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Teak
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Treat your Teak This article started life as a letter responding to a general request by Graham Jones for information on refinishing the teak on his Shark. As I had bought Gwenhwyvar #1043 in July 1993 & refinished all of her teak in the winter of that year, it was something of which I had intimate knowledge. Since then, I have spoken at length with Rick Steeves from Noah’s Marine Supplies in Toronto regarding detailed information on the specific products that he carries. The first item on the agenda, before attempting an unfamiliar task, is to read everything that you can find on the subject. The local library is a wonderful "free" source of information (paid by our tax dollars). My recommendation is to acquire the book "This Old Boat" by Don Casey (hereafter referred to as "The Book"). I borrowed it so often that I bought my own copy, a very worthwhile investment. The next step is to walk the docks of your club or marina, find a boat with a finish that you admire, and ask the owner a few questions. Most will be happy to expound on their knowledge. (This letter is a good example). My boat neighbour, Phil Hopewell, gave me a number of helpful hints, his most timesaving tip is this: Remove all of your teak from the boat. However, if you are one of those unfortunate boat owners with a pesky cabin liner, you might find it more practical to refinish the wood where it lies. Basically, you have a choice of three finishes: none at all, oil or varnish. I eliminated the first two outright because I hate the sight of weathered (read ignored) wood and there are better things to do besides oil your teak every two to three weeks. Although there are many fine varnishes to choose from, I planned on using Cetol Marine, mainly because a new can came with the boat. (Technically, Cetol Marine is not a varnish but a "Breathable marine wood coating") In hindsight, it was a very good choice. I have received numerous compliments on my brightwork and it has lasted the whole season with only minor abrasion damage. It will probably last through next season, as well, if I am too lazy put a few more coats on it. Rick tells me that Cetol has a new gloss top coating which is formulated to give a durable varnish-like finish which I will try this year. First you need to remove all of the old finish, if there is any. The best way to remove varnish is with a scraper. You can make your own from any old flat piece of hard steel and burnish the edges or purchase them in various shapes and sizes from a store that sells woodworking supplies. Lee Valley Tools is one of my favourite toy stores. If you are tempted to use paint remover, buy one that is formulated for marine use and follow the directions. Had I known that there was such a product, I would not have discovered that regular commercial paint strippers also remove gelcoat and soften epoxy. Another word of caution: Do not even think of using steel wool anywhere on the exterior of your boat. Little bits will break off and embed themselves in the surface, only to rust later. A popular substitute for steel wool and fine sandpaper is the synthetic fibre pads sold under brand names of Fibratex and Scotch Brite. New teak should be wiped with acetone and a clean rag to remove the natural oil from the surface. Treat weathered or previously oiled wood with a teak cleaner to remove dirt and oil but just remember to follow the directions as the cleaners tend to be caustic. Sikkens, the manufacturer of Cetol Marine, produces a pamphlet with detailed preparation and application hints and is available free at your retailer. Once the old finish is removed, start sanding with 80 or 150 grit sandpaper and work up to 220 grit. The idea is to get the wood as smooth as possible, so inspect it carefully from all angles. This is one of the secrets for a stellar finish. If the surface is rough before you put the first coat on, it will not get any smoother afterwards. Next, clean the sanding dust from the wood and surrounding area. Start with a vacuum cleaner or brush, followed by a tack rag and finally a clean rag soaked in acetone or denatured alcohol. The number one enemy of a brilliant finish is dust, so go to great lengths to avoid it. There are several excellent masking tapes on the market, made by 3M and others, and well worth the extra cost. Cheap tape is no bargain because it allows the finish to bleed under it, tears and tends to become part of your boat rather quickly. Removing the tape after each coat gives you a chance to clean up any seepage before it dries and lessens the danger of pulling up the new varnish. My favourite brush for small jobs is the gray sponge type with a wooden handle, surprisingly cheaper at chandleries than at the local hardware store. They are inexpensive and can be discarded after use. However a descent badger hair brush is the tool of choice for professionals and a good investment. After each use, clean with solvent, followed by soap and water then a final cleaning with solvent. It is a good idea to comb the bristles then wrap the brush in a rag to keep it’s shape. Pour your used solvent into a jar and let it settle, then reuse it. Finally, we are ready to apply the finish. Again, follow directions for the product that you are using. Lay on some varnish across the grain then lightly tip it off to smooth the surface. Check carefully for runs and sags, especially on sharp corners and correct them before the varnish sets. Always keep a wet edge and brush into previously tipped off areas, or in short, follow good painting technique. Sand lightly between coats with 220 grit sandpaper to get rid of any runs that you missed and to dull the surface for the next coat. A Scotch Brite pad or 360 grit sandpaper is often used before the last two coats for a truly spectacular surface. Now you are probably asking "How many coats are enough"? For traditional varnish, most professionals would consider eight coats as a good base with twelve coats about right. Cetol recommends three coats without sanding, but I got very good results with six layers sanded between coats. The idea is to build the coating to a certain thickness so if you sand some off, you have to put more on. Simple, right? To keep your stunning brightwork looking great, carry some of the finish in a nail polish bottle equipped with a brush and touch-up scrapes before they become a problem. Now you should be prepared to graciously accept compliments from people walking the dock and tell them how you got such a great finish. Copyright Ron Hemstreet 1996 Ron Hemstreet 416-503-8090 or e-mail: reeltime@interlog.com |