Oil or Polyurethane on Teak

[Metabo]

The teak on my old Sea Ray had polyurethane one it that had started to peal and was looking pretty bad. I'm in the process of sanding all the teak and would like some input on how to use teak oil.
I've put in a link of some of the pieces before and after sanding.

Thanks,
Metabo

http://s1105.photobucket.com/user/Fabfour50/library/Teak wood

 

[Pursuit]

the purists will always say oil ONLY!

I was one for a long time. Noting looks as good a some neice clean teak that has been freshly oiled.

I have switched over to the the vanished/ sealed side of things now. Its a litle bit more work now, alot less for years to come.

Its solely our decision to make.

I have used Sikkens with great results.

I am using Pettit 1015(hi UV block) and 2015 (high wear resistant) on my teak after sealing it with clear epoxy

Tom

 

[Chris Nowell]

We are pro oil. Always have been. On a few of our previous boats the teak had to be sanded down to get rid of the varnish/epoxy/polyurethane or whatever the previous owners had used. At first I sanded until I was down to the original wood and color, but it didn't take long to realize that this method sometimes leaves you with very little teak left. Now we sand until all traces of the previous coating are gone but we don't get too anal about the color of the wood. Before the oil goes on there will be some dark spots and some light spots. We use only "Dally's" teak oil, although I'm sure other brands are just as good, (it's a color thing), and we apply EXACTLY as per manufacturer's method. The first couple of coats don't render much in the way of results but as you build them up you start to notice a huge difference. We use four to five initial coats on interior teak and seven or eight on the exterior. After that, maintenance is just a matter of wiping it down with a cloth dampened in teak oil once or twice a year (we don't even bother sanding it). This can be a fun event if you combine it with some friends or family, a bbq, and a few jugs of margaritas. I usually get the friends and family to coat the easy parts and I do the more difficult areas myself. You don't want that stuff on your gelcoat or cabinet surfaces 'cause it'll look like s*%#. For the initial applications I mask off any wood that can't be easily removed. For maintenance coats I use a thin plastic edging tool that can be purchased at the paint dept of any hardware store. As an experiment a few years ago I applied twelve coats of Dally's to two small pieces of exterior teak on our Monaro boat. After two years of exposure to the hot Okanagan summer sun and NO maintenance coats those two pieces still looked like they'd just been oiled when we sold the boat. Good luck. No matter what way you choose to go that teak will look beautiful. The different methods make for good conversation over jugs of margaritas. I think I'm starting to repeat myself, oh look!!!! it's drinkies time in the south pacific, better mix up a morning jug of margaritas and start oiling the wood, (before everyone else gets up!!)

 

[Chris Nowell]

Just had a look at your pics while the blender was doin' it's thing,,,, nice boat. It reminds me a bit of the '79 260 Sundancer we did. That was a WACK of teak to refinish. I was really lucky on that one 'cause the PO had done most of the sanding before he gave up on the project. Your teak taff rails look like about the only wood on the exterior. If you haven't already rebedded them this might be a good time to remove them, temporarily plug the holes, and take them home for a whole bunch of coats of teak oil over a couple of weeks. To the Admiral's dismay I set up the dining room table with lots of news paper and use pencils as stand offs while each coat of oil is drying. I only sand quickly between the first few coats. Oh!!! The blender stopped, cheers.

 

[Metabo]

Just had a look at your pics while the blender was doin' it's thing,,,, nice boat. It reminds me a bit of the '79 260 Sundancer we did. That was a WACK of teak to refinish. I was really lucky on that one 'cause the PO had done most of the sanding before he gave up on the project. Your teak taff rails look like about the only wood on the exterior. If you haven't already rebedded them this might be a good time to remove them, temporarily plug the holes, and take them home for a whole bunch of coats of teak oil over a couple of weeks. To the Admiral's dismay I set up the dining room table with lots of news paper and use pencils as stand offs while each coat of oil is drying. I only sand quickly between the first few coats. Oh!!! The blender stopped, cheers.

Okay, If I understand you right I need to put 8 to 12 coats of teak oil on the out side parts and I will need a good blender and butt load of margarita mix. Maybe this will be more fun than I thought.
Thanks for all the information.

 

[Old Blue]

I would not use teak oil as I have an 87 SR and sanded all my teak down took it all off and oiled it, (3coats) and after 3 weeks it was starting to fade and did not have that clean look that I was looking for. So I pulled the teak off again re-sanded it and used Sikkens product. I used their natural 3 (coates ) and 3 coates of high gloss and that was last year, and looking at it now looks like I just applied it. Also I might add, the more high gloss you apply the longer lasting you will have with your finish I applied 4 coats on my pulpit and four on my swim platform. Here are a few pics. Also it took me an extra 4 weeks to take the teak off sand off the oil, and apply Sikkens but it was well worth it. Here are a few pics. Hope this helps

 

[dwna1a]

Everybody has their own way of working with teak, Old Blue's teak work is stunning and it is his way. Mine is pure teak oil! Now mind you I do a lot of teak, so far this year we have done 14 tables, each with 4 chairs each. Next week I have 2 porch swings and three benches. Using teak oil gives the teak a warm looking glow which is why I use it plus it is easy to reapply as needed and will give the teak the oils it needs to stop the weathering process. No one boaters way is the right or wrong way so you have to think of how you want your teak to look when it's done. This photo is my stern handrail before I placed it back on the boat last year, it still looks the same today.

 

[Chris Nowell]

You can see the difference between the two finishes. They are both really nice. Old Blue's method will give you a bright, clean, glossy look and dwna1a's method will give you a warm deep look. If you can't make up your mind then you may have to buy another SRV 220 so you can use both methods,,, and drink twice the margaritas. Problem solved "hic"!!!!

 

[Metabo]

You can see the difference between the two finishes. They are both really nice. Old Blue's method will give you a bright, clean, glossy look and dwna1a's method will give you a warm deep look. If you can't make up your mind then you may have to buy another SRV 220 so you can use both methods,,, and drink twice the margaritas. Problem solved "hic"!!!!

I like the shine that the urethane provides, but I like the idea of being able to pull the teak and re-oil with out a lot of sanding. If I do the urethane sooner or later I will have to sand it down and refinish it again. Oil is a more natural way to protect the wood. I plan on at least 10 to 12 coats of oil with the last to be a hand rubbed in application. Old Blue's teak looks great! And the piece on the tail gate with the oil is just the look I'm looking for.

Metabo

 

[JVM225]

I used to use Teak Oil, but started using the Sikkens Cetol Natural a few years ago and I am a convert. The initial work involved cleaning and sanding before applying for the first time. Now I scuff it lightly every year with 150 grit, wipe with a tack cloth, and re-apply the Sikkens with a disposable foam brush.
I do it just about every year and it takes very little time. I wait for a really nice day when I'm looking for something to putter around with on the boat and I get to work. It takes longer to mask off around the teak than it does to scuff, tack, and re-coat.
Whatever you decide to use; I think the key is to prep it properly and then keep up with it so that it will not be a big project again, and will always look good.

That being said: A couple of years ago there was someone on this forum that re-made the inserts for the swim platform and cut out the Sea Ray logo in them. They were really sharp looking. I can't remember who it was, but if anyone knows please pass along the info. I would like to see if he can make me up a set.

 

[dwna1a]

Apply ALL coats by rubbing it in, a very fine sanding between coats. Something along the line of steel wool, but don't use steel wool. Be very sure to use pure teak oil and follow the directions on the can for rag disposal. The piece on my tail gate has four coats. Once you've got the teak the way you want it....NO BLEACH or harsh chemicals while cleaning the boat, they will strip the oils off your teak, plain old soap and water is all you'll need

 

[Metabo]

Apply ALL coats by rubbing it in, a very fine sanding between coats. Something along the line of steel wool, but don't use steel wool. Be very sure to use pure teak oil and follow the directions on the can for rag disposal. The piece on my tail gate has four coats. Once you've got the teak the way you want it....NO BLEACH or harsh chemicals while cleaning the boat, they will strip the oils off your teak, plain old soap and water is all you'll need

Thanks, this is just the kind of information that I need. The weather here has been very cool and wet, so I've not been down to the shop to work on anymore pieces. I will post more pictures as I start to do the oil. Also looking forward to buffing the top of the boat with the teak off. Should make for a nice clean job.

 

[tdschafer]

Oh well, I thought I'd chime in on this subject once again as there have been more than a few threads on this subject over the years.

I used to use the oil method too on my old 260DA. Cleaner, brightener, oil in that order. It would look phenomenal for a week or two. After that point the oil would start to fade. I would reapply it but by then the dust/dirt would start sticking to it and it would turn somewhat black. I was not a fan at all!! It would take hours of prep only to have to re-do it a couple of weeks later.

I am now a fan of the Sikkens Cetol too! I used the original tint in a satin finish. I wasn't looking for that shiny finish that you would see with polyurethane. Then, once a year I would toss a maintenance coat on and it would look great all season long.

So, my advice to you would be, do what you want! If you're retired or are in a more industrial area, or an area lacking sandy, dusty beaches then the oil method will be fine. The lack of dust will help it stay good looking for longer. Then when it gets dirty, if you are retired, you will have the time to frequently refinish it!!

Good luck with what you choose and please post pics during the process. Also, a few updated pics every couple of weeks will be nice to see how it holds up over time. That would make this thread a great reference for people in the future who will be seeking this same advice!!




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Todd

 

[Chris Nowell]

There's gotta be some differences in the quality of the different teak oils. We've never had a problem with either the interior or exterior teak on any of our boats with the "Dally's" teak oil. I have noticed that the rags used to apply the stuff turn stiff when left out on the table after use. This would lead me to believe that this product is more than just oil. I like the fact that we can just wipe the wood with a dry cloth and then apply another maintenance coat any time we feel like it. For the fiddles around the galley table and the countertops this process took less than five minutes and that finish doesn't have to be touched for another year or more.

 

[Metabo]

There's gotta be some differences in the quality of the different teak oils. We've never had a problem with either the interior or exterior teak on any of our boats with the "Dally's" teak oil. I have noticed that the rags used to apply the stuff turn stiff when left out on the table after use. This would lead me to believe that this product is more than just oil. I like the fact that we can just wipe the wood with a dry cloth and then apply another maintenance coat any time we feel like it. For the fiddles around the galley table and the countertops this process took less than five minutes and that finish doesn't have to be touched for another year or more.

I think I'll give the Dally's teak oil a try. Can you pick that up an any home supply store?

Metabo

 

[Chris Nowell]

I think I'll give the Dally's teak oil a try. Can you pick that up an any home supply store?

Metabo

Around here it's only available at the marine chandlers and some of the boat dealers. I haven't tried the stuff from the hardware stores. We pay a big price for it but it's worth it, I think it's about $23.00 cdn per quart up here in Canada. Good luck,, and post some pics of your projects if ya have time.

 

[Metabo]

Around here it's only available at the marine chandlers and some of the boat dealers. I haven't tried the stuff from the hardware stores. We pay a big price for it but it's worth it, I think it's about $23.00 cdn per quart up here in Canada. Good luck,, and post some pics of your projects if ya have time.

I will be posting more photos of the teak re-finishing project.
Metabo

 

[Chris Nowell]

I think I'll give the Dally's teak oil a try. Can you pick that up an any home supply store?

Metabo

If they were REALLY smart they'd sell the stuff right next to the tequila in the liquor store.

 

[Metabo]

If they were REALLY smart they'd sell the stuff right next to the tequila in the liquor store.

Raining today, so the only teak work I could do was order the Daly's teak oil online. I had it shipped to my local West Marine store. I've been doing my sanding outside of my shop to keep the dust clean-up to a minimum.
Now if West Marine would carry margarita mix that would save me one stop.

Metabo

 

[Metabo]

More pictures of the sanding process. Should I use a cleaner or brightener on the wood? It's all sanded down to new wood, so I was thinking maybe I could just start the teak oil. Any suggestions

http://s1105.photobucket.com/user/Fabfour50/library/Teak wood

Metabo