Just winterized our boat and took off the sternrail seats. what is the best product/method to use to freshen up the tak wood slats on the seats?
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Previous coating
Dear JAL, Our marina applied one coat of Cetol. For coating teak, it seemed to be the favored product. It is important to find out what is already on them. Last year we had some chipping and scalling. We removed them and lightly sanded them. From the scalling areas, the teak turned black. I used oxalic acid, a wood bleach and a scotch bright pad to lighten these areas, then washed them thoroughly in a laundry tub. Using a foam type brush applied (5) more coats of cetol. They gleemed! .. and still do. I will probably apply a maintenance coat if I get ambitious. There is alot of information in the archives about this subject. Frankly most of them advise taking the teak down to bare wood first. As you can tell, so long as you know the prior coating, I feel that is a waste of time. Good luck and happy finishing! Mike D Media, PA Serenity H376
Dear JAL, Our marina applied one coat of Cetol. For coating teak, it seemed to be the favored product. It is important to find out what is already on them. Last year we had some chipping and scalling. We removed them and lightly sanded them. From the scalling areas, the teak turned black. I used oxalic acid, a wood bleach and a scotch bright pad to lighten these areas, then washed them thoroughly in a laundry tub. Using a foam type brush applied (5) more coats of cetol. They gleemed! .. and still do. I will probably apply a maintenance coat if I get ambitious. There is alot of information in the archives about this subject. Frankly most of them advise taking the teak down to bare wood first. As you can tell, so long as you know the prior coating, I feel that is a waste of time. Good luck and happy finishing! Mike D Media, PA Serenity H376
Cetol my choice
As the previous post mentioned, I think Cetol is the best product. However, one coat is not enough. If you are to refinish your teak with Cetol you must take it down to bare wood, clean it, bleach it, and sand it really well. Cetol recomends 3 coats. No sanding between coats unless you want to give it additional coats to make up for the sanding. I have used this product as well as oils and lots of other stuff and Cetol holds up much better than anything I have tried. Follow their instructions for application and you will not be disappointed. Mark Johnson
As the previous post mentioned, I think Cetol is the best product. However, one coat is not enough. If you are to refinish your teak with Cetol you must take it down to bare wood, clean it, bleach it, and sand it really well. Cetol recomends 3 coats. No sanding between coats unless you want to give it additional coats to make up for the sanding. I have used this product as well as oils and lots of other stuff and Cetol holds up much better than anything I have tried. Follow their instructions for application and you will not be disappointed. Mark Johnson
Make the top coat Cetol Gloss
I've found that Cetol gloss, which is a harder finish, used as a top coat over the Cetol extends the life of the finish considerably. My seats have lasted three years in the Northern sun (CT). Prior to that, they needed retouching every year.
I've found that Cetol gloss, which is a harder finish, used as a top coat over the Cetol extends the life of the finish considerably. My seats have lasted three years in the Northern sun (CT). Prior to that, they needed retouching every year.
white paint
one of the joys of owning my 410 is that every spring wheneveryone on the dock breaks out the sandpaper to re-do their bright work, I go sailing instead. I can't for the life of me figure out why hunter put those teak seat slats on a boat otherwise devoid of external wood. If you're like me and prefer sailing to sanding, you might consider any quality brand of marine paint,gloss white, and then covering both seats with a cushion. Don't forget to use a primer coat first. regarding the cushions, we had vinyl coated closed-cell foam cushions made by C Cushions, Inc. Love 'em. check them out at www.ccushions.com or 800-531-1014. I understand that they've already made templates for every model hunter.
one of the joys of owning my 410 is that every spring wheneveryone on the dock breaks out the sandpaper to re-do their bright work, I go sailing instead. I can't for the life of me figure out why hunter put those teak seat slats on a boat otherwise devoid of external wood. If you're like me and prefer sailing to sanding, you might consider any quality brand of marine paint,gloss white, and then covering both seats with a cushion. Don't forget to use a primer coat first. regarding the cushions, we had vinyl coated closed-cell foam cushions made by C Cushions, Inc. Love 'em. check them out at www.ccushions.com or 800-531-1014. I understand that they've already made templates for every model hunter.
Refinishing your seats
On my Hunter 280 I put on 3 coats of Cetol after using west marines 2 part stripper and cleaning the old stuff down to bare wood and sanding. On my Hunter 380 I used Armada instead of Cetol, same 3 coats and it's beautiful stuff. Just like Cetol but more natural color, wood doesn't appear orange like cetol does, it's more like varnish but without the gloss. Good luck, their the best seats in the house!!!!!! Bob Knott
On my Hunter 280 I put on 3 coats of Cetol after using west marines 2 part stripper and cleaning the old stuff down to bare wood and sanding. On my Hunter 380 I used Armada instead of Cetol, same 3 coats and it's beautiful stuff. Just like Cetol but more natural color, wood doesn't appear orange like cetol does, it's more like varnish but without the gloss. Good luck, their the best seats in the house!!!!!! Bob Knott
A less expensive way
I have just refinished my 29.5 stern seats which had probably not been touched since new in 1995. I have only just bought the boat from the first owner. The original finish seemed very thin so I unscrewed all the teak strips and sanded them down to bare wood and refinished them, both sides, with three coats of Helmsman marine polyureathane varnish which is less expensive than Cetol. They now look great but I shall wait and see how they stand up to the weather.
I have just refinished my 29.5 stern seats which had probably not been touched since new in 1995. I have only just bought the boat from the first owner. The original finish seemed very thin so I unscrewed all the teak strips and sanded them down to bare wood and refinished them, both sides, with three coats of Helmsman marine polyureathane varnish which is less expensive than Cetol. They now look great but I shall wait and see how they stand up to the weather.
another option
hey jal, i made new seats with StarBoard (same product as original, from west marine or boat us, +/- $48.,enough to do both seats)also incorporated drink holders during construction (+/- $3.ea.)as on new boats....ah, yes the teak, i left it off. now i've got clean white seats,.....no holes and no refinishing! good luck. Jim Vincent, Toucan
hey jal, i made new seats with StarBoard (same product as original, from west marine or boat us, +/- $48.,enough to do both seats)also incorporated drink holders during construction (+/- $3.ea.)as on new boats....ah, yes the teak, i left it off. now i've got clean white seats,.....no holes and no refinishing! good luck. Jim Vincent, Toucan
Teak Seats
I recently refinished the Rail, pulpit and helm seats on my 35.5. I removed the strips, sanded them and refinished them with West Marines Wood Pro satin finish. I think the name is Wood Pro. I was told that it is made by Cetol and if you read the directions and ingredients they are amazingly similar. I liked it because it doesn't have the Cetol orange tint. Some tint is required to provide uv protection. But this stuff uses a brown tint that looks alot more natural than the Cetol. I also made some sunbrella covers for them. I'll see how good that works. Ron B S/V Merlin
I recently refinished the Rail, pulpit and helm seats on my 35.5. I removed the strips, sanded them and refinished them with West Marines Wood Pro satin finish. I think the name is Wood Pro. I was told that it is made by Cetol and if you read the directions and ingredients they are amazingly similar. I liked it because it doesn't have the Cetol orange tint. Some tint is required to provide uv protection. But this stuff uses a brown tint that looks alot more natural than the Cetol. I also made some sunbrella covers for them. I'll see how good that works. Ron B S/V Merlin
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