Teak wood

K

keepitgreen05

Member
I recently purchased a 1987 v20 and i want to refinish the teak wood on it i have no idea when the last time it was oiled do you thinks it will be better to replace it or sand it and oil it again.
 
I think you will be surprised how well the existing teak will clean up.

You can do like me and just power wash it and then slap some starbrite or similar on it. I'm sure you can also spend more time sanding and such and get it looking pristine.

I am thinking buy the time you find\craft replacement teak, you could have cleaned what you have and been boating.

rkc
 
i did mine last year and it was pretty easy.bought a kit at west marine that had a cleaning solution and the teak oil.just wet down the wood then use the cleaning solution and scrub it w/ a stiff brush.then rinse it off and let it dry for a couple of days.then apply a coat of oil and let it soak in for a day then apply one more coat of oil.i ALMOST sanded then urethaned mine but decided to ask around first and i'm glad i did.turned out looking pretty good.
 
Teak Wood

Unless the wood is physically damaged in some way, you don't need to replace it. Teak is extremely dense and amazingly durable, whether it's finished or unfinished. That's why it's used on boat decks.

I recommend you sand it with 80 - 100 grit to start, depending on its condition, getting out all of the nicks and stains, and then finish it with 120. It's really not as hard or time-consuming as some people think.

Before you oil it, give it a coat of oil-based teak stain. You just need to wipe that on with a rag and rubber gloves. Let that soak in and dry, then oil it. I guarantee you'll be amazed with the results.

Depending on your wood's exposure to the elements, you may want to oil it again once or twice during the season, but that oiling will be really quick and will bring it right back to its prior condition. At least that's been my experience.

Fitz
 
Teak Wood

Two other suggestions: remove all of the wood from the boat before doing any refinishing. It takes a little more time at the outset, but the job will go much, much faster and you'll get much better results.

If the teak was previously finished with any hard coating or finish other than oil, first use Zip Strip to take it off. It works very quickly. You can sand immediately thereafter.
 
Fitz said:
Two other suggestions: remove all of the wood from the boat before doing any refinishing. It takes a little more time at the outset, but the job will go much, much faster and you'll get much better results.

If the teak was previously finished with any hard coating or finish other than oil, first use Zip Strip to take it off. It works very quickly. You can sand immediately thereafter.
Click to expand...

Take a look at Fitz's beautiful V20 in the Gallery...he knows of what he speaks on caring for teak!!...:clap:
 
you might look into the cetol route. i know a lot of purist like to oil. but i have better luck with cetol. little more work initally, but holds up longer without any re-coating for 3- 4 years.
 
Teak Wood

Phatdaddy:

I second your advice regarding Cetol. Superb product, and very durable.

For those who have looked at my boat, I should clarify that all the teak is finished with one coat of oil-based natural teak stain, then three coats of Cetol Light (which I selected because it doesn't have the orange hue of straight Cetol), except the floor hatch covers, the cleat bases, the step pads, and the bow pulpit. I just stain and oil those horizontal pieces, because they routinely get knicks and scratches that would ruin any solid finish in less than a season.
 
I have always taken all teak off the boat. Then apply the teak cleaner with a stiff brush, let it sit for a bit, then power wash it off. Comes out looking brand new. Then sand down any nicks/scratches. Its very important to let the teak dry for several days. Then I use Cetol. It is expensive (around $35 a quart) but a quart goes a long way. 2 coats of Cetol should do it. The cetol will last for years.
 
teak oil

i stopped at west marine and the guy there told me i would have to oil the wood once a month is that true or was it a sales pitch
 
if you only put teak oil on it and no sealer or any uv protection and it is in the direct sun all day, down here in fl, sure. the wood is like a sponge, it will soak up a lot of oil, but it also loses a lot unless its sealed.
 
cetol

o.k. i'll bite, what is cetol? my hatch covers had NEVER been fooled with so i hit 'em with 80 grit on the belt sander then 120 w/ the jitterbug. looks great, like new, just want long lastin, low maintenance finish. (life story). mike
 
Teak Wood

CaptainMike:

This is just my opinion, but I wouldn't coat the hatch covers with Cetol or any impervious finish. The reason is that they're inevitably going to get knicked and scratched, and they're going to take a lot of direct sunlight. I'd finish them with a coat of natural oil-based teak stain, then a coat of teak oil.

Depending on how much sunlight and wear they get, you might have to recoat them once or twice in the season, but that's literally a ten minute job. Use the Cetol on all other wood surfaces that are not going to be underfoot or getting banged regularly. A single surface penetration will begin to ruin any impervious finish, whereas oil and stain will just gradually wear off.

Fitz
 
Cetol is called Sikkens Cetol, and it is made by a company (swedish, I think) called Azko Nobel. It is available at any marine store. It runs about $35 a quart, but a quart goes a loooong way. I tend to agree with Fitz about not using it on the hatch covers. However, I have used it on swim platforms which invariably get some nicks and scratches from water skis, etc. When that happens, you can lightly sand the blemish and apply a bit of the cetol and you will never know it happened. Cetol can also produce a somewhat slippery finish. The instructions on the can indicate you can sand lightly between coats with fine sandpaper, but caution against doing so on surfaces subject to foot traffic.
 
I followed the advice on this thread and purchased some Cetol light for my teak outdoor furniture. Looks fantastic!
 
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