teak work

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Dec 5, 2006
45
Oday 22 sunset bay new york
last yr i re did all my topside teak, handrails etc and used the 3 step process sold at most marine dealers unfortunately this lasted about 2 months. anyone have any tips??. i did not sand any of the teak and was wondering if that would work or should i just enjoy the nice grey color???
 

sPk

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Jun 12, 2005
111
Oday 25 Apostle Islands, WI
Let it be...

I have no magic for outside teak. I've always been a fan of less work and letting it just naturally grey. There is plenty on a sailboat to do without having to try to maintain the teak. You just have to come to believe that grey teak is like grey hair on a man, it looks distinguished. sPk
 
Mar 19, 2007
16
- - Seneca Lake State Park, NY
Another possible solution

The teak on our boat is over 35 years old and was in real rough shape (moss growing on it, splinters in skin, and just plain weathered). So I was ready to make replacement parts for all of teak but I didn’t have the time or money to do so, and I knew from past experiences that the 3 step process, more than likely the same 3 step process you’ve used, seemed like a waste of time especially for the amount of work and time spent into trying to make teak look good. I went to my local marina and asked them what they use or what they would suggest. The process they suggested is very similar to the three-step process used in the past but instead of oiling the teak you actually use a product known as Sikkens Cetol Marine translucent sealer (about $30 a quart). So I cleaned our teak, sanded it using 80 and 100 grit, used the brightener, and lastly put 4 coats of the Sikkens on, (it’s really important to read the instructions before applying). This is a time consuming project because you have to wait 24 hours before applying each additional new coat, but our teak looks great. Lastly this product is meant for marine applications and specifically mentions teak as a wood that can be sealed where many products are not meant for teak because of its oily nature. Sikkens does give a sealed look to the wood meaning that it gives a semi glossy look when done, but to me I’d rather have my teak sealed and looking good for many years to come rather than spending the same amount of time on the typical 3 step process and have it look good for, at worst a week and at best a season. So if you don’t like the grey weathered type of look (which I don’t but many do like that look) and don’t want to have to clean and oil your teak every season, I would suggest using this product. Good Luck, Curt
 

DPT

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May 14, 2007
66
- - Ithaca NY
RE:Another possible solution

Curt - What did you mean when you said "used the brightener"? Thanks, DPT Cayuga Lake Ithaca NY
 
Dec 5, 2006
45
Oday 22 sunset bay new york
ok ill pay

ok curt how much do u charge lol i think u got the right idea i dont mind a shine from sealing it mostly because my boat is red and the highlihghted teak adds to the look thanx maybe i will do those steps when the air is calm
 
B

Buck

Quick,easy and cheap

I had no idea what to do with my teak. I dont think it has been touched in it's 32 years. So, i tried my pressure washer, it workrd. The teak dosent look brand new, but very good. First i soaked it , then i pressure washed it, then i scrubbed it with a green scrouring pad with Mr. Clean and hot water. Do not use a steel wool pad, it will rust in the salt air. The whole job took me about two hours.
 
Mar 19, 2007
16
- - Seneca Lake State Park, NY
Brightener

Hey DPT, my wife and I visited Ithaca this past weekend to go to the farmers market and make our typical pilgrimage to Ithaca Bakery (I love that place). The brightener that was used in my 2nd step is used to help lighten up greying areas of the wood so they'll have a more uniform look, kind of like using a conditioner on wood that is going to be stained. Although I think the brightener actually works because I could see a difference in how the wood look and I was glad I did it, but whenever I've used conditioner on wood that I'm getting ready to stain it seems like it's a waste of time (that's my 2 cents anyway). I got the teak cleaner and brightener from Barrett Marine in Waterloo, NY but that's probably a little far for you to drive so I'll get the names of the products I used in case you want to look into doing the same sort of process. I have to plug Barrett Marine because they have been a huge help with our 1st boat, especially since they deal mainly in power boats. It's great to know the products they sell they've researched and use themselves so they know the products actually work! Curt
 
Mar 19, 2007
16
- - Seneca Lake State Park, NY
I'd love to but...

Wrenchs wrench, I would love to do this stuff for money! But unfortunately I've got to have a full time job to keep up with our house and mostly my toys! I took all the teak off of our boat because water was leaking through many of the screw holes, so I didn't have to worry about getting any of the products I used on the boat. After you've re-cleaned your teak and you're ready to use the sealer you may want to run some masking tape on the edges where the wood meets the fiberglass so you don't have to worry about getting it all over your boat. The most time consuming part of the project is wating for the sealer to set up. Good Luck on whatever you decide to do - Curt
 
Dec 5, 2006
45
Oday 22 sunset bay new york
thanx

thanx curt and all the rest i guess its just gonna be one of the pleasurable yearly chores that i never get to cuz im always out sailing lol
 
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