Can teak be painted?

[rolandgilbert99]

I just saw a boat similar to mine on Yachtworld, they had painted the teak toerail the same color as the deck and it looked great. My teak is ageing too, it has been sanded already too many times, various varnishes were removed and I am extending its live with all kinds of tricks to make it look decent. I was just wondering if I should just fix the cracks with putty, sand everything apply a primer and coat it with Interlux Perfection? Any experience with this anyone?

[bruce smith]

Yes teak can be painted.
But if you use perfection, and want it to look "great" , there will be a hundred times more work than "just fix the cracks with putty, sand, and apply a coat of primer" .
99 % of painting is prep. It may need fairing several times, epoxy primer built up over days or weeks , DA and hand sanding till the cows come home, dozens of hours just on taping , vacuuming , cleaning and wiping.

[rtbates]

Not without a full frontal lobotomy, haha... I've actually read about success of using good ole Rustoleum paint...

Trying to keep teak pretty is a pain for sure..

[swisscraft]

Most Island Packets have teak toe rails. Most of them are painted (as are mine). I would tend as well to let them natural - its a bunch of work.

Check out the IP forum - you will find a few discussion about Ceto vs. Varnish including some pics. If you go this way: It looks great but you add a serious task to your to do list. Forever.

IP Home Port - The Official Website For Island Packet Yacht Owners Since 1998

[Billy Higgins]

Don't paint it - it decreases the value of your boat enormously! Instead, invest the time and money and use Coelan synthetic varnish. Great stuff if you follow the instructions. It will last as long as paint will on teak, and it has a much more durable finish than tradional varnish. I saw a mast at the recent Bristol Channel pilot cutter rendezvous in Cornwall that had Coelan applied three years ago and had not even been retouched, and it looked spectacular.

[zeehag]

just use sea water and oil and will be ok. paint wont stick well. teak is an oily wood.
a coupla few ecades ago cruisers recommended varnishing thwn painting the varnished teak with latex paint to avoid being too shiney when in troubled areas.
my teak--all 110 ft of cap and taff, are so and and ruined all i can do is reserve it with sea water, which is nature's teak cleaner, and oil...no sanding, no use of bushes for cleaning--just a 3m pad and sea water.

[rolandgilbert99]

Originally Posted by bruce smith

99 % of painting is prep. It may need fairing several times, epoxy primer built up over days or weeks , DA and hand sanding till the cows come home, dozens of hours just on taping , vacuuming , cleaning and wiping.

This I know, I am doing the full deck and cockpit now and I have many months of work under my belt and now, just before I apply the Perfection all over, I am just wondering if I should extend the project to the toerail... I love so much sanding by hand!