Easiest "temporary" cabin sole finish??

[CalebD]

Higgs, one of the main ingredients of varnish

is linseed oil among others. Everyone seems to think that oils and varnishes are incompatible but this is simply not true. Yes, you should wipe down oiled wood surfaces with acetone before varnishing after they have had a chance to dry and soak in. Any kind of oil is not compatible with Polyeurathane and other modern finishes but varnish has been around for millenia. It has gotten more sophisticated but it is essentially an enhanced oil product.

 

[CalebD]

And if you dont believe me take a look

at the link I have added. Spar varnishes typically use Tung oil (lookup tung oil and you will see that Linseed oil is one of its components). Oils and varnish do mix. Oil and vinegar (or water) do not.The beauty of wikipedia is that I could have just typed in the info on the link but I am way too lazy to do that.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varnish

 

[Fred]

Oil products that dry are an excellent base for

varnish, if you let them dry thouroughly. You can mix boiled linseed and varnish in all kinds of proportions. 5 or 10 percent oil will "break the gloss" of varnish and make a satin finish.varnish. 5 or ten percent varnish in boiled linseed oil will make the finish a bit harder and more shiny. 5 or 10% varnish in boiled oil make it a bit shiny.Oil based varnish is often linseed oil base. I don't know what the stuff that makes it hard is.At the boat school we used various proportions of oil/varnish mix for things like inside of planking, solid spars, and hardwood rub rails.When I lived in Port Townsend, Wa. the boat school there did the same. The boat talk in the coffee shops (with some of Port Townsends best professional yacht finishers) often revolved around how much Tung oil, linseed, varnish, pine tar, thinner, etc. to mix up for a particular purpose.In Port Townsend there are 400 boats at a time in the main yards, and dozens of projects in back yards and sheds nearby. I lived aboard there from 1970 to 1992, buying, selling and building boats. It was (and still is) a great place to see what works and watch some of the best shipwrights in the world ply their trade.

 

[Fred]

Boy, you guys are quick

three new posts in the time it took me to write a reply. If linseed is listed in your Tung oil, it's a mix. You can get pure Tung Oil. It's a good additive to make a shiny finish, but it will mildew outside(the voice of sad experience) if it's not mixed with other stuff.Take time to read the ingredients at a well stocked chandlery. Most of the products that sound like a single ingredient are actually mixed, usually for good reasons.Linseed oil comes boiled or raw. Raw won't harden. It's like salad oil. Boiled ususlly has driers to help it harden.

 

[higgs]

Fred

I am not the sharpest too in the shed so forgive my ignorance.You suggest boiled linseed. Is this used with wet/dry paper as one roughs up the cabind sole? what grit would you use? If i am way off base here, I woudl appreciate a "for dummies" tutorial.

 

[Idratherbesailing]

Just to end the discussion about finishes

320 grit, palm sander, 20 minutesscraper for corners, sander, 15 minutesshop vac, tac rag, 15 minutestung oil, 2 applications, 30 minuteslooks great...no formica used..but that is an interesting idea for the long term...but this 79 Gulfstar has 1/2" teak and holly floorboards, so I really want to refinish them to original spec. Photos soon...

 

[r.w.landau]

Caleb, I wouldn't use Acetone.

The traditional way is to wipe oily woods like teak down with Denatured Alcohol to clean the surface of excess oil so that the product being applied can bite into the wood for a good bond. Once the first coat is applied you are not connecting to wood, you are over coating the previous product. That is why varnish will bond to cured tong oil. If you varnish bare teak with out wiping, the chances of it peeling are very high.You would also wipe down with alcohol prior to a glue repair. r.w.landau

 

[Chuck711]

Teak and Sole Laminates

I work at a yacht manufacturer (2-12 million dollars a pop). They use a teak and Holly Laminate on their floors.http://www.amtico.com/Business/UK/Marine?psvnv=3&psvbr=5&fcpm=psvThe teak strips are 2 mm thick about 2 inches wide and 36 inches long.The holly strips are about 3/8 wide by 36 inches long same 2 mm thick.Not very expensive. Looks really good. I imagine long lasting due to the level of boats we're building.

 

[Ross]

Chuck 711 how long it lasts is measured by how

long the first buyer keeps the boat. After that the builder doesn't care. Solid wood lasts longer than veneer and veneer lasts longer than high pressure laminates.

 

[Fred]

Higgs, the wet/dry sandpaper is 200 to

400 grit. Put a little boiled linseed oil on the floor (this is after you clean it and maybe sand with 100 grit where it's really bad. Use oil with the 100 grit if you like, just to keep the dust down. Sand with the 200 or 400 grit and oil, wipe off the excess, rub hard enough so the friction warms the rag (it doesn't take as much elbow grease as it sounds) let it dry. It leaves a satin oil finish that will knock your socks off. You can use Tung oil the same way, or put 10% vernish in the linseed, and it will have more gloss.