Best finish for exposed wood?

[tadd5181]

Is spar varnish the best finish for exposed woold? Is it best to use 2 coats? Is there a finish recommended to go on the top of varnish? Exposed: means open to weather/sun. Wood: prob oak. Not deck.

 

[jon hansen]

interior? exterior? deck? wood type?

 

[jon hansen]

ask 50 sailors, you'll get 50 different answers .

i'm a varnish guy.


many many coats

varnish is to protect the wood from weathering

 

[sail sfbay]

Jon is right...........I just sanded all the old varnish, applied but not maintained by the previous owner, off the teak rails and other external teak and applied Semco Teak Wood Natural Finish Sealant Protector. I have used varnish in the past but this time going with Semco. Very happy with the results. It is very popular in our marina in the San Francisco Bay.

 

[MikeHoncho]

Are you looking for shiny or not shiny finish?

 

[Siamese]

The best finish for exposed wood is paint.

 

[Msweetnam]

It seems you're referring to exterior wood components. You can use a genuine spar varnish, either shiny or matte. Make sure that it has UV inhibitors. I've recently been trying 2 part epoxy for fast build, but unfortunately it hasn't been good with the sun and quickly deteriorates.

 

[sail sfbay]

Same question came up on this thread: Beneteau 423 toe rail | Sailboat Owners Forums . Below is a photo of my neighbor's 2018 Tayana 48 with Semco treated toe rail, bow and stern seats. Its very easy to maintain.

 

[sail sfbay]

Below are photos of 37-year old teak rails after the Cetol was stripped, sanded and then treated with Semco.