Applying Cetol question
- Thread starter jviss
- Start date
I used Cetol on my boats. If you want Cetol to look like varnish, sand, prep and apply the same as you would to apply varnish. Apply 3 coats, allowing each one to dry. To keep it looking that way, apply a new coat every spring. Before doing that, "sand" lightly with bronze wool (never use steel wool on a boat...it rusts, bronze doesn't) to remove scratches etc, then apply one or two new coats.
That's how I was taught to do it and my teak always looked great.
--Peggie
That's how I was taught to do it and my teak always looked great.
--Peggie
I ran across this article a while back. I'm not endorsing... just passing this along
www.practical-sailor.com
Cetol Versus Teak Sealer - Practical Sailor
Since 1974, Practical Sailor’s independent testing has taken the guesswork out of boat and gear buying.
www.practical-sailor.com
@Ralph Johnstone has the best things to use on Teak and its final finishing.
He has pictures too.
Jim...
He has pictures too.
Jim...
Ya know, I had a terrible time with my Pearson 39 toe rails. They were solid teak and water had intruded underneath so the varnish would never last a season before peeling and worse. So I decided to try the Cetol stuff. I stripped all the varnish off and applied Cetol. It kinda worked, kinda looked ok, and kinda lasted, but not too long. But it never looked as good as varnish and didn't have the ship shape look of varnish on my boat. So I simply had the toe rails replaced and reinstalled properly. Then countless coats of Admiral's Varnish and it looked spectacular for many years, and still looking good far as I know.
At a minimum you will still need to strip the varnish and then look to see if you have water intrusion under the toe rails. If you do have intrusion, you are kinda screwed no matter what you use. Unless you hire a crew of Caribbean guys every spring to strip and re-varnish the toe rails. That works, but $$$$$$.
Good luck.
My last boat Hunter 44 had no teak rails !!!! Huzzah!!!
Thanks Peggie. I read somewhere - I can't recall where - that someone applied several coats of Cetol natural teak and finished with a coat of Cetol gloss, and got a varnish-like look. Have you heard of this?
I have some peeling varnish, but nowhere does it appear that there's moisture under the varnish. I'm going to experiment with scraping first, then sanding as a last resort. I have a nice set of scrapers for this purpose. As I mentioned in my reply to Peggie, I might try several coats of Cetol natural teak followed by a coat of Cetol gloss; I heard it yields a varnish-like look.
If I had the time and the weather I would varnish! But, alas, I now have the time, but the boat's in the water and there's always some kind of weather here in New England.
I have a friend who spends $3k/year on varnish work alone on his two boats. Too rich for my blood!
Yes, but the part that was left out was the prep work that must be done first. To get that look the teak must cleaned and sanded just as you'd do it to apply varnish before applying the first coat of Cetol. The good news is, you only have to do all that work before applying Cetol for the first time. After that, you only have "sand" lightly with bronze wool before applying another coat or two (the second coat can be gloss if it has to be shiny). Read and FOLLOW directions, especially those about avoiding applying in humid conditions.
Like most things on a boat, preparation and then maintenance according to directions are the keys to success with Cetol.
-Peggie
Or, you could just strip the varnish off, and go commando.....I have some peeling varnish, but nowhere does it appear that there's moisture under the varnish. I'm going to experiment with scraping first, then sanding as a last resort. I have a nice set of scrapers for this purpose. As I mentioned in my reply to Peggie, I might try several coats of Cetol natural teak followed by a coat of Cetol gloss; I heard it yields a varnish-like look.
If I had the time and the weather I would varnish! But, alas, I now have the time, but the boat's in the water and there's always some kind of weather here in New England.
I have a friend who spends $3k/year on varnish work alone on his two boats. Too rich for my blood!
Yes! But I don't care for the weathered, gray look, and oil would probably be a weekly ritual.Or, you could just strip the varnish off, and go commando.....
Sikkens Cetol is easy to use, particularly in comparison to varnish. After you have cleaned the teak and sanded it smooth (if needed) you must apply at least 3 coats of Cetol within a two week period. No more than one coat a day. And, if you do it within two weeks, no sanding between coats is necessary. You must put on at least 3 coats, or you won't get the longevity you want. If you want a gloss finish, then you apply their gloss product over the other Cetol product you already applied.
Thank you! I wish I could do multiple coats in a day, as with Awlspar. But, that requires about 7 coats, and I think four coats per day is the limit.
I have done this before but didn't like the high gloss. I went back to just using the satin finish the next year. FWIW, I would go with the Cetol Marine light product. It doesn't have the orangey look that the Marine Natural Teak does. I always used an oil paint / varnish brush. Easy cleanup with mineral spirits.
No exterior teak on our Catalina 350 these days, so I have to get my teak fix by looking at other peoples boats. I kinda like it that way.
I have also tried every finish (other than Cetol which I hate the look of) and have failed with all of them until I tried Semco Teak Sealer. It does not build up and a single wiped on coat twice a year keeps the teak looking good and beading water. It basically looks and feels like unfinished freshly sanded teak after you wipe it down with acetone. [It does not have the natural oily feel of freshly sanded teak.]I ran across this article a while back. I'm not endorsing... just passing this along
Cetol Versus Teak Sealer - Practical Sailor
Since 1974, Practical Sailor’s independent testing has taken the guesswork out of boat and gear buying.
I have been using it for the past 3 years and it still looks great.
I use cetol & semco.
Two coats of cetol natural followed by two coats of cetol gloss on the deck hand rails & companionway hatch slider are good for four years. Pretty good for a semitropical environment. I use semco on the cockpit teak slat seating surface; however, three coats of semco only lasts for approximately six to nine months. I use semco on the seats because I don't want a slippery surface, especially when wet, and for ease of application, no masking required. No doubt in my mind that cetol does a better job of protecting the teak.
Might I suggest that's a psychological reaction to a product that does a poor job of protecting teak and does not look that good when applied.
If at all possible to hermetically seal a teak article, nothing but absolutely nothing compares to 4 - 5 coats of clear epoxy followed by 2 - 3 coats of varnish for UV protection :
Unfortunately, if you can't seal the backside (such as installed toe rails) don't do it as any moisture entering the backside will create pressure and lift the epoxy.