I bought a Catalina 30. The teak on the handrails/hatch boards etc has been varnished. The boat was left out uncovered in past winters and the varnish has deteriorated. The varnish is now peeling and /or water has gotten under the varnish and it is lifting. I had never noticed folks varnishing teak before. Is this a regular practice. My intention is to remove the remmants of the varnish and restore the teak to unvarnished teak. Past experience comments or suggstions would be appreciated. thanks.
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more of them are finished
John: I find that more boats have finished teak than not. I personally like the looks of smooth gray teak as well as cetol or varnished wood. If you leave it natural it is more difficult to keep it clean. If you varnish it, it is difficult to keep it looking nice. If you use cetol, you can touch it up once a year or so. There is no magic bullet here.
John: I find that more boats have finished teak than not. I personally like the looks of smooth gray teak as well as cetol or varnished wood. If you leave it natural it is more difficult to keep it clean. If you varnish it, it is difficult to keep it looking nice. If you use cetol, you can touch it up once a year or so. There is no magic bullet here.
Polyurethane . . .
is the "modern" terminology. It stands up better than varnish. As Steve said, you will have to re-do it about every 2 years. It is very common on older wooden boats. Teak oils and the like will only last about 6 months, or so, but the touch-up is easier. Regards, Ted
is the "modern" terminology. It stands up better than varnish. As Steve said, you will have to re-do it about every 2 years. It is very common on older wooden boats. Teak oils and the like will only last about 6 months, or so, but the touch-up is easier. Regards, Ted
Cetol Marine Varnish
My 1988 Hunter Legend 35 was in Charter for 4 Years. I used Sikkens Cetol Marine Varnish the First Year and was very pleased how it was able to handle the Traffic. I even did my Cabin Sole with it. For the most part, it preserves the Finish. I have not had to retouch the interior teak,and once every two years I redo the exterior teak. Now that it is out of Charter, I have very little Maintenance to do on the Wood and can spend more time Playing.
My 1988 Hunter Legend 35 was in Charter for 4 Years. I used Sikkens Cetol Marine Varnish the First Year and was very pleased how it was able to handle the Traffic. I even did my Cabin Sole with it. For the most part, it preserves the Finish. I have not had to retouch the interior teak,and once every two years I redo the exterior teak. Now that it is out of Charter, I have very little Maintenance to do on the Wood and can spend more time Playing.
Differences in natural teak finish
You may have noticed that teak left natural in a salt water environment will turn a lovely silver grey colour and is a joy to behold. Teak left natural in a fresh water environment will turn dark grey to black - not very attractive.
You may have noticed that teak left natural in a salt water environment will turn a lovely silver grey colour and is a joy to behold. Teak left natural in a fresh water environment will turn dark grey to black - not very attractive.
teak finishing
Cetol is the best thing, bar none. It is easy to apply. Get down to the bare wood first with a stripper, steel brush and sandpaper course to very fine. Then two or three coats. Each year lighly sand and put on a coat and you are done. I use oil on the interior teak, or oil and a little cetol added to it. It is lovely. Full strength cetol inside is unnecessary overkill. Good luck.
Cetol is the best thing, bar none. It is easy to apply. Get down to the bare wood first with a stripper, steel brush and sandpaper course to very fine. Then two or three coats. Each year lighly sand and put on a coat and you are done. I use oil on the interior teak, or oil and a little cetol added to it. It is lovely. Full strength cetol inside is unnecessary overkill. Good luck.
Teak
There is a danger in not protecting the exterior teak that is part of a teak veneer. You can do what you want to items that are solid teak (handrails, trim, etc.) but I think that you need to protect teak when the item is constructed of a teak veneer. The veneer will tend to delaminate and then chip off when it is not protected from the weather and UV, by varnish or Cetol or Armada or ? The area on boats that I commonly see delaminating are the companionway hatch boards that do not have a finish. Remember, the hatchboards are not solid teak but just the thin exterior layer is teak. It's pretty easy to prevent the problem with coatings like Cetol (or Armada if you don't like an orange tint), a lot less work than constructing new hatchboards in the future.
There is a danger in not protecting the exterior teak that is part of a teak veneer. You can do what you want to items that are solid teak (handrails, trim, etc.) but I think that you need to protect teak when the item is constructed of a teak veneer. The veneer will tend to delaminate and then chip off when it is not protected from the weather and UV, by varnish or Cetol or Armada or ? The area on boats that I commonly see delaminating are the companionway hatch boards that do not have a finish. Remember, the hatchboards are not solid teak but just the thin exterior layer is teak. It's pretty easy to prevent the problem with coatings like Cetol (or Armada if you don't like an orange tint), a lot less work than constructing new hatchboards in the future.
unfinished hurts resale
I agree with the majority here that Cetol is good stuff--lasts well, and has its own orangey color that has come to be viewed as the traditional color for finished wood on yachts. I've found Epifanes Rubbed Effect Varnish to be a beautiful product for interior finishes if you don't want gloss (just don't use their own Woodfinish Gloss as the base coat on unfinished wood as they suggest; too many air bubbles and sanding). If you want something that is genuinely permanent, try POR-15 clear or its wood formula, Pellucid. These 2 epoxies will permanently encapsulate the wood and require no further touch-ups except for deep abrasions. The effect will be darker wood with a gloss finish and no grain standing out. Leaving your wood unfinished is an aesthetical choice, but you should understand it will hurt resale. Unfinished wood has a shorter life, flaws in the wood are destroyed more easily by water/ice/mold penetration, and buyers will be worried about how difficult it will be to replace wood trim that wasn't intended to be replaced. I automatically passed up several boats with that "lovely silver" look while boat-shopping last year and I'm sure that is the common view.
I agree with the majority here that Cetol is good stuff--lasts well, and has its own orangey color that has come to be viewed as the traditional color for finished wood on yachts. I've found Epifanes Rubbed Effect Varnish to be a beautiful product for interior finishes if you don't want gloss (just don't use their own Woodfinish Gloss as the base coat on unfinished wood as they suggest; too many air bubbles and sanding). If you want something that is genuinely permanent, try POR-15 clear or its wood formula, Pellucid. These 2 epoxies will permanently encapsulate the wood and require no further touch-ups except for deep abrasions. The effect will be darker wood with a gloss finish and no grain standing out. Leaving your wood unfinished is an aesthetical choice, but you should understand it will hurt resale. Unfinished wood has a shorter life, flaws in the wood are destroyed more easily by water/ice/mold penetration, and buyers will be worried about how difficult it will be to replace wood trim that wasn't intended to be replaced. I automatically passed up several boats with that "lovely silver" look while boat-shopping last year and I'm sure that is the common view.
Cetol
As noted, Cetol is the way to go. Normal price is $30 a quart, but can be had on sale for $20. Even in Oklahoma, I only need to recoat it every other year...as long as you put on three coats initially.
As noted, Cetol is the way to go. Normal price is $30 a quart, but can be had on sale for $20. Even in Oklahoma, I only need to recoat it every other year...as long as you put on three coats initially.
Semco
Semco is easy like Cetol but lasts longer and looks better. There are a variety of shades, my favorite is Natural. Go to www.semcoteakproducts.com to check it out. I went with the Teak Slave Kit and it worked great.
Semco is easy like Cetol but lasts longer and looks better. There are a variety of shades, my favorite is Natural. Go to www.semcoteakproducts.com to check it out. I went with the Teak Slave Kit and it worked great.
Oiled Teak vs Untreated
I don't know that I agree that unfinished teak will lower a boat's resale value (unless we consider oiled to be a finish). I DO agree that totally untreated teak will. We clean our teak regularly, and oil it once every 2 or 3 months. Each time we oil it, we get someone who stops us and comments on it. Usually, about how good it looks, frequently if it's "new". I prefer it to varnished, and frankly would consider varnishing exterior solid teak to lower the resale value, were I looking for a boat.
I don't know that I agree that unfinished teak will lower a boat's resale value (unless we consider oiled to be a finish). I DO agree that totally untreated teak will. We clean our teak regularly, and oil it once every 2 or 3 months. Each time we oil it, we get someone who stops us and comments on it. Usually, about how good it looks, frequently if it's "new". I prefer it to varnished, and frankly would consider varnishing exterior solid teak to lower the resale value, were I looking for a boat.
Cetol gloss topcoat
Wood treatment (aka "brightwork") is a very personal thing, as many purists shudder at the thought of putting anything but varnish on their boats. My experience is similar to most posts here: I feel Cetol looks 80% as good as varnish for 20% of the work. I recently stripped all my exterior teak to bare wood (this prep can't be avoided, no matter what product you coat the wood with) and applied 3 coats of the regular Cetol. This is as far as I went with other boats prior, but this time I added 2 coats of Cetol gloss. What a difference! I've had several folks indicate that they really like the "varnish look" on my boat and are amazed when I tell them it's good ol' Cetol with gloss. I feel my brightwork looks at least 90% as good as traditional varnish for little additional work. Just my 2 cents, Trevor
Wood treatment (aka "brightwork") is a very personal thing, as many purists shudder at the thought of putting anything but varnish on their boats. My experience is similar to most posts here: I feel Cetol looks 80% as good as varnish for 20% of the work. I recently stripped all my exterior teak to bare wood (this prep can't be avoided, no matter what product you coat the wood with) and applied 3 coats of the regular Cetol. This is as far as I went with other boats prior, but this time I added 2 coats of Cetol gloss. What a difference! I've had several folks indicate that they really like the "varnish look" on my boat and are amazed when I tell them it's good ol' Cetol with gloss. I feel my brightwork looks at least 90% as good as traditional varnish for little additional work. Just my 2 cents, Trevor
Yep, gotta give it the gloss!!
Like Trevor, I too finished my teak with Cetol Gloss. First 3 coats of marine, then two coats of gloss. It looks fantastic IMHO, and seems to have better abrasion resistance. I've had a number of compliments from sailors on and off the water! That's not too hard to take
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v83/Whitson/2004_0826Image0002.jpg
Like Trevor, I too finished my teak with Cetol Gloss. First 3 coats of marine, then two coats of gloss. It looks fantastic IMHO, and seems to have better abrasion resistance. I've had a number of compliments from sailors on and off the water! That's not too hard to take
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v83/Whitson/2004_0826Image0002.jpg- Status