Epoxy to fill dings in teak

[rognvald]

Has anyone used clear two part epoxy(West System/5 minute epoxy) to fill dents/dings in teak and then applied varnish to the repair? Does the color of the teak show though the clear epoxy? Are the repairs noticeable after varnishing? Does the epoxy yellow after curing? Any comments, suggestions and personal experience would be greatly appreciated.

[Sailmonkey]

if this is what you mean

WEST SYSTEM | Specialty Epoxies - G5

it is by no means clear, or even hard for that matter

[MarkSF]

I've done it and the results were OK - not great, but OK. You can tell the area has been repaired but you have to look closely.

I saw no yellowing of the varnish - one reason to put several layers of varnish over the epoxy is to protect it from UV which causes yellowing.

[SVTatia]

I have done it but with a twist:
I save some clean teak "dust" when sanding teak - the stuff left on the bench you tend to either vacuum or sweep away. When needed, I add this to the epoxy as a filler. It is not exactly the same color but its close and better than no fill.

[rognvald]

I have used the epoxy added with teak dust and there was a great disparity between the existing color and the repair. Traditional wood fillers create the same effect. My goal, perhaps impossible, is to get as aesthetically close to original in the repair. Is the clear epoxy repair the best of the alternatives or is there something else that would do a better job? As we all know, refinishing a floor is a major time consuming task and once started you are commited.

[xymotic]

Originally Posted by rognvald

I have used the epoxy added with teak dust and there was a great disparity between the existing color and the repair. Traditional wood fillers create the same effect. My goal, perhaps impossible, is to get as aesthetically close to original in the repair. Is the clear epoxy repair the best of the alternatives or is there something else that would do a better job? As we all know, refinishing a floor is a major time consuming task and once started you are commited.

Way (WAY) back in woodshop we used to use white glue and sawdust. If you're going to eopxy and or varnish over the top anyway it'd probably work fine.

[minaret]

G-5 is pretty far from clear. For small dings you can build up coats of varnish and sand fair. For slightly larger dents I often steam it out, works great on teak especially if it's not coated. Obviously just for dents and dings. If you've never done it before it may surprise you. Don't know what you are trying to fill though. Don't forget the burn in knife option either, it is often the way to go on small but deep gouges that can't be steamed or coated out...



How to Steam Dings Out of Wood | eHow.com




"Steam will penetrate all but the most extreme of waterproof finishes. Steam will penetrate many films that water will not. There is no need to prick finishes - the steam will go right through them. I have done many repairs by steaming a damp rag with an iron or heat gun. It is my common experience that these methods are only partially successful - the dents will partially swell back into shape but still leave a smaller depression. Sometimes they will be completely successful though and I rate the risks as quite low so I usually try them first. In addition, a partial lift allows for a shallower fill which speeds the repair process. Scorching, melting finish, sheen changes, are the major risks involved in the steaming process. I minimize them by using a careful approach, a digitally controlled heat gun temperature, water spray gun handy, and progressive application of heat. Softwoods dent easier than hardwoods but usually swell back easier too. Commonly the local area requires re-sheening and/or touch ups and/or surface filling in addition to the steam treatment, but I rarely bypass this important step. I can only say that it really works for me and for those of you who haven't used it much, I would suggest taking another look because it may make your life easier."


Dent Repair Debate

[Thumbs Up]

I used g flex to repair all of my teak, mixing with teak dust makes it really dark. G flex dries amber, almost the same color as good varnish. G flex takes awhile to cure (overnight). It is more flexible, sticks better, and may have some uv resistance (not sure).

[xymotic]

Originally Posted by Thumbs Up

I used g flex to repair all of my teak, mixing with teak dust makes it really dark. G flex dries amber, almost the same color as good varnish. G flex takes awhile to cure (overnight). It is more flexible, sticks better, and may have some uv resistance (not sure).

Why are you using gflex instead of regular west? Or even special clear?

[Thumbs Up]

G flex has special bonding properties for the oily teak and the 1:1 ratio and squeeze bottles are great when you only need to mix a little, a full pump of West is a lot when you just need half a spoonful.

[rognvald]

Once the G Flex is cured, how do you prep its surface if you want to varnish over the repair? Will sanding marks be visible or will the varnish conceal them to give a clear appearance? I like the idea that it cures to an amber hue. All personal experiences with this product will be greatly appreciated.

[Thumbs Up]

I had it all down to bare teak and was using it to fill cracks, some holes and for glueing the bungs back in. For spot repairs I would mask around the area, fill with gflex (once this stuff starts to gel up a little you can poke it around with a popsicle stick until it stands proud of the repair, filler would change the color), peel the tape while the gflex is still sticky. The next day sand it flush using a paint stick with 120 sandpaper wrapped around (or stuck to) it, then blend it with 220. You won't see any sanding marks but if the amber hue matches the varnish and whether it darkens differently over time I do not know for sure. I was using Epifane varnish and switched to West Marine brand (made by Epifane, pretty much the same stuff). Eventually I was able to put 7 or 8 coats on (which is considered a pretty good base) after that I would do a "ding patrol" every month or so (make a kit with a small jar of thinned varnish, a small piece of 220, and some qtips. The quicker you get to those dings, the less likely to cause the varnish to lift. Then whenever I got a chance I would scuff it all down again and give it another coat. It is never done. The boat that I have now has no teak except for the grab rails which I am painting, I have to much to do on it without messing with varnish.

[Cheechako]

I've done it. The deeper finish, whether epoxy under varnish or just varnish will always show as a darker spot... unless you stain the whole panel to match. Sometimes it's the only solution for a flat finish. Sometimes I think having the little divit is better than a bunch of dark spots though!

[psk125]

Sawdust mixed with epoxy does come out darker than the solid wood. People mix other stuff in with it (microballoons, pine sawdust, talcum powder...) to get it to the right color match. Using epoxy for filling dings like this is a problem, however, because UV rays will turn the epoxy BLACK over time. Lots of varnish coatings will slow down the process, but you will eventually have black spots wherever you slapped epoxy. Do you remember all the cold-molded IOR sloops with epoxied mahoghany topsides in the 70's? Where are they now? Most likely painted, because the epoxy eventually got so dark and opaque you couldn't see the woodgrain.

[rognvald]

Originally Posted by psk125

Sawdust mixed with epoxy does come out darker than the solid wood. People mix other stuff in with it (microballoons, pine sawdust, talcum powder...) to get it to the right color match. Using epoxy for filling dings like this is a problem, however, because UV rays will turn the epoxy BLACK over time. Lots of varnish coatings will slow down the process, but you will eventually have black spots wherever you slapped epoxy. Do you remember all the cold-molded IOR sloops with epoxied mahoghany topsides in the 70's? Where are they now? Most likely painted, because the epoxy eventually got so dark and opaque you couldn't see the woodgrain.

This is exactly what I thought would happen but needed some confirmation and example. Ergo, perhaps the best approach is to sand the depressions and varnish and live with the imperfections like a seasoned wood instrument. There is something to be said for character.