teak process. i use my own method which some may not agree with. the first 4 steps are for a neglected swim platform. i only clean and apply oil if it's not bad.

i clean with pinesol and wire brush
pressurewash, not so close you eat up the wood,
let dry in sun for a few days.
lightly hand sand to remove high spots (220ish grit)
start applying teak oil. a couple coats a day for a few days. wipe off excess. keep it oiled from now on, it will stay beautiful.

 

[jsturvey]

Re: wood swim platform

I definitely like using the Starbrite 3 step kit. Spend most of the time on step one...cleaning. I use a nylon scrub brush and / or a grill scrubber to help clean the dirt out of the teak. Then brightener and finally the oil. Usually apply around 5 coats of teak oil to re-saturate the wood since the freshly cleaned teak will soak it up like a sponge. The instructions say to apply the oil using a spray bottle, but I prefer to use a very thick paint brush. Beautiful results. I'd also suggest removing the platform (and any other teak you are treating) from the boat if possible because if any teak oil gets on the fiberglass, it's a pain to get off once dry. Also, I always buy extra teak oil. Here is a pic of my results from last year.

 

[zool]

Re: wood swim platform

If its teak, which they usually are, you have 2 options, clean/brighten/oil, or clean/brighten/seal/coat with a spar varnish. Both have their goods and bads. Well maintained oiled teak is beautiful, but it has to be maintained on a weekly/monthly basis, and its dificult to maintain the underside if left in a slip. Oiled teak is also safer on a platform as it has better non skid properties.

Varnished teak platforms are beautiful too, and require much less maintenance. There is a higher skill level required to get a glass finish, and much sanding is needed between the 8-10 coats of varnish. And a good varnish needs a while to set up, between coats and sanding. A varnished platform has little non skid properties, and can cause injury or worse.

Im still deciding which way to go myself.

Epifanes over clear shellac is a good choice for varnish, any 3 stage teak kit for oiling.