Teak Toe Rail

[svBlueLagoon]

I been reading past post on the best way to protect my teak toe rail. My research has led me to believe. There is no perfect solution, just one your willing to put up with. It does seem an epoxy solution might have a leading edge. Has any one used Sherman Williams Pro Line as a possible protection solution? I am still doing my research so suggestion are always welcomed.

Cheers,

 

[Brian S]

Teak. Silver it or slave over it. Honey Teak and Bristol Finish are, I believe, 2 part polyurethanes somewhat like varnish. Then there is actual marine varnish such as Pettit, Interlux, Epiphanes, Le Tonkinois. There is also Cetol Marine, which is like a lightly pigmented thin-film paint. Semco teak sealer is a watery, lightly pigmented protectant. And finally teak oil.

I like varnish, but it takes 8-9 coats or more to give the lustrous look I like, I only ever get to the next-to-last coat due to dust, drips, sags, etc. and it needs a new coat every year. I tried Cetol once, 3 coats, and within one season of mid-Atlantic sun, it started to flake off, which is a total failure compared to others I know who like Cetol. (I did wipe down teak with acetone, so I don't know why it failed so quickly.) I have recently scraped the Cetol off, and I'm going with teak oil in the schedule of 1 coat a day for a week, 1 coat a week for a month, then 1 coat a month for a year, and see how it goes from there. I know someone else in FL who has been through just about everything else, and swears by Semco. I haven't used it myself, but recommended it to a friend in NC who just bought new teak deck furniture. I think he's been happy with it.

 

[svBlueLagoon]

I talked some guys who run a sailing research vessel and they also recommended the teak oil and application procedure you described. A couple of power boaters use Sherman W. Pro Line epoxy. Semco, a teak sealer is also another option, similar to varnish, it does require some yearly maintenance. I did read that West Marine purchased jet dry or rapid dry varnish from Interlux. I was given the recommendation to roll on the first 6 coats of jet dry then follow it up by brushing 3 layers of a higher end varnish product.

 

[Gunni]

The problem with epoxy on teak toe rail is that you have to remove the toe rail and apply epoxy to all sides AND any fastener perforations. Otherwise the epoxy becomes a cap and moisture vapor pops it off. Then you have to apply a UV topcoat.

I have had good luck (ease of application, appearance) with Sikkens Cetol Marine Light. It is a semigloss. I quit using the gloss topcoat because in very wet locations (toerail) it seems to prevent the coating breathability that keeps the coating attached. Scrub it with a 3M green pad once a year and brush on a single coat.

 

[dlochner]

Toe rails are the hardest places to maintain a finish because they get wet a lot. The oil in teak makes it hard to get a finish to stick and then moisture in the wood causes the finish to lift off.

Oils work because they are porous and water can evaporate. Varnish eventually fails because it is not porous and the moisture in the wood causes the finish to lift. Likewise epoxy will fail because it is not porous and epoxy will degrade from UV exposure.

Cetol Natural Teak coated with Cetol clear gloss has worked well for me in Upstate NY. Not sure how it will work in other areas.

Some boats manufacturers set the toe rail into a vinyl molding. It makes for neater appearance and helps seal the hull deck joint, but it traps water, sort of like a small bathtub. That allows moisture to enter the wood, eventually lifting the finish off the toe rail. Sabre is one manufacturer who did this.

 

[Brian S]

Depending on the width of your toe rail, you could rip the edge off an Azek plastic decking board. These are carried by lumber yards, and come in several colors. I think the decking boards are 5/8" thick. There were two colors, the names of which elude me, possibly Rosewood was one, which look kinda like teak. When I checked a few years ago considering making swim ladder treads, they were close to $100 per board. Still, you'd get 2 lengths of toe rail out of one board. Plasteak is also a manufacturer of teak colored UHMWPE plastic teak substitute. I understand they make custom stuff. (Azek is PVC based, I believe.)

 

[montigre]

Did those of you who used oil do anything special to your exterior teak prior to oiling it and was it already silvered? The teak on the boat I just purchased is in great shape, but silver as a nickle and I'd like to give it a little contrast against the dark blue hull, so I'm considering either Cetol Natural Teak or teak oil. I like the idea of oil because it is nourishing the teak, but am unsure of the proper prep.

 

[Gunni]

you will have to sand the teak to expose the natural color. Wash it first to remove dirt and mildew. Teak doesn't need a lot of "nourishment" (it is full of natural oil) but it does benefit from not being excessively scrubbed and re-oiled. Teak oil attracts dirt.

 

[dlochner]

Also, avoid 2 part teak cleaners if possible. They tend to erode the soft part of the wood, leaving a raised grain. One part cleaners are more gentle. Starbrite Gel teak cleaner works reasonably well. Test on a small area first.