Lazy Man's Teak Treatment

[jdoe71]

I used Semco on teak step pads in cockpit, it is about as close to "lazy man" as you can get, very little work to maintaining it. But I really didn't like the appearance of it, hides the grain too much. Rest of the exterior teak was done with Bristol finish and it is an excellent product. New boat has zero exterior teak all stainless, fortunately the interior is all teak so we can have our cake and eat it too.

[Beausoleil]

Originally Posted by stevensc

I was planning on redoing my teak in epiphanes varnish till I read the fine print:
1 coat thinned 50%,
another coat thinned 25%,
another coat thinned 10-15%.
then 6 coats uncut,
recommend 6 more coats for tropical caonditions
All of the above @24hrs between coats
Do not apply in direct sunlight
do not aplly when hot
do not apply in high humidity.
I am sure this does a beautiful job, but with the weather we get around here (south Louisiana) it would probably take me 6 months to get all those coats done.
I'm stripping the varnish with a heat gun scaping and sanding then applying Cetol Natural, 3 coats, maybe not as shiny but I'll be able to spend more time out on the water.
Steve

Steve,

I'm trying a different approach - on our hatches, I built up the base coats using Interlux Jet Speed Varnish (4 hours between coats), and am finishing with 2-3 coats of Epifanes... I'll let you know how it turns out.

We did use Bristol Finish on the dorade boxes and the teak rub rails. Three years for the dorade boxes (and the last full year cruising) and they still look like new. We just have to keep on top of chips in the finish. For the rub rails, in September I put 6 coats of BF before installing stainless steel rub rails over them. Hopefully that holds up for even longer.

And at the risk of changing the thread - this summer I got a late Christmas present: a folding stainless steel crawfish boiler! Perfect for the boat - folds up to about 2'x1'x4". We'll be the envy of Key West this winter! We head out from Chesapeake Bay this Saturday!

[Anzo]

Probably there really is no lazy man's teak treatment, as preparation is so important. I took my old, faded whateveritis down to bare wood. After reading Practical Sailor's comparison, I used Honey Teak from Fabula. The owner even answers the phone, as he did 10 years ago when I first ordered the stuff. Way easy to apply, wet on wet, for as many coats as you want to do. Really exposed stuff lasted 5 yrs plus or minus, and indirect sunlight cockpit stuff is going to need a re-do after 7 or 8 yrs. Repairs are easy, no need to strip everything. Have nothing but positive stuff to say about the product.

[zeehag]

lazy mans teak treatment is actually the way it used to be done---sea water wash and an oil finish. and it gets dusty?/ brush it off is beautiful. leaving it au naturel makes the wood powder--gets too dry--it needs oil on a semi regular basis--i havent oiled mine in almost a year---now i do it again...just had to brush off dust and is gorgeous again.....LOL.....

[onestepcsy37]

been using starbrite tropical teak oil here in florida. when i got the boat the teak caprails had been ignored for years and looked pretty sad. we cleaned them with the usual store bought teak cleaner, then applied two coats of starbrite tropical teak oil. lasted for over two years in florida. i recently just cleaned it up and put another coat on. doesn't look as nice as the first time around but not bad either....

[unbusted67]

I have tried this. It did not work at all. The epoxy yellows and then cracks within 6 months.

[Ocean Girl]

When I varnished for a living, I liked to put three coats of tung oil on the teak as base coats then start with the varnish hlf or full strength(depending how well the tung oil filled the grain). Sometimes I'd rub the tung oil in with a scotch pad, sometimes just a foam brush. It depended on the condition of the teak. Tung oil loves to stick to teak and varnish sticks very well to tung oil. Tung oil also fills the grain really well. ***big asterisk** tung oil as base coats makes the wood a rich dark color.
My favorite varnishes are Petit ultra gold. It has the best uv protectant for a clear varnish. It is purple-ish in color, so for the first few coats the wood looks a little "strange", but persevere and by 6-7 coats it is spectacular. Epiphanes are fantastic, my favorite is their rubbed effect for the interior, it gives a creamy rich finish. Semco is a great alternative to varnish but it gets a bit cloudy after a few maintenance coats, so I liked to lightly sand it down and start fresh every couple years.

I think teak can handle being bare if it is cared for, not abandoned. I have never needed to oil exterior teak.That is, teak that is properly cured and cared for. But I have always made sure to start with healthy teak (ie restore the teak). Deep groves in the grain is not healthy, nice smooth clean teak that you can scrape your nail cross grain and it feels smooth is healthy teak. Many people scrub their bare teak with a bristle brush and harsh cleaners, then they wonder why the teak gets dirty and a dingy grey. Then they sand it down and start at it with a bristle brush again, creating a vicious cycle. By five years the teak needs to be replaced because of the abuse. The soft grain of teak is very important, without it the teak has deep grooves/grain. The deep grooves traps moisture which then attracts dirt. Salting the teak does not dry it out, don't ask me why cause I don't know. Teak loves it, go figure. So healthy teak, monthly washes with murphy's oil soap, and no bristle brushes, is my maintanence for bare teak.
Whew! ok, I better take a breath and stop lecturing, sorry, the varnish lady in me can't help but lecture about proper teak care. That is, my idea of proper teak care. My varnish jobs with tung oil usually last about 7-8 years in the Texas sun with proper maintenance. My bare teak has had no problems so far.

Sorry this is so long,
Erika

[avazquez]

Originally Posted by jdoe71

I used Semco on teak step pads in cockpit, it is about as close to "lazy man" as you can get, very little work to maintaining it. But I really didn't like the appearance of it, hides the grain too much. Rest of the exterior teak was done with Bristol finish and it is an excellent product. New boat has zero exterior teak all stainless, fortunately the interior is all teak so we can have our cake and eat it too.

If you use SEMCO it better be "Cleartone". I tried the "Natural" one and it looked fine initially but it is too cloudy and fades horribly in high traffic areas. The cleartone has less UV protection and when it begins to fade just wash the deck with water and soap with a sponge and reapply. It is the easiest way I have found so far to maintain my 20+ years old teak deck.

For interior surfaces:1. I stripped all the teak. 2. Applied two or three coats of West System Epoxy with the Special Coating hardener. Sand with 220 grit. 3. Then two or three coats of Epifanes Rubbed Effect Varnish. Where possible I sprayed the Epifanes thinned at a ratio of 25% mineral spirits, 75% varnish. The result is just incredible.

I recently replaced all the teak and holly soles on my 45ft sailboat with new veneered plywood teak and holly and the results where amazing. Looks like a professional job. The epoxy seems to give the varnish a stable base surface. Then the Epifanes is very easy to work with even when it is sprayed.

[avazquez]

Originally Posted by unbusted67

I have tried this. It did not work at all. The epoxy yellows and then cracks within 6 months.

I have used varnish over epoxy extensively but only for interior surfaces. For the exterior I use Cetol Natural or Semco Cleartone.

[zeehag]

Originally Posted by avazquez

I have used varnish over epoxy extensively but only for interior surfaces. For the exterior I use Cetol Natural or Semco Cleartone.

but the finish with teak oil , after a few months, just brushes off with a sdoft brush and is alll goood.....and no major prep for redo!!! just wash with sea water and gren 3m pad lol......then add more teak oil ..perfect woood..LOL no sanding!!! no scraping ... no BS!!!!!

[bobfnbw]

Originally Posted by Ocean Girl

When I varnished for a living, I liked to put three coats of tung oil on the teak as base coats then start with the varnish hlf or full strength(depending how well the tung oil filled the grain). Sometimes I'd rub the tung oil in with a scotch pad, sometimes just a foam brush. It depended on the condition of the teak. Tung oil loves to stick to teak and varnish sticks very well to tung oil. Tung oil also fills the grain really well. ***big asterisk** tung oil as base coats makes the wood a rich dark color.
My favorite varnishes are Petit ultra gold. It has the best uv protectant for a clear varnish. It is purple-ish in color, so for the first few coats the wood looks a little "strange", but persevere and by 6-7 coats it is spectacular. Epiphanes are fantastic, my favorite is their rubbed effect for the interior, it gives a creamy rich finish. Semco is a great alternative to varnish but it gets a bit cloudy after a few maintenance coats, so I liked to lightly sand it down and start fresh every couple years.

I think teak can handle being bare if it is cared for, not abandoned. I have never needed to oil exterior teak.That is, teak that is properly cured and cared for. But I have always made sure to start with healthy teak (ie restore the teak). Deep groves in the grain is not healthy, nice smooth clean teak that you can scrape your nail cross grain and it feels smooth is healthy teak. Many people scrub their bare teak with a bristle brush and harsh cleaners, then they wonder why the teak gets dirty and a dingy grey. Then they sand it down and start at it with a bristle brush again, creating a vicious cycle. By five years the teak needs to be replaced because of the abuse. The soft grain of teak is very important, without it the teak has deep grooves/grain. The deep grooves traps moisture which then attracts dirt. Salting the teak does not dry it out, don't ask me why cause I don't know. Teak loves it, go figure. So healthy teak, monthly washes with murphy's oil soap, and no bristle brushes, is my maintanence for bare teak.
Whew! ok, I better take a breath and stop lecturing, sorry, the varnish lady in me can't help but lecture about proper teak care. That is, my idea of proper teak care. My varnish jobs with tung oil usually last about 7-8 years in the Texas sun with proper maintenance. My bare teak has had no problems so far.

Sorry this is so long,
Erika

I go with Ocean Girl.
Leave it alone if its the decks, just keep it clean.
I for one love the look of a nice silvered teak deck properly cared for. But Since many are not, bought a boat without teak decks and am just as happy.

for topsides teak rails, trim ect, I am going with interlux perfection. We will see how it lasts. I used it on the cabin soles, and it turned out very nice.

For the interior, (yes I am redone the entire insides teak) It is rubbed effect by epifanes.
Then all the over heads will be replaced with this big ass roll of ultraleather I got cheap on ebay.

[gonesail]

the problem with scrubbing teak is over the years it causes the soft grain to dissolve and leaves ridges in the wood .. which hold dirt and are a real pain to get rid of (mucho sanding). a smooth finish like varnish or cetol avoids the problem.

[Ocean Girl]

gonesail, what are you scrubbing it with? are you using a brush? and what detergent? The only problem I have had is the teak may get a bit fuzzy, but that isnt a loss of soft grain. The soft grain is the life of the teak, without it it becomes brittle and dead looking.

If you can silver out a teak deck, then you can silver out any of your exterior teak. It can be quite beautiful. I have even accented varnished teak with silver and the effect is stunning. Had a boat that the canvas was a light grey with burgundy trim. I silvered out some of the teak and varnished some of the trim...just beautiful (Dragonet are you out there?)

Question... someone wrote asking me about how to get a ring stain out of varnished teak (epiphane). I believe the stain is white, which hints it is in the varnish only, not down to the wood. Does anyone know of a trick to fix the stain without strip and recoat? I don't.
Thanks,
Erika

[Not Sure]

Originally Posted by zeehag

but the finish with teak oil , after a few months, just brushes off with a sdoft brush and is alll goood.....and no major prep for redo!!! just wash with sea water and gren 3m pad lol......then add more teak oil ..perfect woood..LOL no sanding!!! no scraping ... no BS!!!!!

There it is right there....the reason that oil finishes are the least amount of work.

[good1734]

Ocean Girl- For removing water stains heat will work most of the time- most being the operative term-not all.

Place a dry rag (something that's lint free like a t-shirt folded once or twice) over the ring. Run a hot/dry iron over the stain for a few strokes, lift the cloth off and check. Repeat as necessary. Be careful not to stall the iron over the stain. This would be a bad thing.
And just to be safe I would start with a medium heat setting and work up to hot checking along the way to make sure you don't melt the finish. Remember you can remove varnish with a heat gun. So don't over do it!

For a not-as-good alternative you could try using a hair dryer. Rub the stain with a soft cloth while blowing on it.