refinishing sailboat teak

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Restoring Teak

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There's nothing prettier than teak on a boat, but it requires some upkeep. Here are some tips and products to help keep it looking great.

The natural, unfinished teak on the sailboat above is a beauty. But with brightwork varnished and the deck oiled (above), she sparkles! Here you can see the difference in a teak deck that's been sanded (top) and unsanded (bottom).

Teak maintenance is a love-hate affair for most boat owners. We love the warm, golden glow of a freshly cleaned deck, but not so much the elbow grease required to keep it so. Let's take a look at some cleaning tips that can help bring your tired teak back to life.

The Versatility Of Teak

Due to its resistance to deterioration, rot, and insects, teak is one of the few things onboard that allows a boater to decide the amount of effort they want to spend maintaining it. Many prefer the golden glow and accentuated grain highlighted by properly oiled or varnished teak deck or trim, viewing the additional work required to achieve it as time well spent. Others take the more laid-back approach of letting it attain a natural silver-gray color, safe in the knowledge that less than 1/100 of an inch below that weathered-gray look lies beautiful, oily wood (just be aware that thinner pieces of teak trim can become severely sun-dried and brittle or crack if neglected for too long).

Regardless of your chosen maintenance philosophy, at some point a reason will arise to give your teak a thorough cleaning, be it spring commissioning, selling the boat, or readying the wood for oiling or varnishing. Ironically, cleaning is when teak is most likely to sustain damage due to the use of harsh chemicals and overaggressive or incorrect cleaning methods. Improper cleaning with pressure washers, stiff bristle brushes, or harsh chemicals can remove the soft, lighter-colored grain of the wood, creating a washboard effect. Once that occurs, these ridges (which more readily trap dirt) can only be removed by sanding, which again removes more wood in a vicious cycle of owners loving their teak to death.

Teak-Cleaning Tips

Most teak dies an early death, not from neglect, but from improper cleaning by well-meaning owners. Although you should always follow the manufacturer's recommendations for any cleaner or product being used, here are eight general tips on proper teak care that will serve you well in all situations.

• Use the mildest cleaner possible to get the job done.
• Always wear recommended protective equipment (e.g., rubber gloves, goggles) when handling teak cleaners.
• Protect adjacent areas and finishes while cleaning. Gel teak cleaners have an advantage in this regard, providing you more control during application on horizontal or even vertical surfaces. Teak cleaners can damage anything from gelcoat and paint to anodized aluminum and even chrome fittings. Wet adjacent areas with water prior to cleaning and keep them wet, being sure to rinse all areas thoroughly (especially those being cleaned) as any residue will continue to eat away at whatever surface it remains on.
• When cleaning teak, scrub across the grain of the wood with a 3M Scotch-Brite pad. A soft, polypropylene bristle brush will do in a pinch — just remember to scrub lightly and never with the grain.
• Badly worn teak should be lightly sanded to smooth the wood's surface. While sanding also removes some of the wood, a smooth surface is easier to properly maintain and can increase the life of teak by exposing less wood to the elements and preventing the grain from trapping dirt and airborne contaminants.
• Keep teak wet while cleaning. An overcast or even drizzly day is better than a blazing sunny day, as it helps prevent the area from drying out.
• Use two-part cleaners as a last resort only, and then use sparingly.
• Keep cleaned and/or treated teak covered if possible, to prevent UV light and weather damage.

The Teak Cleaning Enigma: Less Is More

A quick look at any well-stocked chandlery will show there's no shortage of teak cleaners. One-part, two-part, pastes, powders, gels — the list seems endless. But which one to use? Simplify selection by remembering your teak cleaning prime directive is to start with the mildest cleaning product that looks like it has a chance of success, then work your way up (as required) to stronger cleaners that can do the job with as little damage to the wood as possible.

One-part cleaners tend to be less harsh than two-part products, but may require longer dwell times (the time required to work after the product is applied), multiple applications, or simply lack the cleaning power of their two-part brethren, especially when faced with ultra-gnarly teak.

Two-part cleaners should be considered the "nuclear option" of teak cleaning due to the harsh chemicals and toxic nature of most. Sure, they can clean even the nastiest piece of teak, but they do so by removing some of it in the process. They should be used sparingly and only after milder one-part cleaners have been tried. The first part of a two-part cleaner contains the primary cleaning agent, while the second part (depending on the product) may provide additional cleaning power, contain a wood brightener (to lighten and impart a more uniform color), or simply act as a neutralizing agent for the first part.

Powering off the grime on teak decks with a cleaner and brush. Remember: Less is more.

Other factors to consider when selecting a teak cleaner include ease of application, harshness, dwell time, and "greenness" or environmental concerns. For example, products that have to be mixed require more preparation and time than one that can be applied directly from the container. The same is true for a cleaner that requires a 20-minute dwell time verses one a user can start scrubbing on immediately. On the flip side, many users may be perfectly content to wait that extra 20 minutes if the cleaner is milder on both crew and boat (meaning they don't have to remove teak trim due to worries about damage to adjacent gelcoat or painted surfaces), cheaper, or more environmentally friendly.

While teak cleaners are typically used in preparation for varnishing or oiling, most commercially available teak cleaners are simply too harsh for regular daily or weekly cleaning. For routine cleaning you'll find that sudsy ammonia or a solution of water and mild detergent (such as Original Pine-Sol cleaner) will compare well to most teak cleaners while being a lot easier on the wood, surrounding surfaces, and the environment.

On The Shelf

Here's a sample market scan of both one- and two-part cleaners.

Amazon's One-Step Teak Cleaner

Claims to easily remove dirt, rust stains, fish blood, and other sorts of grease and grime from weathered teak. It's billed as an acid-free formula that won't harm fiberglass or damage the teak's soft grain, while enhancing the natural texture of the wood. Application instructions: Wet area to be cleaned with fresh- or saltwater (including adjacent areas that the cleaner may also contact), then scrub or agitate as needed with a soft scrubbing pad. Rinse with water, then repeat if necessary. Safety precautions include wearing protective gloves and washing hands thoroughly after use. The manufacturer recommends following with an application of Amazon's Teak Prep (a brightener) followed by a good oiling with Amazon's Teak Oil. 32 oz., $15.99 | MDRAmazon.com

West Marine One-Step Teak Cleaner & Brightener

Advertised for cleaning lightly soiled teakwood surfaces. For badly stained or weathered teak, West Marine's Heavy Duty Teak Cleaner Kit is recommended. Product literature states that it won't harm wood and that it removes stains, oils, and so on, while restoring teak to its natural color. It also states its intended for use on teak wood only and that it may damage gelcoat, paint, and metal surfaces.

Application instructions: Spray teak with water, then apply cleaner, allowing it to penetrate for 2 to 3 minutes. Scrub the wood with a soft-bristled deck brush, keeping the surface wet while cleaning. Rinse the wood thoroughly with water. Keep all adjacent surfaces wet with water and immediately rinse thoroughly if accidental contact occurs. West Marine recommends following up with its Golden Teak Oil. 32 oz., $22.99 | WestMarine.com

Iosso Teak Cleaner

Comes as a powder (a 16-ounce jar makes 4 gallons of cleaner) that, per product labeling, safely removes dirt, black algae, and mildew stains in one easy step without harsh chemicals. Iosso states that its product emits no harmful vapors; is biodegradable and nontoxic; won't harm fabrics or colors, vinyls, canvas carpeting, metals, paints, fiberglass, or plastic surfaces; and is gentle to skin (although product labeling recommends avoiding prolonged contact). Application instructions: Mix up a batch of cleaner using the provided measuring scoop — one scoop makes a quart, four scoops a gallon, and so on, when combined with water. The instructions state to use a plastic container, mix only what you'll need for the job, and dispose of any unused solution afterward. Thoroughly mix until the powder is completely dissolved (warm water is recommended for best results), then apply the solution on any horizontal or vertical surface to be cleaned. Cool surfaces with water prior to application if hot. Let stand for 10 minutes or longer while keeping the area wet with solution (thoroughly brushing it into the wood) then rinse with water. Extremely weathered wood may require a second application. 16 oz., $15.25 | Iosso.com

Amazon's Quicki II 2-Part Teak Cleaner

Per the manufacturer, this cleaner is environmentally safe (contains no caustics or acids and is non-butyl) and won't harm fiberglass. Part 1 takes care of the deeper stains, grease and grime, while Part 2 follows through with surface cleaning and brightening agents. Each kit includes a teak scrubber for easier teak cleaning. Application instructions: Wet the area to be cleaned, then apply Part 1 full strength and agitate with provided scrubber; let sit for 10 minutes, then rinse. Apply Part 2, agitate for final dirt and grease removal, let set for 15 minutes and rinse thoroughly. Follow-up manufacturer's recommended product is Amazon's Golden Teak Oil. 2 x 32 oz., $33.30 for set | MDRAmazon.com

West Marine Heavy Duty Teak Cleaner Kit

Advertised for cleaning badly stained or weathered teak. Step 1 chemically attacks stained teak, while step 2 neutralizes step 1. Instructions state the product will not harm seam compounds, however, the label also says it may damage gelcoat, paint, and metal surfaces.

Application instructions: The manufacturer recommends wearing rubber gloves and eye protection when using this kit. First, wet the surface to be cleaned as well as the surrounding areas (including hull and deck), then apply Step 1 Teak Cleaner. Spread and agitate lightly with a synthetic deck brush. As the area darkens (in 3 to 5 minutes), scrub lightly. Rinse thoroughly with water, then apply Step 2 and spread evenly with a deck brush. Agitate lightly, then as the deck turns a light golden tone, hose off all surfaces thoroughly (including the hull). 2 quarts, $47.99 | WestMarine.com

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Frank Lanier

Contributing Editor, BoatUS Magazine

Capt. Frank Lanier is a SAMS Accredited Marine Surveyor with more than 40 years of experience in the marine and diving industries. He’s also an author, public speaker, and multiple award-winning journalist whose articles on boat maintenance, repair, and seamanship appear regularly in numerous marine publications worldwide. He can be reached via his YouTube channel “Everything Boats with Capt. Frank Lanier” and website captfklanier.com.

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How to Clean and Restore Teak Wood

Does your dirty gray outdoor teak furniture look like it should go in the fire pit, not around it? How about your dull, weathered teak boat deck – does it look like it belongs on The Flying Dutchman? Or make you want to walk the deck, swearing at the wind because you don’t know how to bring your teak back from the brink?

Well you can stop swearing and start scrubbing because teak wood care is easy with the right products and a little elbow grease.

In this post, we’ll show you how to make your teak go from gray, stained, moldy, slimy, mildewy, and dingy to golden, bright, and beautiful in a few easy steps that include cleaning, brightening, and finishing (or leaving bare). Finishing can include applying some type of teak wood oil, teak sealer, varnish , or synthetic finish, depending on the look you want.

How to Clean and Brighten Teak Wood Without Damaging It

For fast, easy, amazing results, use a 2-part teak cleaner that’s safe for use on teak wood. This type of product includes a cleaner (Part A) and a brightener (Part B). The cleaner component removes dirt, grime, grease, and stains, while the brightener neutralizes the cleaner and returns teak to its natural golden tone.

Before you start cleaning your teak, put on some disposable gloves and wear protection for your face, eyes and skin. You’ll also want to protect any surrounding surfaces that might be damaged by the teak cleaner by masking or removing any painted parts or aluminum parts that are on or near the teak.

Step 1: How to Clean Teak Wood

Start by soaking the teak with fresh water.

Use a sponge to apply Part A, then use a soft bristle brush or a Scotch-Brite® pad to scrub lightly across the grain – not with the grain. If you scrub with the grain, you’re pushing the dirt and grime down deeper, and you can actually do damage because you’re removing more of the wood grain.

As you scrub, you’ll notice the froth turning a dark brown color as the dirt and grime comes out. Rinse the surface with fresh water.

Step 2: How to Brighten Teak Wood

Use a soft bristle brush to apply Part B, and scrub lightly across the grain. As you scrub, you’ll notice the teak begin to lighten in color.

Rinse thoroughly with fresh water to remove all residue from Part B. Remember to scrub while rinsing to help remove the brightener completely. Here’s a little teak table top that was dirty and stained – see how different it looks after cleaning!

After cleaning your teak, always wait at least a few days for the teak to dry completely to a light, golden color. You may notice that as the water evaporates, the wood grain gets raised a little. You’ll want to sand lightly – in the direction of the wood grain – until the surface is smooth, before applying a teak treatment.

How to Protect Teak Wood from Sun, Salt, Mold, Mildew, Dirt and Stains

So what do you do now that your teak is bright and beautiful again? You can either leave it as is, or apply some type of teak oil, teak sealer, varnish, or synthetic wood finish product. The choice is yours. Certain teak items like boat swim platforms don’t really need to be coated with anything because they spend most of their time under water, though an application of teak oil will offer a degree of protection.

The important thing to note here is that some finishes will last longer, require less maintenance, and provide better protection than others. One thing’s for sure, if you do nothing, the teak will become silvery gray and weathered a lot sooner.

Teak Wood Oil

What is teak oil , anyway? It’s a blend of oils and solvents designed to replenish teak’s natural oils. A teak oil finish prevents wood from drying out, restores its original color, and provides an attractive matte finish.

Teak Wood Sealer

Teak sealer is used to seal in teak’s natural oils, prevent wood from drying out, and preserve the beguiling golden hue associated with teak. In addition to sealing in the natural oils, teak sealer also helps to repel dirt and stains, and prevent mold and mildew

When to Use Teak Oil or Teak Sealer

We recommend using marine teak oil for initial rejuvenation and maintenance coats. If the teak wood is not in great condition and needs better oil penetration initially, and some degree of mildew protection, apply teak sealer. Later on, you can use teak oil for maintenance coats. It’s not necessary to apply teak oil then follow with an application of teak sealer.

Advantages of Using Teak Oil and Teak Sealer

• Creates the most natural-looking results
• Fast and easy to apply
• Relatively inexpensive compared to varnish
• These finishes do not become slippery when wet, so they are ideal to use on teak swim platforms, teak decking, teak handrails

The downside of teak oils and teak sealers is that they require regular maintenance. And compared to varnish and synthetic wood finishes, teak oils and sealers don’t last as long, or provide as much protection from the elements. Maintenance coats are a must, and depending on sun exposure, climate, and the condition of the wood, you may need to apply maintenance coats monthly, twice a year, or annually.

Another type of natural finish for teak that’s worth mentioning is tung oil . It adds waterproofing properties, creates a low-sheen, hand-rubbed finish that won’t mildew or turn yellow, and it protects against staining. Here’s more information about the differences between teak oil vs. tung oil .

Synthetic Marine Wood Finish

For a finish that offers beauty, UV protection and moisture resistance similar to varnish, but is less expensive and easier to apply, try a synthetic marine wood finish . These products form a protective coating and come in a variety of finishes, including a natural teak wood finish, a gloss finish, and a satin finish.

Advantages of Using a Synthetic Marine Wood Finish on Teak Wood

• Faster and easier to apply, and more affordable than varnish
• Forms a protective coating and has UV protection similar to varnish
• Easier to repair than varnish
• More durable than teak oil and teak sealer
• Maintenance coats are applied annually – much less frequently than teak oil or teak sealer
• Not just for boats, synthetic wood finish products are great for outdoor teak furniture

Synthetic wood finishes look great on all types of wood, not just teak. Here’s an example of how beautiful TotalBoat Marine Wood Finish looks on a refinished porch floor.

There’s nothing quite like varnish to highlight the wood grain, protect against UV and moisture damage, and maintain the natural golden color of teak wood. But that beauty and protection take more time, effort, and money than teak oil, teak sealer, or synthetic wood finishes.

Varnish protects by forming a coating over the teak that shields it from the elements. This coating leaves a durable finish that comes in a variety of options, including high gloss varnish , rubbed effect varnish, matte varnish , and satin varnish .

Some traditional varnish products require thinning the initial coats, sanding between coats and applying multiple coats, while more modern varnish products feature rapid recoating , no sanding between coats, and up to 5 coats in 1 day! There are also water-based varnish products that dry fast to a durable finish, have no harsh odors, and are easy to clean up with soap and water.

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The $tingy Sailor

Diy trailerable sailboat restoration and improvement without throwing your budget overboard.

Restore Your Exterior Teak to Better Than New

Is your topside brightwork weathered, worn, and sorely in need of refinishing? If so, this is one project that you’ve probably been putting off but you know it needs to be done. The job isn’t particularly difficult or expensive, it just takes plenty of time to do it right and to get good results. But after it’s done, it can be relatively maintenance free for years to come while looking stunning.

Before I continue, a bit of legal housekeeping. This post contains affiliate links. That means I receive a small commission if you make a purchase using those links. Those commissions help to pay the costs associated with running this site so that it stays free for everyone to enjoy. For a complete explanation of why I’m telling you this and how you can support this blog without paying more, please read my  full disclosure .

Refinishing anything is a tedious, messy undertaking to do well whether it’s furniture or a sailboat. But the results are very gratifying when you get to the end. By the way, go over to my  interior teak restoration  project if that’s on your to-do list.

Who knows what evil lurks beneath your teak?

Begin by removing all the exterior teak trim pieces. That sounds simple and it should be, but it can actually be the hardest part of this project. Hopefully, you’re not so unfortunate that a previous owner used 3M 5200 sealant/adhesive when they last refinished the wood. It does a really good job at being an adhesive! You might need to literally cut the pieces off the boat by working a sharp putty knife under the length of each piece together with a lot of careful pulling, prying, twisting, and patience.

Be aware that parts can be so glued to the fiberglass that they can pull off some of the gel coat with it. For your own sake and the sake of anyone that will ever have to work on your boat, don’t use 5200 on any parts that will ever have to be separated. Use the more forgiving 4200 formula instead if you must. Better yet, use Butyl tape , which makes a waterproof seal, never hardens completely, and makes disassembly much easier.

The next step is to strip off what is left of the old finish. If your brightwork was last finished with varnish, I haven’t found a chemical stripper yet that works any better, faster, cleaner, or greener than a heat gun and a sharp putty knife. Old finish comes off easily to reveal the sun bleached, weathered, and mildewed wood underneath. Use sandpaper to clean off the last bit of finish, damaged wood, and to smooth out deep scratches and chips.

Bleaching or “Is that your teak’s natural color?”

After you get down to solid, useful wood, the coloring might be uneven and some mildew might remain in the wood’s pores. Bleaching will take care of both problems but don’t use laundry bleach.

Teak oil works miracles

Time to varnish, finally

To make it easier to varnish all sides of the pieces at the same time, see my tips on Simple jigs for varnishing parts .

Apply the first coat of varnish thinned with the manufacturer’s recommended thinner by 50%, followed by one coat thinned 25%, one coat thinned 10%, and two coats unthinned. This technique makes the varnish soak into the wood and fills the grain for a smoother finish. Thick varnishes can be tricky to work with unthinned when they are the consistency of molasses. It helps to warm it double boiler-style over a hot plate.

Lightly sand with a maroon Scotch-Brite pad in between each coat except before the last coat. For that one, wait two weeks for the varnish to completely cure before sanding with 220 grit sandpaper and then apply the last coat. Wipe everything with a tack cloth before each coat. For a Catalina 22, it can take all of two pints of varnish for the hand rails, hatch rails, weather board, crib boards, the companionway trim inside and out, and the winch cover panel.

Depending on the weather, it can take weeks for the varnish to cure completely so wait before reinstalling the pieces and don’t take on this project if you plan on using the boat soon after.

The edges of the crib boards wear first and are the places most likely for water to seep in and ruin them. So after the varnish has cured, mask off each edge about 1/4″ on the front and back of each board and brush a coat of slightly thickened epoxy on the edges. This gives them a hard coating that seals them completely and will protect them for many years to come. Just be careful to not build up the thickness so much that the boards don’t fit together anymore.

The fun part

Reattaching the parts is a downhill run. Just reverse the steps you used to remove them. Use Butyl tape at every joint between wood and fiberglass for a watertight seal.

Then stand back and admire a job well done!

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58 thoughts on “ restore your exterior teak to better than new ”.

Where did you get your cylinder lock and lift ring? Is it a marine part of something meant for general outdoor use?

I got the lock from Advantage Marine Supply on eBay but the same thing is available from several online retailers.

Something else to mention: due to the length of the cylinder relative to the thickness of the front of the hatch, the tang on the lock isn’t flush with the inside of the hatch. There’s about a half inch gap that would make it easier to break into the cabin. I made up the difference with a small block of teak epoxied behind where you see the four hasp screws in the pictures. Still, if someone really wanted in, the could force the hatch open. The lock isn’t as stout as the original hasp. You might also consider replacing the tang with a longer and/or stronger one so that it wouldn’t bend as easily.

The main reasons that I installed the cylinder is because we kept hitting our heads on the lock when the hatch is closed but the crib boards were out of the companionway. Maybe you keep your lock on the hatch too but cracked like we did so that it doesn’t get misplaced. This lock also prevents you from accidentally locking the cabin with the keys inside. Been there, done that. You can’t close this lock from the outside without the key, so problem solved. Plus, it just makes for a better looking installation, I think.

Hope that helps!

Ever windward, $tingy

Love the look of that lock, too. I used to keep my lock on the hasp also when not being used, but have since moved it so as to avoid the scars that are possible from banging forehead into it.

One thing I’ll point out about having a lock requiring a key is the obvious potential to lose the key. I solved that issue by installing a lock that uses a 4 digit combination. Never a lost key now.

OK…so I have been “thinking” about (or shoudl I say putting off) doing my teak on my Cat 25. After reading this post last weekend, it motivated me to start mine this weekend. I love the work you did on this and I am hoping mine turns out. I started with the tiller handle and pop top handle to see how difficult this is going to be and I must say it isnt as bad as I had been thinking. I have to wait till the weather clears up a bit to remove all of the other pieces now that I know its fairly easy. Using the heat gun to remove the old finish was the best tip!! Thanks! It makes it so much easier then using chemical or mechanical stripping means. That was the part I was dreading, dealing with the stripping and thats why I was putting it off, but the heat gun made the stuff peel right off with the putty knife. Thanks for the tip!! Great site! Some of the things you have on here are stuff I already have done or on the bucket list for my boat.

I’m glad the tip helped you to get over the hump of procrastination with your teak. I know too well what that’s like.

Now that you know it won’t be a major chore, you should be able to work through it at a pretty good clip. When the oil and/or varnish go on and you see it come alive again, you’ll be anxious to get it finished.

When you get done, leave another comment back here to let us know how it worked out!

Sure will. I already have the oil on the two parts I started with, going to let that dry for few days before proceeding with the varnish

How is the edge treatment holding up? Sounds like a really good idea, the edges are where mine show the most wear. Did you put the epoxy on after the varnish or before? I now have two of my crib boards sanded down and working on the 3rd.

It’s holding up really well so far, Mike. I’m glad I did it. In fact, if anything, the trim channels that they sit in are getting more wear than the boards now. I might give their wearing surfaces a coat or two of unthickened epoxy for good measure. Good luck on your boards!

Stingy, great information and website. I just finished up redoing my teak utilizing your method of support the pieces in a form and on footings allowing all sides to be done at once. Thanks, Richie

Glad to hear this site helped you!

My brother is a career private megayacht captain 100ft plus life-of-the-rich-and-famous kinda yachts. He turned me on to Petite Captains Varnish. Its amazing in that you get a glass like finish with seriously less coats of varnish. On the yachts he does not stop till there is no grain to be felt in the varnish, sand and apply repeat till the surface looks like glass. Captains goes on very thick and flows beautifully with great surface tension. Apply till you get the surface you want then hit it with 600 wet or dry and do the “money coat” an extremely thin whetting of the surface just to gloss the surface. That’s how the pros do it…

I’ve heard others who like Captain’s. I may have to try it on my next project. Thanks!

Stingy: great website, very helpful.

In this article you said: “For the varnish itself, I chose Epifanes Clear Varnish. Every owner who has done this job seems to have their own personal favorite finish. I don’t have one yet, so ask me in a few years if I chose wisely.”

So, may I ask – did you choose wisely?

Hi, Michael

It’s been a few years now and the finish is holding up really well. It still looks new and wet but that’s to be expected since up to now, I’ve kept my boat under cover when it wasn’t sailing. If I had to do it over again tomorrow, I’d pick the same finish.

But any finish is going to look great when it’s that protected. However, we recently moved and starting this year, my boat will be in the water 5-6 months of the year so I’ll be watching to see how it holds up to more exposure to the elements.

Ask me again in a few more years 🙂

Great article. Have all the exterior teak off my Catalina 25, and it’s all sanded. Getting ready for the oxalic treatment. Was wondering if anyone had a resource for the cylinder lock assembly that replaced the original (ugly) hasp setup? Thanks

Here’s a link to it on Amazon .

Wow, just beautiful work.

We have been looking at the teak on our boat for a few years now, but our biggest stumbling block has been the holes where the screws go. Most of the plugs are either lost or cracked, there are multiple diameters (none of which fit exactly) that we need, and I don’t know of a good way to get a plug perfect in height so it will fit and work once the teak is in place again. Any advice?

Hello Gretchen,

Unless you need to replace the screws, you shouldn’t remove the plugs. They are just to hide and protect the screw heads from the elements. Just remove the nuts and washers on the underside and pull the handrails up leaving the screws intact. Refinish the wood and replace in the reverse order.

If you do need to remove a screw for some reason or replace a damaged plug, carefully drill out as much of the plug as you can without enlarging the hole. A little hand carving might be necessary to get it all. Replacement plugs are available from most marine suppliers. Here’s a link to various sizes on Amazon. Glue the replacement plug in place, trim it flush, sand smooth, and finish as usual.

Thanks, I definitely don’t want the extra work of replacing plugs. Unfortunately we’re missing a few already, so I am stuck with at least some of them needing to be replaced. Thank you so much for the advice! Are there any tools better or worse for trimming the replacement down as close as possible without (accidentally) damaging the teak next to it?

If you have woodworking tools or know a woodworker who can help you, use a fine tooth handsaw to trim off the excess plug to within 1/8″ of the handrail. Then use a sharp chisel or utility knife to round over the top of the plug almost flush to the handrail. Use two or three grits of sandpaper starting with the coarsest to sand the plugs smooth before finishing. Teak is very hard so use very sharp tools for the best results. It will also take more sanding than you might expect. But that’s why it’s used on boats, because it’s so durable (and beautiful)!

A Forstner bit is what I use to drill out the plugs. I also use a plug cutter to make my own plugs from some scrap teak I have around. Put a little glue in the hole, tap in the plug, then cut flush with a flush cut hand saw and sand to any curve. You will have to touch up the finish in those areas, but it is actually fairly easy to do.

That’s the right way to do it, Chris, IF you need to get a tool on the screw heads or replace the screws.

Many owners think that they have to do that just to take the handrails on or off for refinishing. In my experience, they come off just fine by removing the nuts from the underside without drilling. That is, so long as the heads are still glued solidly under the original plugs and don’t spin when you try to remove the nuts.

Thanks for your comment! $tingy

Hi, I leave my Catalina 22 out in the elements about six or seven months out of the year. It seems that some people suggest not varnishing wood in that case. I would like to varnish as you have. Do you have a prediction as to whether it will hold up and look nice for years to come? Maybe that’s asking the impossible. 🙂

Going unfinished is the lowest maintenance option but that means your brightwork becomes dullwork and not everybody appreciates it, especially for such beautiful and rare wood as teak. If you finish your teak like I describe in this post, it will last a long time if you maintain it. The varnish has built-in UV inhibitors but you should repair all deep nicks and scratches as soon as possible before moisture gets under the surrounding finish and causes it to blister or peel. When the finish gets worn enough, a fresh topcoat applied with the parts still on the boat may be needed to restore it to like new again. Even with that, you will need to refinish it all again eventually if you keep the boat that long.

Thanks for your question, $tingy

Wonderful! Thanks for giving me a sense of courage to take it on. I’m looking forward to making it look pretty (and keeping it that way with the varnish!) It is amazing how quickly the nice look faded last time I did the teak… looking forward to seeing the beauty last!

Hi, I had been in the coatings industry for decades. I would suggest tenting and adding heat to reduce your stated weeks for individual coats on the wood. While I now live in Florida, we lived in cold country for 20 years where climate control was just part of the job doing coating projects. Makes life more FUN.

Thanks for your great articles. We are newbies with a 1979 Catalina 27 as our boot camp boat. You might want to look at Belzona videos on YouTube. I am retired from sales but willing to help with projects.

Best regards, Jim in Satellite Beach.

Hi there – I really enjoy your website – it is terrific. I looked at your post about bedding down with butyl (sounds like a terrible movie) and I understand the concept when it applies screws and bolts. But with something like the companionway hatch rail do you put a string of butyl tape under the entire length of the rail? Or do you just put small “cheerios” around each of the screws? Thanks kindly for your help, Jon in Nova Scotia

Great question. For the hatch rails and trim, in addition to donuts around the fasteners, I do apply a string of butyl near the edges all around the underside of the pieces to seal them as well. Otherwise, water can get trapped under the wood and work its way under the finish. From there, it can spread and loosen the finish all over the parts. The same can happen from dings and scratches in the exposed finish so it’s a good idea to touch up the finish when you can. Sealing the edges also keeps out dirt and bio matter that can breed mildew and moss.

Hope you’re enjoying a great spring season up there in Nova Scotia and you’re getting out on the water soon if not already! $tingy

I do not see how you were able to get all of your supplies for under $60. Did you steal the Epiphanes =^? 2 qts is +$70. Other than that, this is a pretty good tutorial on how to finish exterior woodwork. I picked up a copy of “Brightwork: The Art of Finishing Wood” a while back.One of the tips she gives on dried out teak is once the wood is cleaned and bleached, wet sand with pure tung oil to create a sawdust paste that will fill in the grain and reinvigorate the oily properties of the teak.

For boats like a C-22, two quarts of varnish would last a lifetime. I used most of one 500 ML can for this project, which can be found for under $30. The oxalic acid crystals were only a few bucks and I already had some teak oil from the Refinish Your Interior Teak to Better Than New project. The hatch lock was the highest cost item but is optional. The rest of the supplies, I already had on hand as well: epoxy, sandpaper, tack cloths, etc. Mostly what you need for this project is plenty of time to do it well.

Good tip on making your own filler paste. Severely neglected teak can be pretty rough and sanding down to solid wood can remove too much material.

Thanks for your comments, $tingy

Your excellent teak story arrived today just a week late as I am just finishing off the job! Today I will applying the 4th coat of varnish on my teak tiller. It had been oiled (many times over) with olive oil and had gone dirty and sticky. Won’t do that again! While oiled teak is my favourite “look” I decided to use varnish this time. Three years on and the grab rails still look fine, so using the same stuff. I have long used oxalic acid as a cleaner/restorer and it came up trumps again with the true colour beaming through after several hard scrubbings and applications. A quick sand with 240 wet and dry. Beautiful colour, so did not oil. Indonesian teak, not Burmese. So far 3 coats of polyurethane marine varnish, and one more to come. Now here’s the thing: you recommend expo to build up the wear edges. But from my experience epoxy fairs very badly in UV. What protection for the epoxy to prevent it discolouring and eventually breaking down? I used epoxy (Bote Cote) on the deck teak blocks that secure the spinnaker pole and it lasted just a year before going opaque and staring to flake off. What epoxy do you use that is UV protected? Thanks for these newsletters – keep ’em coming!

I applied West System epoxy to the edges of my crib boards and have not noticed any UV degradation after 3 years. However, I do not leave my boat outside year round, the edges are not exposed to direct sunlight, they’re blocked by the companionway trim, and I also protect my companionway with this canvas cover when the boat is not in use.

Your environment must be quite different. What might work for you to get the best of both worlds is to apply a good UV protectant varnish over the epoxy instead of epoxy over varnish.

Any suggestions on removing the hatch rails on my 1979 Catalina 22? They seem to be “cemented” in place with very old sealant. I’m trying with a flexible putty knife and a hammer, but it is VERY slow going.

Patience. Sharpening your putty knife may help as might a hair dryer or other form of low heat to soften the sealant. When it comes time to reseal them, use butyl tape and it won’t be nearly as hard the next time.

Thanks! Patience was the key. I also found that putting a bit of mechanical stress for a while (even just leaving a putty knife wedged under the wood for a couple of hours) seemed to help loosen things up. Of course, maybe.the benefit was simply in me taking a break every once in awhile. In any event, I have now successfully removed all the external pieces and ready to start refinishing. Yes, I have a great big roll of butyl tape to use when I get to the re-installation.

I love your site. It has been great inspiration as I take on the refurbishing of our newly acquired 1979 Catalina 22.

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Hi Stingy, My question relates back again to the butyl tape. You suggest application at each joint and edges (for the hatch rails). My butyl tape is 2″ wide and rolled like a cinnamon roll. Do I leave it flat and trim strips? How wide should the strips be? Should I worry about leaks where I join pieces together? Can I apply this technique when resealing my cabin hatches/windows?

Lastly, how is the teak finish holding up on Summer Dance now that she has greater exposure to the elements?

Thanks for all your tips!

Hello, Becky

I assume you meant that your butyl tape is 2″ wide, not 2′ wide, so I edited your original question. Regardless, you don’t want to use it in it’s original width. For tips on how much to use and how to prepare it, see How To Bed Hardware With Butyl Tape . And yes, when you join two strips of butyl tape, knead the ends together to maintain a continuous seal.

Resealing portlites is a more involved process, for which I will be posting a separate article so stay tuned for it.

The brightwork on Summer Dance has held up well for over 5 years now. There are a few small dings from normal use but it won’t need refinishing anytime soon.

Thanks for your questions, $tingy

Re butyl tape: we can get butyl mastic in a caulking tube here (Australia). Makes it reasonably easy to apply, though a bit sticky when fresh. Any reason why this would not work as well as tape?

I can’t think of a reason why it wouldn’t work just as well provided that it cures a bit harder and doesn’t stay so soft that it acts as a lubricant between parts. It would seem to be a good option for use in winter when butyl tape could be harder to work with cold.

Thanks for your comment, $tingy

Thanks $Stingy Yes, it does stiffen up, in fact it goes off in the tube after opening a month or two and becomes stiff.

How are the two exterior trim pieces (holding the crib boards) fastened to the fiberglass? My C25 has original pieces with a couple of large cracks that I’d like to repair or replace. I wonder if they are held in place by sealant and the screws from the interior trim pieces but I can’t tell. Any help?

They are secured with a second set of screws (not the interior trim screws) on the inside of the bulkhead underneath the interior trim. So you get to refinish them all at the same time.

When reinstalling the refinished pieces of teak, do I need to also use sealant (like 4200 or 5200) around the screws if I’m using the Butyl tape you recommended?

Hello, Kate

I use little donuts of butyl tape around screws but you can use another sealant if you want. I don’t recommend using 5200, though. It cures very hard and can make the pieces impossible to remove again in the future.

Re butyl tape, install videos ie stanchions call for applying tape to screw, not turning but tightening nut instead. With handrails, hatch guides etc screws must be turned into the wood. How to best apply tape when reinstalling?

In that case, it’s true. Each situation has it’s own challenges. It’s not critical how you apply the sealant, just that it produces a watertight seal. For the parts you mentioned, I apply a thin (1/8″ or so) bead around the perimeter of the part and around the screw holes, then tighten the screws. I retighten a day or so later after the butyl has had a chance to spread to achieve maximum compression.

Would like to refinish mine, but the previous owner thought staining the teak would be good, they used a brush, they left it that way, they didn’t rub with a rag after. probably have to paint as I doubt sanding will remove stain 😒

Can you try sanding down to bare wood in an inconspicuous spot such as an underside?

Personally I against varnishing teak. I have always had great results with the Oleo stuff (sorry for brain fade can’t remember full name. If you varnish exterior teak it looks beautiful until it doesn’t then you have to strip it all off and start again. With the oil aight sand and an oily wipe over twice a year and it always looks good. If its too weathered a scrub with oxalic acid, then oil and it’s back to beautiful.

Love my sailboats

Removing varnish form old parts that were removed and bleached is something I do not want to do again. I am interested in only regularly cleaning and then oiling the teak. No more varnish finishes. Your thoughts?

I hear you, John. It’s a personal preference. There are a lot better ways to spend time than maintaining brightwork. Thankfully, there good products available to meet everyone’s choice.

What products might they be? I am currently trying oxalic acid diluted 4:1. My teak trim is 34 years old and I cannot get the dark streaks out.

By “dark streaks,” do you mean black mildew or natural wood grain? For mildew streaks, oxalic acid is your best bet but you might be diluting it too much. Are you buying it in liquid or crystal form? If liquid, what is the concentration in the bottle? I make mine from as much crystals as will dissolve in warm water, then applied full strength and given a few minutes to work before neutralizing. Even then, it can take multiple applications to achieve the results you’re looking for. It can also take sanding to get out deeply embedded mildew.

Thank you for your time spent here.

I had some reasonable results. I was being safety conscious with the 6:1 and agree I’ll get to 4:1 next cleanup. I’m considering refinishing the companionway panels and using a sealer, not varnish.

Can you recommend a sealer that will keep the product looking good longer than the handrails, companionway guide rail, and window eyebrows that I don’t mind keeping after in its current well-oiled format?

Safe Sailing

I don’t have any personal experience with it, but some folks like the look and ease of maintenance of Sikkens Cetol Marine Wood Finish.

It is preferable to use the two-part cleaner if you have neglected the teak wood for a long period.

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Advice refinishing teak and holly sole

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I want to refinish the teak and holy sole in my Sweden 38 and I would like some advice. Some of the varnish has lifted and the teak has discolored due to minor water damage. The sole is a ½” plywood veneer in good condition. I have removed all the boards from the boat. This is what I was thinking of doing: (1) Remove all varnish using a chemical stripper and plastic scraper. (2) Then use a teak brighter (any recommendations) to remove some of the dark water stains from the teak. (3) Sand the bare sole with an orbital sander (200-220 grit) and wipe down with mineral spirits. (4) Coat the sole (top, sides and bottom) with a coat of clear epoxy (should I thin this – use penetrating epoxy etc). (5) After removing the wax film (from to the epoxy) I then planned on putting 3-5 coats of polyurethane varnish on the surface and painting the underside (bilge side) of the veneer. Any comments, recommendations, warnings?  

Brightener: first a trial with diluted TSP (trisodiuim phosphate) to remove any oils, etc. Becareful as TSP will also dissolve some of the wood cells. Then a brightening with dilute oxalic acid. Apply the diluted oxalic in ''stages'' so that you dont get it too bright. Typically Oxalic will brighten too much so you may need to ''tint'' the wood back to the color you want with ''judicious'' use of diluted analine dyes/tints to gain hue/color - you typically have to mix up the ''tint'' yourself from dry powder dye. All this tuff is usually availabe in any ''old fashioned'' paint store - one that deals with the ''trade''. If you live in an eco-freak'' state (CA, NJ, NY, MA, MD, etc.) you probably wont find any. Personally, I''d forget the epoxy as if the wood absorbs excess mosture (vapor from the ambient atmosphere) the surface coating is more vulnerable to lifting. A ''hint'' so that you dont have to sand too much or too deeply into the thin veneer: Take a steam iron and a spray bottle of water and lightly go over the gouges and deep scratchs. Spritz the gouges then go over with a steam iron - dont burn the wood. The steam will ''swell'' the gouges and sometimes get them back to the flat level original surface. Then you wont have to sand so deeply into the veneer - and shorten its useful life. For sanding, an orbital is OK but if you get a good carbide tipped scraper the job will go faster especially when you use a chemical stripper - but if you ''slip'' with an ultra sharp scraper you can do some ''awful'' damage.  

Like Rich H says. You can ease (round off slightly /w a file) the corners on your scraper to help prevent those gouges.  

No arguments with any of the previous advice. Would like to suggest a "varnish" product that I bought for my sole at the Annapolis boat show and was VERY pleased with. Called Ultimate Sole and it goes on with a foam brush with NO between coat sanding. Dries to a hard hi gloss finish but is NOT slippery...indeed is less slippery than normal finishes even when wet. I think the website is www.ultimatesole.com...no personal interest...just a plug for a good product.  

camaraderie said: No arguments with any of the previous advice. Would like to suggest a "varnish" product that I bought for my sole at the Annapolis boat show and was VERY pleased with. Called Ultimate Sole and it goes on with a foam brush with NO between coat sanding. Dries to a hard hi gloss finish but is NOT slippery...indeed is less slippery than normal finishes even when wet. I think the website is www.ultimatesole.com...no personal interest...just a plug for a good product. Click to expand...

Definitely use the Varnish over Epoxy method or just epoxy alone since this won''t need UV protection. Don''t thin the epoxy - not necessary. Don''t sand finer than 80 grit to ensure good adhesion. Coat the bottom and edges as well as the upper surface to completely seal the wood from moisture. There are epoxies meant for clear coating that produce a lovely surface that is durable. For exterior wood, put varnish coats over the epoxy to protect from UV. The varnish protects the epoxy from the sun, the epoxy seals against water. Varnish is a poor sealer against water. This technique has been the best for me so far. Exterior wood can be given a light sanding and a new coat of varnish when needed. As long as you seal it well with epoxy, the water will never get under the coating and you''ll never need to sand to bare wood again. Go to www.westsystem.com for lots of advice on this subject. AJS  

The best way to remove interior varnish is with a heat gun and scraper. Although it is possible to char the wood, with careful use that is unlikely. Keep the heat on just long enough for the scraper to peel back the varnish. Keep a vacuum handy as the peeling are fine and will get into everything if you''re not careful.  

I did this also was a quick and easy job. Followed by a little light sanding. Then three coats of West System Epoxy and several coats of Fabulon which was used on Gym Floors. Worked well for me.  

Ultimate Sole I also heard recommendations about this product and thought I'd try it. After it dried, about 5 days, we placed non-slip throw rugs down on the high traffic areas. After a few months I noticed that the varnish picked up the pattern of the rug's rubberized backing and that a dark film was sticking to the floor. I decided to remove the varnish and had a heck of a time. The rubber from the mats imbedded into the varnish creating a wax paste that was very hard to remove. Did I do something wrong?  

My $.02 worth: 1) I have yet to find a chemical stripper that works satisfactorily. Now I use a heat gun and scraper - it is not hard to keep from scorching. But best is to avoid stripping altogether. 2) Removing the staining will be harder than you think. Teak cleaner is very difficult to control unless you use it on everything. Other techniques require lots of experience to get right. Water stains at least are honest and not out of place on a boat - do you really need to clean them? You might end up with a cleaned spot just as noticeable as the water stain. 3) You might be surprised how much sunlight gets below in a boat. I used interior varnish below and regret it. Lots of fading. 4) Double check the thickness of the veneer that is applied to the plywood. It is very easy to go through it with a power sander. 5) Do you really need the epoxy? How long did the original finish last? Would you be satisfied if the new one lasted that long? It would simplify the job a lot to just refinish (sand and recoat with varnish).  

GC: Is it wrong to assume you are speaking from experience? I like your idea, as I was faced with this job as well. Floor looks OK, but is faded and very slippery. A simple sanding and adding another coat or 2 or 3 of varnish would simlpify the whole thing greatly.  

Experience I have about 15 years experience with my current boat. That includes revarnishing everything below at least once. And lot of experience with teak cleaner on a previous boat. It is hard to get both good looking and non-slippery floor boards. My solution has been throw rugs with rubberized non-slip backing. I do recommend using exterior varnish even below decks on a boat. The cost savings of interior varnish are eaten up by having to do it again sooner because of the fading.  

experience...teak and holy sole I refinished my teak sole with polyurathane and was pleasantly surprised to find that it didn't get slippery when wet! If I had it to do over again I would use spar varnish to "build" the thickness faster and then finish off with polyurathane for a more abrasion resistant surface.  

See "Saving Your Sole" article at Dakota Marine Yacht Services in Milford, Ct  

Excellent article. Thanks for posting. Question - anyone using one of the clear vinyl, etc. 'sealers' prior to varnishing a sole. What Im looking for is a sealer that will prevent the varnish, etc. from initially darkening the sanded teak ... and which takes a year or more for the previous 'color/hue' to return. I use such vinyl 'sealers' on musical instruments, etc. prior to prime lacquer/varnish and am seeking a suitable 'sealer' for a major sole rework project on a solid teak/holly sole (not veneer). Any sealing product name successfully used with 'Burmese-Thai' teak would be greatly appreciated (as I dont want to wait 2-3 years for proper color/hue development).  

I'm also in the process of refinishing a teak and holy sole. I've had a surprisingly easy time with the heat gun and carbide scraper. About 950 degrees, working and area for a minute or less scraping has been easy work. Regarding the epoxy, is it necessary to epoxy the top? Like the OP my sole is plywood veneer. I planned to epoxy the sides and bottom but was afraid I'd just make a mess of the top (anyone whose seen my other epoxy work around the boat would know I'm not too skilled with the stuff yet). If it's sealed well on sides and bottom does the varnish offer at least some water protection?  

Unfortunately, no pics still on my phone- but here was my experience: Redid the cabin sole with 1/2" ply with 3/8" Brazillian Teak T&G flooring with 1/2" quartersawn maple epoxied (West System, middle cure- not fast, not slow cure). Epoxied quarter round Brazillian Teak for trim. Epoxied only the bottom to the ply, but added extra to the edges to ensure seal all round. Spar varnish in three coats to the top. Sailed her hard with my brother in law last season, mangaged to get a thruhull leak and a small crack in the centerboard trunk that overwhelmed my bilge pump and she sat "low in the water" with the entire thing SUBMERGED for at least a week and probably closer to two before I got her hauled out and a refit/repair underway. The only thing that DIDN'T need to be touched that was touched by the bilge/seawater was the cabinsole. Once I drained, rinsed and allowed to dry out, one piece of the maple trim that I hadn't properly coated with varnish near a hatch had to be cut and replaced, but otherwise looks as good as it did when I put it down.  

From the instructions for Pettit 2018 : "Do not use Clear Sealer on teak or other oily woods before varnishing or painting (use 2012 Super Dry Sealer)."  

Yep- I found the wrong can online. I used the predecessor to the 2012. Sorry for the confusion.  

We used chemical and minwax polyurethane. Don't use an orbital sander. A little by hand is all you need. There are tons of products out there for finishing, basketball/gym floor stuff is also reportedly very good. Our miniwax isn't slippery when wet, either. We minwaxed the edges, probably should have done the bottoms, too.  

I will be doing this job soon and will be experimenting with finishes to see what I like best. Poly has always served me well, I will def seal the edges and bottom with epoxy ANY water at all in my bilge and its all over the underside of the floor. My last Boat, a Columbia had the floors built in and the floor boards were in great shape with lots of bilge, I could wash the inside hull and bilges and just let the pump de-water, but on my CS I need to be extra careful to keep the bilge dry because its so flat. But then the PO drained the ice box to the bilge which would be OK (arguably) with lots of bilge area but pretty dumb on this boat. I am rerouting to better manage the water. The floor on the CS is so easy to remove its like they expected it to not hold up. Seems like a ramble but some boats have bilges that keep the floor wet from the under side and some don',t and I think this affects the need to finish the underside.  

I'll try your linseed oil trick, I have since done all my floors with satin Poly not the Marine grade but inside no problem. I like seeing these old posts pop up so i can see what I was doing 2 years ago.  

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How To Refinish Your Teak Decks

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Here I describe the process of extracting the old caulk, adding new caulk and refinishing the deck!

Please ‘Like’ or ‘Share’ above and join the discussion below in our comments section!! Also, please remember that there are extended ad-free versions of these video’s available for Patreon supporters! Please click below to find out more.

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Good Morning Andy,

That is a great tip with the fine line tape, I had to do my sailboat pilot house deck twice ( poor choice of caulking— silicone) and it was a bitch getting it off the bottom. Thanks for the tip, I will use it on the swim step on the Cruise a Home. I agree sanding the cured caulk is much faster than taping, and I don’t care how careful you are, that goo on the tape gets every were when you pull it.

Thanks Allen

Andy… Just became a Patreon! Question about refinishing my teak deck. Boat is 38 years old, I have a LOT of screws showing, and my teak appears thin. Thinking of extracting the screws — or drilling thru them — and plugging holes with bungs. I just don’t think there’s enough wood left to sink the screws deep enough for the bung to go above them. Any advice?

Hi, Thank you so much for all your time and craftsman ship, teaching and sharing your wisdoms.

I am replacing around a dozen teak planks on my Swan 431, Re- seeming and replacing old plugs in the TEAK Deck

1, How do I go about replacing the curved teak planks? (Do I need to steam, the planks ?).

2, I am in Sthrn California , Do you have any suggestions where I buy and what type /specs of Teak I should be buying for the replacement planks?

3, I am thinking about replacing the most outside plank with a slightly raised teak plank, and then varnishing it . Do you have any thoughts ?

I have been watching your video for a few years now, and your knowledge and craftsmanship have helped me so much.

Also, just wondering why you don’t use the Teak Decking systems “sausage” and the pneumatic gun?

I have been injecting CPES into each slot and let dry then add thin tape proir to fill. Do your think this is a good benefit to holding water out.?

That was beautifully done. Once the sanding was done, did you oil the deck or stain it?

Hi Andy: Are you selling your sanding tool to refinish teak decks? Thanks and great video.

How big a compressor do I need in terms of CFM to spray on All Craft?

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• Boat Maintenance

Maintenance of Interior Teak

Nevertheless, the simplicity of finishing teak, the economy of a single variety of wood in inventory, and the ready acceptance by boat buyers, are all attractive reasons why boatbuilders use the wood for interior decor.

With resistance to weathering as its primary virtue, however, teak makes less sense for use as trim below. Nevertheless, the simplicity of finishing teak , the economy of a single variety of wood in inventory, and the ready acceptance by boat buyers, are all attractive reasons why boatbuilders use the wood for interior decor .

Typically, only the most expensive boats have interior teak that is varnished, usually with a satin-finish varnish for a “hand-rubbed” effect. Such a finish should last for years if it is not abused or allowed to get wet. Maintenance can be no more than an occasional wipe with furniture oil or polish and another coat of varnish every decade or so.

Many boatowners wonder if it would be worthwhile to varnish the oiled teak trim in a typical production boat in order to take advantage of the easiermaintenance. From the standpoint of reduced maintenance, the answer is, “probably not.” At least three coats of varnish would be required (a Hinckley, for example, has six to eight). The time required to prepare the surfaces, and to sand and varnish the trim in a 30-foot production boat, could amount to a full winter’s work. In fact, it is quite likely that the total amount of work would be more than the amount of effort required to maintain the oiled teak trim over the lifetime of the boat.

On the other hand, from the standpoint of aesthetics, a varnished interior has much to recommend it. After all, such an interior may be the best way to upgrade your boat’s interior to resemble a Hinckley or a Swan. Of course, if the wood is anything but teak, the question is moot; oak, mahogany, butternut, birch, and ash must be protected with varnish, preferably with an epoxy sealer underneath.

The quality of the interior finish varies widely among boatbuilders. Some builders leave teak rough and bare, others (curse them) rough and oiled, and still others (to their credit) make a real effort to sand the wood smooth and oil it carefully. Despite the variation, however, almost any production boat with teak below can benefit from a reasonable amount of time and energy devoted to improving the look and feel of the wood.

Preparation The key to finishing joinerwork is to start with a smooth surface, and that, of course, means sanding. Even some of the better boatbuilders sometimes deliver boats with trim that is only as smooth-or as rough-as it comes out of the planer. Others may simply have a helper give the interior trim a swipe or two withapieceof sandpaper thedaybefore theboat is delivered. Well-finished joinerwork apparently costs more in labor than can be added to the price of some boats.

Fortunately, the boatowner can often take up where the builder left off with a minimum of difficulty. Before applying oil or varnish, sand the wood in the direction of the grain with the finest sandpaper that smooths it with a reasonable amount of effort; 120-or 150-grit should be about right. Oiled wood that is rough will take coarser paper and more work, since the oil both darkens and hardens the surface of the wood.

Avoid the use of power sanders, except possibly a high-speed palm sander, in order to prevent scars and swirl marks. Finish sanding should always be done by hand with 220-or even 240-grit paper for a first-class job. Again, be careful to sand in the direction of the grain and to get into tight corners.

At this point, your investment may be such that you actually consider a varnish finish (but sleep on the notion). Preparation of the wood is more than half the work of applying an oiled finish, but this preparation is only just the first step for a varnished interior.

Varnishing Interior Trim If you do decide to varnish, give the wood a final sanding with fresh 240-grit paper (or whatever is specified on the varnish can> for an extra measure of satisfaction and smoothness. Then, give the wood at least three coats of varnish; five is better, especially in high-traffic areas.

Belowdecks, there is no need to use a marine varnish with an ultraviolet inhibitor. We suggest a good-quality polyurethane varnish such as ZipGard. We have found that polyurethane varnishes are durable, economical, easy to apply, and fast drying. A second coat can often be applied in two to three hours.

Varnish with a high gloss shows every surface irregularity, tends to hide the grain of the wood, and sometimes reflects light in an objectionable manner. For these reasons, we prefer a semi-glossor satin-finish varnish which simulates a hand-rubbed surface. The traditional method for producing a hand-rubbed finish is to first rub down the final coat with powdered pumice applied with rubbing felt and water. This is followed by rubbing with rottenstone and linseed oil applied with a soft cotton cloth. Some of the modem rubbing compounds available at your local hardware store are considerably easier to use, however. We have used Duffy’s Elbow Grease with good results. This is a Vaseline-like grease which is used with 0000 bronze wool. (The instructions call for steel wool, but tiny bits of steel wool inevitably end up rusting in a marine environment.)

Whether using pumice and rottenstone or one of the newer greases, the object of hand-rubbing is to rub out all the dust sediment, brush strokes, rough spots, and hairs. Hand rubbing produces a beautiful finish, but it is a lot of work. Try it on a small piece like a sextant box before deciding to hand-rub the entire interior. Better yet, use a satin-finish varnish.

If you choose to varnish interior wood, we suggest that you avoid the use of waxes and furniture polishes on the finish. Modern polyurethane varnishes are so hard they do not need the additional protection of wax. Moreover, wax complicates any future recoating with varnish, in that all traces must be sanded or washed off in preparation for revarnishing. With a thick enough varnish finish, only a damp cloth should be needed for routine maintenance and cleaning.

Oiling Interior Trim If inclination and inertia tell you not to varnish but rather to finish the wood with an oil or dressing, choose a top-quality furniture oil. These are usually linseed oil- or tung oil-based, both of which seal the grain of the wood and harden the surface over time. One major difference between linseed oil and tung oil is that linseed oil tends to darken more than tung oil as it oxidizes; otherwise they share essentially the same virtuous characteristics. Incidentally, we would not use any of the teak dressings (including Deks Olje) intended for on-deck use. Most are high in penetrating solvents and low in oils and are not intended to produce a smooth surface on the wood.

Wipe on the oil liberally and rub it into the wood thoroughly. Use a polyfoam brush to apply the oil and a soft terrycloth pad to rub. A small amount of turpentine added to the oil (for the first coat only) should increase penetration. All traces of excess oil should be rubbed off; rub well into corners and crevices. Let the first coat dry for a day or two and follow up with subsequent coats. No excess oil should remain on the wood surface after the rubbing is completed; it will remain sticky, collect dirt, and may stain clothes and upholstery. After a day or so, if you find that the surface feels oily, give the whole surface a final hard rub with a clean piece of terrycloth dampened with turpentine.

Treatments for exterior teak are usually only available from marine outlets, but most neighborhood hardware stores carry a number of oils that are suitable for interior trim. We have used both Min-wax “hand-rubbed” effect oil and Watco Danish Teak Oil in the “original” finish on belowdecks teak, and have found them both to produce a pleasing and long-lasting finish. Both can also be used on interior mahogany trim if it is unvarnished. Lighter oils such as Scott’s Liquid Gold produce a nice finish and are easier to apply, but do not last nearly as long. These oils are better for an occasional sprucing up, rather than an original finish. A light coat of Liquid Gold, incidentally, does wonders for the appearance of bulkheads covered with the “wood-grain” plastic laminates such as Formica.

If you want an absolutely smooth finish, let the first few coats of oil harden for a few weeks, then apply another coat of oil and rerub. This time, however, use 600-grit wet-or-dry sandpaper or fine bronze wool rather than a terrycloth pad. Use the oil instead of water with the sandpaper as a “wetting agent” and continuously wipe away the residue with a clean cloth as you work.

Since wax will not adversely affect future coats of oil the way it would with varnish, you may want to apply wax or furniture polish to an oiled surface. A good quality carnauba paste wax such as Butcher’s Wax gives the surface a glowing patina that rivals a hand-rubbed varnish finish, and protects the wood from grease and dirt.

A Few Words About Other Woods Some of the most impressive-looking modem yacht interiors use light-colored woods such as ash, butter nut, spruce, and white oak for bulkheads and cabinetry. These woods pose problems that teak does not. Specifically, they are more liable to damage and discoloration from water. As a result, they must be well finished to prevent moisture from soaking into the wood.

Ash and oak are especially sensitive to water, almost instantly turning gray where they are exposed to a combination of air and water. This gray may be bleached out, but bleaching is a frustrating job and not likely to restore the wood to its original light yellow color. From the outset, even with a brand new boat finished in one of these woods, we would add a couple of coats of varnish wherever there is a chance that the wood may get wet. These areas include the area around the companionway, the deck hatches, the galley countertop, and berth risers close to the cabin sole. Also, plan to revarnish every couple of years or whenever there are signs of moisture penetrating into the wood.

Smooth, well-finished wood is easier to keep up than wood treated with low-effort finishes. An annual wipe-down with furniture polish should be enough, but watch for worn spots and water stains that may need some special attention.

Care of a Teak And Holly Cabin Sole The combination of teak “planks” and strips of holly has become a favorite of boatbuilders for cabin soles. The combination is handsome and looks “traditional,” even if its place in traditional boatbuilding is questionable.

Most teak and holly soles are just a thin veneer on a sheet of plywood. Left unprotected, the sole won’t last long, nor can it be easily restored. The thinness of the veneer and its location inside the cabin usually precludes the use of either a liquid teak cleaner or a power sander.

Unfortunately, there is no simple way to both assure protection for the wood, and to give a secure footing when the cabin sole is wet. Varnish suitable for protection does not have good nonskid characteristics.

Faced with this dilemma, we would use a satin-finish polyurethane floor varnish with just a small amount of nonskid grit (usually pumice or finely ground sand) added in areas such as the base of the companionway and outside the head, where wetness is apt to be a problem. And then don’t ignore the wear on the sole during annual maintenance; it may need an annual touching up with varnish.

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Teak cap rail refinishing

• Thread starter DArcy
• Start date Mar 13, 2021
• Forums for All Owners
• Cruising Sailors

• Sand, teak cleaner, brightener followed by oil every 3 months. Used it successfully on my ski boat transom teak deck. and very happy with that.
• Sand, 3 coats of natural Cetol (24 hours between coats) followed by 1 coat of Cetol gloss without sanding between coats every 2+ years. That is what I plan to do on 100 feet of teak rail on a powerboat.
• Sand, 7 coats of varnish with sanding between coats every 6+ years. Only did that once and it only lasted 2 years on my Hunter 31 and that was done by a contractor.
• Replace with stainless steel and clean/polish twice annually. I like the stainless steel rails on my Hunter 46

Refinishing Teak Handrails

Longest lasting treatment for teak cap rail - cruisers & sailing forums.

sail sfbay said: Replace with stainless steel and clean/polish twice annually. I like the stainless steel rails on my Hunter 46 Click to expand

Project_Mayhem

That sanded piece looks great! I'm not very experienced with refinishing teak but I do know that West Systems does not recommend using epoxy on wood exposed to UV or at least as the only layer. I'd call them for clarification. Total Boat Gleam that dlochner mentioned looks amazing when used correctly. The name speaks for itself!  

• Natural Teak
• Cetol Marine
• Cetol Marine Gloss

DArcy said: In the Cruiser Forum link above Awlwood gets high praise. Has anyone tried this varnish? I haven't found it locally but it is available in Canada. A bit more than Cetol or Epiphanes but not too expensive. My local shop has 4 different types of Cetol: Light Natural Teak Cetol Marine Cetol Marine Gloss Can I assume Natural Teak is the closest colour to natural teak and "Cetol Marine" is the original orange version? Click to expand

After 30 years, my choice for exterior teak was to seal it with epoxy then protect the epoxy with varnish. For epoxy, I use the 2:1 stuff and have had good luck with it - no disasters! Mix by weight, hardener first, 2.2:1. Xylol is a good thinner for a first coat, but use a metal can - not plastic. For varnish, the high price stuff is fine but I've also had good luck with the inexpensive spar varnish from MinWax and Varithane. If you haven't tried roller application, give it a try using the little foam rollers. I think you'll like it. Quick application gets rid of the 'wet edge' problem.  

dlochner said: from 5 feet it looks pretty good. Click to expand

Morgan donor

Teak refinishing is one of the reasons I sold my boat. Down bay from dlochner is a 70's tartan that has never had an ounce of varnish or sealer on it. Its teak is full thickness, no bungs popping. It is gray. The natural state of weathered teak. They never touch it. If I knew then, what I know now...  

Some have mentioned epoxy type finishes. My previous boat had that on the outside teak and it was almost impossible to maintain. When it gets hit the finish will often raise (does not look good!) and then becomes easily punctured. Repair of areas like that typically leave a different coloration due to being finished at different times. Further, it is EXCEEDINGLY difficult to remove!! I knew someone who did teak finishing professionally and he liked at least 3-4 coats of Cetol the best. If enough coats are used it closely resembles varnish; even without using the gloss Cetol.  

I have a different take on the mode of failure. In my upper midwest region, trim might see a temperature swing of close to 200 degF. The differences in coefficient of expansion between the wood and the finish is too great and it fails at the bond line. My best results have been from using a penetrating epoxy first (Smith's is one good brand). Apply a few coats until it no longer soaks in readily and before the last application cures, put the varnish, synthetic varnish, or your finish of choice on top. The penetrating epoxy goes deep and locks onto the wood and the varnish is chemically bonded to the epoxy. That combination better withstands the contraction and expansion in my experience. My marina mates strip, sand and reapply their Cetol every year or so and I would just clean, lightly abrade with purple Scotch-brite, and add another layer of finish.  

WaDoLuP said: I have a different take on the mode of failure. In my upper midwest region, trim might see a temperature swing of close to 200 degF. The differences in coefficient of expansion between the wood and the finish is too great and it fails at the bond line. My best results have been from using a penetrating epoxy first (Smith's is one good brand). Apply a few coats until it no longer soaks in readily and before the last application cures, put the varnish, synthetic varnish, or your finish of choice on top. The penetrating epoxy goes deep and locks onto the wood and the varnish is chemically bonded to the epoxy. That combination better withstands the contraction and expansion in my experience. My marina mates strip, sand and reapply their Cetol every year or so and I would just clean, lightly abrade with purple Scotch-brite, and add another layer of finish. Click to expand

PJL said: Some have mentioned epoxy type finishes. My previous boat had that on the outside teak and it was almost impossible to maintain. When it gets hit the finish will often raise (does not look good!) and then becomes easily punctured. Repair of areas like that typically leave a different coloration due to being finished at different times. Further, it is EXCEEDINGLY difficult to remove!! I knew someone who did teak finishing professionally and he liked at least 3-4 coats of Cetol the best. If enough coats are used it closely resembles varnish; even without using the gloss Cetol. Click to expand

dlochner said: Your theory about thermal expansion is mostly correct. Wood is not dimensionally stable when exposed to weather, as it expands and contracts with heat and humidity it can cause a coating to break the bond and fail. Once a small failure occurs moisture enters and accelerates the process because the moisture will cause pressure as it warms in the sun and tries to escape the wood. This will cause lifting and cracking of the finish. Spar varnishes are flexible and can expand and contract with the wood reducing the possibility of failure. However, eventually UV and weather takes its toll and the finish fails. A common point of failure is a sharp corner. The finish is thinnest at that point and subject to wear allowing it to fail. If you notice the cap rails on @D'Arcy's and @Tom Y's boats are rounded preventing this thin spot. Sometimes aesthetics are actually functional. Epoxy, even penetrating epoxy does not chemically bond with the wood. Epoxy is a good adhesive and it attaches to and saturates the pores in the wood. This saturating the wood effectively increases the surface area to which the epoxy can bond. There is nothing special about penetrating epoxy, plain old West System can penetrate the wood and seal it. "Penetrating Epoxies" are low viscosity, so are all the other epoxies when they are warm enough. West System at a very warm room temp ~75+° will saturate wood. Warming the wood prior to applying the epoxy will cause more epoxy to be absorbed into the wood grain. Warming reduces the moisture in the wood and reduces the air pressure. Once the epoxy is applied and the wood begins to cool it forms a low pressure vacuum and the epoxy flows deeper into the grain. Sort of like vacuum bagging. Once applied on brightwork, the epoxy must be protected by multiple coats of UV protection. If the varnish is worn UV will damage the epoxy and the varnish and the epoxy will fail. Your marina mates are working too hard. If applied correctly with a sufficient number of initial coats, all Cetol needs is a quick cleaning and light sanding before applying another quick coat. Do a little work each year or a lot of work every few years, either way it adds up to about the same. Click to expand

Wood Finish Gloss - Epifanes NA Inc.

DArcy said: I was going for the hundred foot yacht look... Looks good from a hundred feet Click to expand

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Elektrostal

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