TEAK Finishing

cbavier · Apr 14, 2009

Does anyone know ? Can you polyurethane teak after applying Teak Oil?

Some of my Teak is dried out and looks bad. Has some fine cracks too. I teak oiled it last year about 6 coats and that dried out too. Where it's in the cockpit and protected, it looks real good, but up on the Gunwales where it's exposed to the sun it looks bad.

abj87 · Apr 14, 2009

Re: TEAK Finishing

With teak oil your looking at doing it every year if its in the sun... Sand it down and reapply it. Or you can just let it go grey.

jrolland · Apr 14, 2009

Re: TEAK Finishing

My teak had been sitting on the boat for 8+ years and was all grey and mildew looking. What I did was cleaned the teak with some sort of wood cleaner. Then I sanded it down with 60 then 120. After that I used 2 coats of teak oil, let it dry for 72 hours. I went to lowes and piced up some Minwax Helmsman Spar Urithane, and after 4 coats of that and sanding with 220 in between I couldn't be happier. Below are some before and after pics of my teak.

and after.

cbavier · Apr 14, 2009

Re: TEAK Finishing

jrolland . Your looks great. Mine isn't that bad but if I got mine looking that good. I'd be more than pleased. I would have to remove all the wood in order to be able to sand it however and that would be a major chore. I was trying to keep from having to remove it.

JB · Apr 14, 2009

Re: TEAK Finishing

You have choices. Either take the teak off, strip, sand and varnish it every 2 years or so or oil it several times a year. Another option is to keep the sun off of it except when at sea.

cbavier · Apr 14, 2009

Re: TEAK Finishing

JB said:
You have choices. Either take the teak off, strip, sand and varnish it every 2 years or so or oil it several times a year. Another option is to keep the sun off of it except when at sea.

What about using the minwax with the stain already in it?

J. Howard · Apr 14, 2009

Re: TEAK Finishing

jrolland, that looks fantastic. I have a very small amount of teak on my boat that is pretty gray like in your before pics. I'm hoping to bring it back this season and I will be really happy if I can get it looking like yours. Nice work!

Wee Hooker · Apr 14, 2009

Re: TEAK Finishing

You can also seal it in West Systems epoxy then varnish it. i did this on a self built rowing skiff. looke great and never greyed again.

BTW, teak dust is NASTY stuff. make sure you cover up good when sanding it!

Nandy · Apr 14, 2009

Re: TEAK Finishing

Wee Hooker said:
BTW, teak dust is NASTY stuff. make sure you cover up good when sanding it!

I second that!!!!!!!

brad614 · Sep 10, 2010

Re: TEAK Finishing

I am doing the same thing with my bowsprite, and so far, so good. However, after 72 hours the teak oil is still looking "oily" on the surface of the wood, so I am sure the polyurethane won't stick. Should I just wait until it looks well-absorbed? Or should I do something to remove the excess? I am in Florida, so I am sure the high humidity is affecting the "cure" rate.

Bigperch · Sep 10, 2010

Re: TEAK Finishing

Waterlox

http://www.waterlox.com/

paultjohnson · Sep 10, 2010

Re: TEAK Finishing

brad614 said:
I am doing the same thing with my bowsprite, and so far, so good. However, after 72 hours the teak oil is still looking "oily" on the surface of the wood, so I am sure the polyurethane won't stick. Should I just wait until it looks well-absorbed? Or should I do something to remove the excess? I am in Florida, so I am sure the high humidity is affecting the "cure" rate.

Teak IS oily wood...Thats what makes is a good choice for the marine environment. My boatn' buddy put polyurethane on all his teak Looked great-at 1st But then it started to peal Yuck! Labor intensive . Other boaters at the Marina swear by Sikkens Brand cetrol or cetol? I am gonna try that next. Its really easy to touch up and maintain, according to them Check out thier website My 2 c

25thmustang · Sep 10, 2010

Re: TEAK Finishing

I redid mine with the Minwax (I believe it was). I used a stain and varnish in multiple coats. I never saw how well it held up, but it looked really good once finished.

BEFORE

AFTER

djspady · Sep 10, 2010

Re: TEAK Finishing

I suggest you look into Honey Teak by Signature Finish. You will not be disappointed.

Beefer · Sep 10, 2010

Re: TEAK Finishing

I keep mine oiled (about twice per year). The previous owner had varnished/polyurethaned the teak before, but that is way too labor intensive for me. Keeping it oiled easy way easier, and it looks awesome.

I use the Starbrite stuff. When it runs out, I'll probably try something else.

MRS · Sep 10, 2010

Re: TEAK Finishing

I had to redo all the teak on mine when first got the boat. It had been coated with something and was flaking and chipping off teak was white/gray pain to get clean. I bought the starbright kit cleaner contioner and teak oil came out great was a lot of work but well worth it. Plus I would leave the oil on all night wipe down and coat again leave all night wipe again. Did that maybe four times now wipe down once a year with teak oil.

dsiekman · Sep 11, 2010

Re: TEAK Finishing

I redid the dash on my old boat with a mahogany veneer over aluminum about four years ago. Three coats of marine epoxy - MAS if I remember - followed by several coats of marine varnish. I think it was Epiphanes - SP?. Anyway, it still looked great when I sold it this spring.

Those are some great pics above! Nice work!

kilowatts · Sep 11, 2010

Re: TEAK Finishing

Hi Guys:
My boat has quite a bit of teak trim. When I brought it home the first time it was filthy, mildewed and dried out. I removed all the teak and pressure washed the filth and mildew, let it dry and gave it many coats of teak oil. I re-installed it and have oiled it several times a year since. It looks very good but it does fade as the year goes by. I hope this helps.
kilowatts

TEAK Finishing

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