Refinish teak veneer on companionway to salon

[CharlieSea]

The finish on the teak veneer plywood port and starboard of the companionway has deteriorated. See photos. The PO tried to refinish the area with varnish which made it worse. In the Hunter Owner's Manual it recommends 330 grit sandpaper and then a Mohawk filler and shellac topcoat. This worked very well on the owner stateroom door which was in good shape. It allows you to just match in a part without stripping the whole thing. I tried it on the salon table but wound up having to strip the top starting with 80 grit on a random orbital and then 7 coats of Epifanes which to look good was wet sanded with 2000 then buffed. See photo. The factory finish on the table was very hard, thus the 80 grit. I have thought of sandpaper, heat gun and maybe a paint stripper. Any suggestions as to preparation and then finish. I can't be the only one out there with this problem. Help! Does anyone know what the original finish is on the teak veneer. It seems very near to the filler and shellac from Mohawk.

 

[CharlieSea]

 

[CharlieSea]

Whoops.

 

[Hydro Therapy]

Charlie, how long did you allow the epiphanes to harden before you buffed out the table?

I never had breat success cutting and buffing a varnish finish. I’ve never used epiphanes.

 

[jssailem]

@Spooled Again I talked with a demonstrator at the boat show, while admiring his wooden 11 foot rowing skiff. He said he had 9 - 11 coats on the wood and they took 18 days to dry before he polished them. I think he wet sanded with 1000 then 2000 grit and then buffed and polished.
It was a beauty to admire. Not much time to be on the water. All spent in the varnishing shed.

 

[Will Gilmore]

I was taught in cabinet school that paint thinner will strip lacquer and lacquer thinner will strip paint. I worked as a furniture refinisher while in school and we used a lot of toluene for that kind of stuff. We didn't work on marine finishes. I wouldn't, however, use a random orbital sander with 80 grit on veneer. I hate the little circles.

-Will (Dragonfly)

 

[Hydro Therapy]

John, thanks for the info.

 

[Jerry Clark H356 SV Persi]

Here is what you need to restore the finish. No sanding or prep, just spray this on and let it dry. It smells like lacquer but this really works. It came with the boat when I bought it new in 2003 and is still available. Hunter sent this with the boat when new to dealers for touch up during Commissioning. My dealer gave me a can or two (this can in the photo is 2003 and still has some left). Just try this before you go to all the work. Believe me, you will be shocked at how this will restore the original finish. Just lightly spray on the areas and let it dry. I touch up scratches every year with this and although not as widespread as what the side of the companionway looks like, it will fix it. Your biggest problem may be having to sand off the crap the PO put on it, but you may not have to. Use it on the rounded solid wood piece at the top of the stair and any other place scratched or with similar dried out look. Just spray, don’t sand or anything. Works on the plywood and solid wood throughout. You will want to leave the boat for a while after you use this. It’s strong. I usually wait until I am getting ready to leave, spray it on, and then go.

Your table looks great!

 

[Jake N Eggs]

Does anyone know what the original finish is on the teak veneer

I am pretty sure it was Daly's SeaFin teal oil. That is what I use,
http://www.dalyswoodfinishes.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=16

 

[CharlieSea]

3M Perfect-It 3000 Rubbing Compound 32 oz. - 06085

Charlie, how long did you allow the epiphanes to harden before you buffed out the table? I never had breat success cutting and buffing a varnish finish. I’ve never used epiphanes.

A day between each coat, then it dried for 3 weeks. The wet sanding was done by Italian friends that work on very expensive autos. It was like watching Michelangelo. This was purely defensive, it was the only way to get rid of the dust bunnies and make it look decent. I've done it with other varnishes, with good results. The first passes were all by hand using a 3M sanding pad with a bit of water and a little soap 1500 wet or dry , then 2000 and finally 3000 on a Ryobi 5" random orbital with a 6" 3M 3000 w or d pad velcroed to it, very gentle on this with bursts, a little soap and water. Finish with a 7" polisher using 3M Perfect-It 3000 Rubbing Compound. Get ready to clobber the first person with a coffee cup or drink glass.

 

[CharlieSea]

Here is what you need to restore the finish. No sanding or prep, just spray this on and let it dry. It smells like lacquer but this really works. It came with the boat when I bought it new in 2003 and is still available. Hunter sent this with the boat when new to dealers for touch up during Commissioning. My dealer gave me a can or two (this can in the photo is 2003 and still has some left). Just try this before you go to all the work. Believe me, you will be shocked at how this will restore the original finish. Just lightly spray on the areas and let it dry. I touch up scratches every year with this and although not as widespread as what the side of the companionway looks like, it will fix it. Your biggest problem may be having to sand off the crap the PO put on it, but you may not have to. Use it on the rounded solid wood piece at the top of the stair and any other place scratched or with similar dried out look. Just spray, don’t sand or anything. Works on the plywood and solid wood throughout. You will want to leave the boat for a while after you use this. It’s strong. I usually wait until I am getting ready to leave, spray it on, and then go.

Your table looks great!View attachment 145561View attachment 145562

I've tried these on the owner stateroom door, fantastic only had to spray a touch up; thought I would have to sand the whole door. Looks great. Does your Mohawk spray tinted or clear?

 

[CharlieSea]

I am pretty sure it was Daly's SeaFin teal oil. That is what I use,
http://www.dalyswoodfinishes.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=16

 

[CharlieSea]

'Would guess it is not a simple wipe on finish. It is like everything today, some kind of system. Most of the panels are most likely pre-finished from the supplier. The days of sanding and finishing at the boat factory are gone. This looks like some kind of filler with a top coat. I do know that the filler is very hard. I had to use 80 grit to get it off. Followed the 80, with 150, 220 and then started varnish coats with 220 between coats.

 

[Jerry Clark H356 SV Persi]

The Mohawk Number I posted in the photo 102-0452 is the correct one sent when the boat was new. The two,you used are not the correct numbers. I believe the 0452 has a slight tint to match the finish. I could spray a spot on the companionway similar to what you have and it would blend right in. I’ve done it and it works. I’ve had some light spots on our salon table and sprayed them and touched up some scratches. You have more area of wear, but I would try this before you go off in a deep labor fix. Just get the number posted on the can. It’s available on Amazon for just over $20 per can.

 

[VanIslandGuy]

1+ for Daly's Sea Finn. It's in the owners manual. We used it last year, boat looked fantastic when done.

 

[glonek5]

I'm confused. Is everyone recommending the teak oil or the Mohawk spray. I'm having the same issue on my 2005 H38

 

[Steve Dion]

Have you considered one of the laminate products like Formica? They make some products that look like wood .

 

[Will Gilmore]

Have you considered one of the laminate products like Formica? They make some products that look like wood .

Where's the thumbs down button. Laminate is one thing, but "look like wood"?

The recommendations are based on what effect you want, glossy varnished look, satin varnished look, or natural wood oiled look?
Varnish is more involved to put on, but oil needs replenishing more often.
Epifanes varnish is the best for durability and UV protection, but Rust o lium makes an excellent water-based spar-varnish that doesn't have the ambering effect and nearly the equal in UV protection. It doesn't have the oder and dries faster between coats. Oil just wipes on and your done for a week or so depending upon climate. Most interior wood is vanished. Modern trends are for satin finish and UV protection isn't as important. Exterior wood is often oiled for ease of application and the frequent reapplication is fine because exterior finishes of every kind last a lot less long anyhow. I also find oiled exterior teak is less slippery after a day or two of drying.

- Will (Dragonfly)

 

[ice breaker]

I have a 2004 AC41. I have had great results using blue sponge backed scotch bright pads gently wetted in satin rub on minwax poly. The pad lets you work the oil/polly into the dried out sections. I have used this technique before doing the boat, rejuvenating kitchen cabinets in apartment buildings.

The color of oil based polly is sort of golden, and is, in my opinion, a perfect match for the teak walls.

The key is to use very little poly, but work it in with the scotch bright pad.

 

[chuckwayne]

the 2002 356 was one of the first boats Hunter converted to a spray on varnish finish - it's not a teak oil like Daly's seafin. As Jerry said, it's a Mohawk finish - Escape came with the same can for touch up and it works well. If you have a matte finish, it's probably oiled teak. Sometime after 2006-2008, Hunter started using a synthetic "cherry" veneer that was really plastic looking. sigh...
Also, the 356 wood was made and finished in house at Hunter in a new CNC controlled facility. I needed a new nav station panel, which was no longer available - but they said if I could wait a couple of days they'd load the program and run one for me! the panel arrived a week later, perfectly finished to match the rest of the cabin!