Should I varnish?

[Richandhelen]

The attached is the teak pull from my companionway sliding horizontal component. When I noticed that it had a couple of discolored spots I sanded it down and sprayed it with about a dozen coats of Guardsman clear gloss indoor/outdoor spar urethane. After about six months in the Florida sun and heat it looks worse than before it was refinished.

I think one mistake I made was not refinishing the bottom of it. It gets screwed from beneath to the horizontal component. So I would assume that some rainwater and salt spray works its way between this component and the hatch board and then leaches upward between the wood and the finish?

I have sanded it down again and am thinking about varnish this time. I will include the underside this time. Opinions? Also recommendations for varnish brand and brush types, tips etc would be very welcome. Rich

 

[kito]

I have had good luck using Cetol.

 

[rgranger]

Urethanes are not recommended for anything that will be in the direct sun. The urethane forms a plastic skin over the wood... which is great for waterproofing the wood but in the direct sun the wood underneath will sweat and the moister forms a bubble under the plastic skin. This will push the urethane off of the wood and cause it to flake. Urethane is okay for wood that will be mostly inside the boat or otherwise out of the sun. For things that will be exposed to direct sunlight, you want to use a varnish only.

 

[Anonymous 121765]

Rich,
My motto is, "Life's too short to do your own wood."
I went to synthetics a few years back. At that time I went with a decorative
deck & fascia board material. There is a good choice of manuf's. out there today
for color & wood-like textures. It was called Sensibuilt back then.

I changed out my deck wood except handrails. I matched-cut it all with a table saw & router.
Here's a few pics to give you an idea pal.

CR

 

[rgranger]

CaptRon
That looks sharp.... and it goes really well with the tan topsides you have.

 

[Ilanortho]

View attachment 120017 The attached is the teak pull from my companionway sliding horizontal component. When I noticed that it had a couple of discolored spots I sanded it down and sprayed it with about a dozen coats of Guardsman clear gloss indoor/outdoor spar urethane. After about six months in the Florida sun and heat it looks worse than before it was refinished.

I think one mistake I made was not refinishing the bottom of it. It gets screwed from beneath to the horizontal component. So I would assume that some rainwater and salt spray works its way between this component and the hatch board and then leaches upward between the wood and the finish?

I have sanded it down again and am thinking about varnish this time. I will include the underside this time. Opinions? Also recommendations for varnish brand and brush types, tips etc would be very welcome. Rich

What I am doing is West epoxy including attachment side followed by Epiphanes clear for UV protection. Sanding between coats, using boar bristle brush

 

[Brian S]

Varnish outside should be lightly sanded and recoated every year. Not sure how I feel about spray varnish... I've tried to varnish with a badger bristle brush, but no matter how much I clean the damn brush, it always seems to have flakes of varnish for the next coat. I gave up and started using good quality foam brushes from Jamestown Distributors. I feel I can get better control of how much varnish I lay on with the foam brush (except on vertical pieces like hanging the foils of my Force 5, which get sags no matter I do. When I hang them, I can do 1 full coat at a time, vs. 1 coat per side, which doubles my varnish time, and halves my frustration tolerance )

 

[Charlie Jones s/v Tehani]

Brian- he's in Miami. He's gonna need a touch up coat about three times a year with the sun there. Same as here in Texas. Brightwork I have that is not covered with sunbrella covers, needs recoating about every three- four months.
I use Epiphanes and agree on the foam brushes

 

[Brian S]

Brian- he's in Miami. He's gonna need a touch up coat about three times a year with the sun there. Same as here in Texas. Brightwork I have that is not covered with sunbrella covers, needs recoating about every three- four months.
I use Epiphanes and agree on the foam brushes

Touch up every 3-4 months?!?! No way am I moving down there, I'd cook to a crisp! Rebecca Whitman recommends the 1 coat/yr., but she's also based out of Seattle area, so that explains that! http://www.amazon.com/Brightwork-Finishing-Rebecca-J-Wittman/dp/0877429847

 

[Charlie Jones s/v Tehani]

>LOL- that's why I have covers for all I can. They stay on when boat is in slip. Hand rails,, tiller, compass Mount.. Only thing uncovered is after wood on companionway.

Did make a very pleasant discovery though. Back in 2008, I sprayed the mast with acrylic automotive clear coat- the stuff they top coat car paint with. As of right now,, that is still in perfect condition, although the wood has bleached. Only drawback is it MUST be sprayed, because it dries way too fast to brush.

 

[Richandhelen]

I have a weighted Sunbrella cover for the companionway which covers this component when we're not on the boat. So hopefully we'll get at least a year out of the new varnish job. Sanding is done. I'll take your collective advice and use the Epiphanes varnish and foam brushes. I'm not sure yet about a final clear coat. Is this really necessary? Do I need as many coats on the bottom of the piece since it will never be exposed to the sun (although it WILL be moisture-soaked)?

 

[Anonymous 121765]

RG,
Thanks for the comment pal.

Like I said, "Life's too short to keep re-doing your wood man." The varnish products are good but, weather, moisture, humidity, abrasion & the ugly UV attack will cause a redo, year in year out..................year in, year out; over & over & over. Count up the hours spent over ten years..............Ouch!

Over & over yet, the end result is the same, your varnish breaks down. Wouldn't you rather be sailing instead?

Also, how many boats on this site will ever end up on the cover of Better Homes & Gardens? So, who really wins?
For me, It simply comes down to what are the pluses & the minuses & what is your free time really worth.

I know some of the guys are gonna hate me for this one.

CR

 

[Chris Patterson]

Varnish. Varnish like hell until you die. Amen.

 

[Charlie Jones s/v Tehani]

Varnish. Varnish like hell until you die. Amen.

And remember Lyn Pardey's comment on varnish- The coat you just put on is the NEXT to last coat!

 

[shemandr]

Heard said from varnishing expert in Mystic when queried about what she uses for a last coat: "There is no such thing as a last coat"

 

[Rick D]

Just purchased some HDPE from McMaster Carr to replace mine. http://www.mcmaster.com/#hdpe/=11b3r6v

 

[Dalliance]

Consider Signature Honey Teak. It's four can catalyzed system that is a little more work up front, but it lasts longer than any other product I know of. It's made in Florida and formulated for that climate.
First 2-4 coats are the Honey Teak and Catalyst which provides the color and UV protection, followed by 3-4 coats of Clear and Catalyst for weather protection and gloss. The fourth can is Flow Fluid which is used as a thinner and for clean up. Because it's catalyzed, you can lay on most, if not all of those coats in one day.
I do a clear maintenance coat about every three years in Chicago. In Miami that would be an annual thing. It's vulnerable at edges where it's hard to build up thickness, so you need to ease any sharp corners.