Whether you have a small day sailor or a large blue water boat, chances are you have some teak on it: handrails, companionway boards, coamings, toe rails. Most of us are beginning to think about spring maintenance and refinishing that teak... but what to use? Varnish looks great, but may require the most upkeep. Cetol is a perennial favorite that lasts long, but may not have the aesthetic values of varnish. Teak oil is easy to use, but you may have to use a lot of it -- and often. What about just letting the teak go to its natural silver grey color? Tell us how you handle this chore on your boat and then take the Quick Quiz on the bottom of the home page. (Quiz by Warren Milberg)
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Low Maintenance
I go for low maintenance. I have sanded down the teak and finished with Cetol. Once down, a simple fresh coat each spring and I'm good for the year.
I go for low maintenance. I have sanded down the teak and finished with Cetol. Once down, a simple fresh coat each spring and I'm good for the year.
Teak
Cetol is the way to go. Clean the teak (anyway you want to) put on three coats of Cetol and you are good for at least two years. The new stuff has less of an orangey look than the old, too.
Cetol is the way to go. Clean the teak (anyway you want to) put on three coats of Cetol and you are good for at least two years. The new stuff has less of an orangey look than the old, too.
Cetol ... nah use cheap orange-brown enamel.
Cetol and Cetol 'light' has to the UGLIEST coating ever devised for boats. With many of the newer, long-lasting, 'modern' 2-part co-polymers of acrylic/urethane why would anyone ever want to totally 'ugly-fy' a boats brightwork with Cetol. Honey Teak and Smith & Co. 5 Year Clear, etc. ... last long, dont lift, have nearly the transparent quality of varnish, are nearly impentatrable to UV, easy to apply and maintain, dont 'hide' the wood, etc. etc. etc. www.signaturefinish.com
Cetol and Cetol 'light' has to the UGLIEST coating ever devised for boats. With many of the newer, long-lasting, 'modern' 2-part co-polymers of acrylic/urethane why would anyone ever want to totally 'ugly-fy' a boats brightwork with Cetol. Honey Teak and Smith & Co. 5 Year Clear, etc. ... last long, dont lift, have nearly the transparent quality of varnish, are nearly impentatrable to UV, easy to apply and maintain, dont 'hide' the wood, etc. etc. etc. www.signaturefinish.com
Varnish and Teak Oik
Eleven coats of varnish on engine hatch, companionway hatch, companionway boards, toe rail, rubrails, cockpit caprail, cockpit locker covers, tiller handle, top of rudder, bowsprit, boomkin, etc. Three coats of teak oil on cleats, handrails, cockpit sole, etc.
Eleven coats of varnish on engine hatch, companionway hatch, companionway boards, toe rail, rubrails, cockpit caprail, cockpit locker covers, tiller handle, top of rudder, bowsprit, boomkin, etc. Three coats of teak oil on cleats, handrails, cockpit sole, etc.
Yep, starboard and stainless rails.
I just quit messing with teak. The before and after is on my web site. Any photo, #90 and above will show what I mean,,,,
I just quit messing with teak. The before and after is on my web site. Any photo, #90 and above will show what I mean,,,,
Epoxy/Varnish
I have had good success with a combination finish. I start by sanding to bare wood and sand to 150 grit. Then two coats of West system epoxy, sanded with 150 between coats. After the second coat of epoxy, wash thoroughly w/soap and water, rinse and dry. Then sand before putting on five coats of Epifane's. I wet sand w/400 before the last two coats and it looks beautiful. Holds up real well, only need to recoat once a year thereafter.
I have had good success with a combination finish. I start by sanding to bare wood and sand to 150 grit. Then two coats of West system epoxy, sanded with 150 between coats. After the second coat of epoxy, wash thoroughly w/soap and water, rinse and dry. Then sand before putting on five coats of Epifane's. I wet sand w/400 before the last two coats and it looks beautiful. Holds up real well, only need to recoat once a year thereafter.
Teak Talk Response
I've done just cetol and it is ok. Last year for the interior I used cetol and teak oil 50/50 and it gave the interior a warmer more natural appearance than all Cetol. This year I will try on the exterior cetol gloss....I hear that over pre-existing Cetol in good shape the gloss stuff makes it look like a top grade varnish job on the teak. Good luck.
I've done just cetol and it is ok. Last year for the interior I used cetol and teak oil 50/50 and it gave the interior a warmer more natural appearance than all Cetol. This year I will try on the exterior cetol gloss....I hear that over pre-existing Cetol in good shape the gloss stuff makes it look like a top grade varnish job on the teak. Good luck.
Trying Somthing New
In the past I used varnish but I haven't had time to keep up with it over the last few years. I sanded it off and I am using Cetol on some areas and just teak oil on others.
In the past I used varnish but I haven't had time to keep up with it over the last few years. I sanded it off and I am using Cetol on some areas and just teak oil on others.
Cetol Marine Light
I just now finished my third coat of Sikkins Cetol Light on my small but expensive TEAK wood. The old TEAK was 14 years old and I doubt if it had ever seen anything in the way of care. I replaced the TEAK with new this year. I had no idea what to use until I found Cetol. It looks great. The change it will make on the boat is truly worth the time and effort spent.
I just now finished my third coat of Sikkins Cetol Light on my small but expensive TEAK wood. The old TEAK was 14 years old and I doubt if it had ever seen anything in the way of care. I replaced the TEAK with new this year. I had no idea what to use until I found Cetol. It looks great. The change it will make on the boat is truly worth the time and effort spent.
Interior teak
The question implies that we're talking about exterior teak, but I've been working with the interior this season and here are my findings on that: If you want a satin finish on interior teak veneer plywood I can't say enough good things about Epifanes Hand Rubbed Effect Varnish. It uses Epifanes Woodfinish Gloss for the base coats and spreads out and fills in imperfections on the surface, rendering even ugly boards very smooth by the time you do coat 3+ (on top of 3 Woodfinish Gloss). The satin finish is unbelievably beautiful if you follow the instructions on the sanding regime. It has a tint and can't be used on interiors with the honey-colored stains (which usually aren't Teak anyway); I also haven't used it on vertical bulkheads, on which I'm using Teaqua, so I'm not sure how the spreading characteristic would behave there. On my bulkheads I wanted to keep the natural texture of the unvarnished wood so I went with Teaqua, a non-sticky version of teak oil with a slight tint to it. The Teaqua finish doesn't look like it is a protective coating, but if you spill water on it it does bead it and prevent absorption. Again, not for lighter colored finishes--best with Teak veneers and solids.
The question implies that we're talking about exterior teak, but I've been working with the interior this season and here are my findings on that: If you want a satin finish on interior teak veneer plywood I can't say enough good things about Epifanes Hand Rubbed Effect Varnish. It uses Epifanes Woodfinish Gloss for the base coats and spreads out and fills in imperfections on the surface, rendering even ugly boards very smooth by the time you do coat 3+ (on top of 3 Woodfinish Gloss). The satin finish is unbelievably beautiful if you follow the instructions on the sanding regime. It has a tint and can't be used on interiors with the honey-colored stains (which usually aren't Teak anyway); I also haven't used it on vertical bulkheads, on which I'm using Teaqua, so I'm not sure how the spreading characteristic would behave there. On my bulkheads I wanted to keep the natural texture of the unvarnished wood so I went with Teaqua, a non-sticky version of teak oil with a slight tint to it. The Teaqua finish doesn't look like it is a protective coating, but if you spill water on it it does bead it and prevent absorption. Again, not for lighter colored finishes--best with Teak veneers and solids.
Topside, I don't do much
I like this question. Particularly since I don't do much on teak at all. The ONLY teak I have topside is the stern rail seats. I leave them along and cover them with a BottomSider cushion in the spring through fall. The only other top side annoyance was my Dorade vents which were plastic and always dirty. My wife gave me the stainless ones that Phil sells from his store and they looooook gooood! My hatchway doors are oiled with Dalys Teak Fin and so is the interior which hardly ever needs touch up. Trust me, I have a great looking boat with very little work on teak. I love it. Les
I like this question. Particularly since I don't do much on teak at all. The ONLY teak I have topside is the stern rail seats. I leave them along and cover them with a BottomSider cushion in the spring through fall. The only other top side annoyance was my Dorade vents which were plastic and always dirty. My wife gave me the stainless ones that Phil sells from his store and they looooook gooood! My hatchway doors are oiled with Dalys Teak Fin and so is the interior which hardly ever needs touch up. Trust me, I have a great looking boat with very little work on teak. I love it. Les
teak
I used West epoxy (3coats)followed by Interlux polyurthane (4 coats) Looks great and is a lot better than teak oil.
I used West epoxy (3coats)followed by Interlux polyurthane (4 coats) Looks great and is a lot better than teak oil.
Teak-Power Wash
I leaned from an "old salt" who was born on a sailboat, grew up on a sailboat and lived most of his life on a sailboat that the best thing to do with teak is....nothing! He showed me a secret in making it look new, power wash it. I've done that many times with the exterior teak including the stern rail seats and they look great after the wash. I only power wash the the teak 1-2 times each year and it is holding up very well. This works for me.
I leaned from an "old salt" who was born on a sailboat, grew up on a sailboat and lived most of his life on a sailboat that the best thing to do with teak is....nothing! He showed me a secret in making it look new, power wash it. I've done that many times with the exterior teak including the stern rail seats and they look great after the wash. I only power wash the the teak 1-2 times each year and it is holding up very well. This works for me.
Black Teak under Cetol?
Freshly sanded and cleaned teak last summer applied 3 coats Cetol -- teak is now black --any ideas what is going on?
Freshly sanded and cleaned teak last summer applied 3 coats Cetol -- teak is now black --any ideas what is going on?
Alternative to Cetol and Nothing
In the Texas sun, doing nothing is not an option. After using Cetol for a few years and not being satisfied, I am now trying Bristol Finish. It is a 2-part, uv stabilized finish, rated highly by Practical Sailor. So far, so good. There is no sanding between coats needed and a 4 coat minimum is directed. The picture you see here is after 8 months including one summer in the sun. There are some spots where my application technique might have faltered that I will need to touch up, but otherwise, it gets compliments and looks like new.
In the Texas sun, doing nothing is not an option. After using Cetol for a few years and not being satisfied, I am now trying Bristol Finish. It is a 2-part, uv stabilized finish, rated highly by Practical Sailor. So far, so good. There is no sanding between coats needed and a 4 coat minimum is directed. The picture you see here is after 8 months including one summer in the sun. There are some spots where my application technique might have faltered that I will need to touch up, but otherwise, it gets compliments and looks like new.
TeaQua
I'll be trying TeaQua this year. Hoping it is as good as they claim. Anyone have any experience with this stuff?
I'll be trying TeaQua this year. Hoping it is as good as they claim. Anyone have any experience with this stuff?
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