About to start refinishing teak,have a bunch of questions!

[ProfitOfDoom]

Ok first off,I bought some cetol original and going to use that. I also got a SS steel wool and using TSP to clean wood,Then I sand,then I wipe down with a aceton rag and stain,sound about right?
I was going to start with the railings around the back of the boat,I go up there and the wood plugs are already out,so I think ok I'll start here. The one screw holding it on is stripped out cant get it,and the other I got it but the railing still didnt come up on that end,is there some epoxy holding it to the metal piece between the fiberglass and the wood rail or what? "I'll take pics later to better explain if you dont know what im talking about"
I started googiling about these wooded plugs that hide the screw hole,I found a good article about how to remove,they said drill a small hole in center of plug then screw in a screw of some sort and then yank it out,Sounds good.
Then other say drill out entire plug,but this is not the best way because you might drill into the screw head and strip it,That sounds like what the previous owner did
Ok sounds like I know how to remove the plug,And even read some more about the tools to make your own plugs cheaper then paying the crazy price that west marine wants for a small bag of them. But here is where im lost,they say after you stain your railing screw it back on glue and pound your plug back on and cut and sand the plug flush and stain to match? Now if I did that wouldnt there be a noticeable area of where I did this from the rest of the railing?
That being said couldnt I just clean,sand and stain while pieces are still bolted down? Or would the tsp cause damage to the fiberglass or other areas?
Any tips would be helpful

 

[1956olds]

those little plugs are called bungs actually and are available at west marine.Still sounds funny to me too.

 

[fwebster]

The best way to remove the plugs is to drill a hole large enough to accomodate your screw driver blade but smaller than the plug dia., then back the old screw out and the plug comes out with it.

You need to do some more reading on finishing teak. You can't spot finish it. It must be completely stripped unless the finish is in almost excellent condition and still seals the teak completely. If you are going far enough to remove the plugs, then the teak must be stripped and sanded before refinishing.

Never.....NEVER use steel wool in finishing wood on a boat. Small particles of the steel break off and will eventually rust in the finish, not to mention get all over the boat as well. You should only use bronze or brass wool for boats.

 

[ProfitOfDoom]

I thought stainless steel wool was ok?

 

[Henry Boyd]

Even stainless steel rusts! Ditto for using steel wire brushes as well. Personally, I would also use a less agressive cleaner than TSP. I've always used Ivory dish soap on our boats that had exposed brightwork. The idea is to get the dirt, mold, and other stuff (seagull poop, fish scales etc) off, and not bleach the wood. But, you are working with a new to you boat with unknown history and it may need the first cleaning to be aggressive. Consider using something less powerful in future go arounds.

Based on some of the other posts you've made it sounds like you have some teak work in front of you. Go to Rockler.com they are a woodworking tool supplier. Buy the 3/8" plug cutter (most common size) and make your own bungs. To often, the commercially available 'bungs' are just short bits of dowel. The difference is a bung cut with a plug cutter has the grain running across the plug. A plug made from a a dowel has the grain running vertically, or end grain. End grain takes oil/stain/finish differently than straight grain. If you want the plugs to stand out, say like on a hardwood floor, use dowels with an end grain. If you want them to blend in use a plug with the grain going in the same direction as the grain of the piece you are repairing. Also by using your own plug cutter, you choose the best piece of wood that will match what you are working on. When you are installing a new section, you can make the bungs from the drops left over from the part you are making and they will be invisible.

Henry

 

[Lazy Daze]

Yes... Stainless steel "stains less".

If the teak is currently natural (no varnish) then the readily available 2-part cleaner/brighteners will do a wonderful job. They are designed for that purpose. Just follow the directions and you'll be amazed - even if the teak is black.

A stiff nylon brush works well - the kind used to clean vegetables. If there's not one in your kitchen right now, they're just a few bucks at just about any store. I like the ones with a handle on top and are about 5" long.

 

[ProfitOfDoom]

ok I'll ditch the SS thing I bought and get a nylon brush. After it dries after I wash it,I'll sand it down and wipe with a aceton rag. After that the aceton just dries up right,no need to wash again?
I seen a few places around here sells the plug cutters,,or as you say the Bung. I just need to track down some teak to make the bungs from and of corse get the rails off

 

[jcastle]

Here is a good article on using Tip Top Teak products.

How to restore your teak wood..

 

[ProfitOfDoom]

I just finished the square block things in my swim deck,I only did 2 coats of natural cetol and really like the outcome of it,Do I really need 4 coats of this stuff?
Also a question about reassembly of these to the swim deck. When replacing these someone must have put them back with the wood screws and some adhesive caulking "seems like 4200,or 5200 stuff" On the bottom of the these square pieces there are like half inch planks that bring it up flush on top,and when prying these loose the one piece,those bottom pieces didnt make it and busted up. You dont see these pieces could I just get away with some treated wood to replace the old stuff,and not use adhesive? I think maybe some standard marine non-adhesive caulk might be good so water doesnt sit under there,but I dont think I need it to bond?

 

[Henry Boyd]

You want to stay away from using 5200, unless you absolutely need its holding power. 5200 is great stuff. It goes on and stays on. That's the good news and the bad news. Its good if what you are gluing never has to come off, not so good if you need to remove it at a later date. Since teak pieces will eventually need to be removed in the future for re-finishing, use something with a little less holding power.

Now for your question on the missing bit. In the future as you work with teak, save everything that is left over. Even the little bits of scrap. I even save teak saw and sanding dust to mix with glue for filler. You can use the scraps to make plugs, or in this case spacers. Ideally I'd say to try and find someone who might have some scrap teak laying around.

Pressure treated wood is kind of junk wood. It usually has too much moisture in it and is prone to splitting. Better choices would be woods that have a level of natural protection from excessive moisture. Obviously teak is at the top of the list, but mahogany, or cedar could also be used. These you can get at most good lumber yards (not HD or Lowes) as they are used in deck and fence construction. If you are going to carry on with your teak restoration you need to find a good source of teak and other boat building grade woods.

Henry