Teak wood

[jeffmo]

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.

[Fitz]

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

[Fitz]

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.

[reelapeelin]

Originally Posted by Fitz

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.

Take a look at Fitz's beautiful V20 in the Gallery...he knows of what he speaks on caring for teak!!...

[Mulv80]

Don't get any teak oil or stain on the fiberglass, it stains almost immediatelty and is a pain to get out.

[phatdaddy]

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.

[Fitz]

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.