A good inexpensive varnish

[Giro]

Oh, SEMCO. Since the teak has just been installed, I’ll apply it and start a scheduled teatment schedule. Thank you, again.
Giro

[sailorchic34]

Originally Posted by DeValency

Not sure why would anyone PAINT over teak. It is a beautiful wood when well maintained and paint may not hold well anyway, due to the high level of natural oil in the teak.

My first few years as a live-aboard cruiser was on at Tayana37. A boat that it seemed had miles of teak. while I love the look of varnish teak, I am less enamored with the idea of sanding and varnishing lots of teak several times a year.

On the Rose, my current boat for the last 12 years, I did the whole varnishing thing for the cap rails, cockpit coving, handrails and hatches for a number of years. Let's just say I developed a strong dislike of sanding.

So for the last 7 years my cap rails, handrails, and cockpit coving, have been painted with a delightful shade of pink. The benefit is no sanding required and at most a little bit of touch up once a year. My hatches are still varnished, as the joinery was first class.

My boat is uniquely mine, and I have enjoyed the far less maintenance required.

[DeValency]

Originally Posted by sailorchic34

My first few years as a live-aboard cruiser was on at Tayana37. A boat that it seemed had miles of teak. while I love the look of varnish teak, I am less enamored with the idea of sanding and varnishing lots of teak several times a year.

On the Rose, my current boat for the last 12 years, I did the whole varnishing thing for the cap rails, cockpit coving, handrails and hatches for a number of years. Let's just say I developed a strong dislike of sanding.

So for the last 7 years my cap rails, handrails, and cockpit coving, have been painted with a delightful shade of pink. The benefit is no sanding required and at most a little bit of touch up once a year. My hatches are still varnished, as the joinery was first class.

My boat is uniquely mine, and I have enjoyed the far less maintenance required.

Well, it is all a matter of personal taste... . Part of my fun having a boat has always been the maintenance and the original ++ beautification. If done well at the first stage, the ongoing isn’t that time consuming - and I hate to waste time... Lucky me, my Contest 43 is a real piece of Dutch woodworking art so any investment in the maintenance pays back big time in the look, feel and satisfaction - but that’s only my taste...

[Poche]

I found some McCloskey satin varnish on Ebay finally at a good price. All the stores in California seem to only want to sell Polyurethane (except West Marine) and I don't want to cover a couple large areas or spend the money to experiment with something I've never used.
The Epifanes and Zspar were about twice the cost anywhere. I doubt they are twice as good for interior work.
Looking forward to trying this stuff and appreciate the good comments here.

[SVTatia]

Originally Posted by Poche

I found some McCloskey satin varnish on Ebay finally at a good price. All the stores in California seem to only want to sell Polyurethane (except West Marine) and I don't want to cover a couple large areas or spend the money to experiment with something I've never used.
The Epifanes and Zspar were about twice the cost anywhere. I doubt they are twice as good for interior work.
Looking forward to trying this stuff and appreciate the good comments here.

Is this the one you are buying?
Why McCloskey, have you heard good things about it?

https://www.thepaintstore.com/McClos...-p/80-0000.htm

[Poche]

Originally Posted by SVTatia

Is this the one you are buying?
Why McCloskey, have you heard good things about it?

https://www.thepaintstore.com/McClos...-p/80-0000.htm

Yes, this is the brand. It had been talked about in this thread without anything negative and it's cheaper.
I looked at this supplier but their price was about $10 more per quart after shipping was added (yes, I am on the cheap side).
Amazon had it for the higher price when shipping was added also.
The best price with shipping was on Ebay.
Again, the big box stores or Ace Hardwares around me do not have traditional varnish any more. Just the Polyurethanes. California has removed all the good stuff off the shelves.
West Marine sells traditional varnish but the Epifanes and Zspar are the same price for a PINT not a quart.
I guess the main point that I was trying to make is .....in my area even though I am on a coast with two major seaports nearby a good, reasonably priced, traditional marine varnish cannot be purchased from a walk in store.

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by Poche

I found some McCloskey satin varnish on Ebay finally at a good price. All the stores in California seem to only want to sell Polyurethane (except West Marine) and I don't want to cover a couple large areas or spend the money to experiment with something I've never used.
The Epifanes and Zspar were about twice the cost anywhere. I doubt they are twice as good for interior work.
Looking forward to trying this stuff and appreciate the good comments here.

I used McCloskey's on the first boat I built. I would probably use Exterior Varathane today but McCloskey's is fine. Kinda soft finish comparatively.
This overhead is McCloskey's over white cedar shortly after being done, and is nearly 40 years old now and I saw this boat a few years back... still looked good. I fitted everything, took it apart and airless sprayed this finish. It's amber/dark because I used exterior McCloskey's.

[Poche]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

I would probably use Exterior Varathane today but McCloskey's is fine. Kinda soft finish comparatively.
.

Are there any difficulties using the Varathane over latex, prior traditional varnish or stained wood? What about stripping the Varathane if you use a heat gun or paint remover?
I have never used Varathane.

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by Poche

Are there any difficulties using the Varathane over latex, prior traditional varnish or stained wood? What about stripping the Varathane if you use a heat gun or paint remover?
I have never used Varathane.

I wouldn't use any varnish or poly over latex. Latex is rubber, flexible. Varnish and Poly are harder and not that flexible. Te result could be cracking, flaking etc.
Poly or Varnish are fine over stain, prior varnish etc. Heat gun or paint remover work for both.
Exterior poly etc have fillers to block UV, so they are darker on the wood.

[Poche]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

I wouldn't use any varnish or poly over latex.

That presents a quandary, then.
A lot of this boat's interior was constructed with teak veneer on plywood. Over the years water leaks have damaged smaller areas. I would like to repair those areas rather than replace the entire veneer sections. After the repair I would like to paint those areas and match the color with the teak as closely as I can. And then varnish.
Where can I get oil base paint formulated to match the teak? The stores have hundreds of shades they can formulate for latex but only a few basic shades of oil based paint in stock these days. Maybe only a dark brown is available.
I thought about just painting over everything with white but I really would like to save as much of the wood look as possible.

[Uncle Bob]

Originally Posted by Poche

That presents a quandary, then.
A lot of this boat's interior was constructed with teak veneer on plywood. Over the years water leaks have damaged smaller areas. I would like to repair those areas rather than replace the entire veneer sections. After the repair I would like to paint those areas and match the color with the teak as closely as I can. And then varnish.
Where can I get oil base paint formulated to match the teak? The stores have hundreds of shades they can formulate for latex but only a few basic shades of oil based paint in stock these days. Maybe only a dark brown is available.
I thought about just painting over everything with white but I really would like to save as much of the wood look as possible.

You don't say where in the world you are, however here in Aus pretty much any decent hardware store that sells paint and every specialist paint store will colour match in oil based or acrylic base. You may have to ask and search to find it, depends where you are.

[Poche]

Southern California.
It seems that here the suppliers have largely deserted oil based product. For environmental reasons? Legislated? Probably.
Maybe I can find a paint store by driving around that still formulates oil base paint but I doubt it.

[gonesail]

Originally Posted by Poche

Where can I get oil base paint formulated to match the teak?

you can try but the problem is that teak has many shades and colors. in the end you really can't match natural wood with a single solid color. repair with veneer if you want to preserve the teak finish. even then the patches might not match up very well. paint over the teak with white if you want solid finish with teak trim.

[Poche]

Yep. But, I could come close back when they formulated oil base.
I think that I am stuck with a generic brown and just live with it.
The spot replacement of veneer would look terrible and I will not be replacing the entire sections of cabinsides and bulkhead veneers. I have seen others do that and I know sheets of veneer are available.

[SVTatia]

Originally Posted by Poche

Yep. But, I could come close back when they formulated oil base.
I think that I am stuck with a generic brown and just live with it.
The spot replacement of veneer would look terrible and I will not be replacing the entire sections of cabinsides and bulkhead veneers. I have seen others do that and I know sheets of veneer are available.

I don't understand why you want to paint after your repair rather than use a stain. You could find a stain that is closest to the teak, but not paint. The stain works with the grain, and paint just covers the wood, making it impossible to match. You could stain then varnish...