Folks,
I haven't even put it on yet..., and I'm already asking about stripping it! Here's the reason: I want to finish my teak with something that will last but which won't be too difficult to remove when that day finally comes. My boat will be painted with Perfection. I've decided that I shouldn't use one of the tempting two-part catalyzed finishes on my teak because anything strong enough to remove such a finish would probably also remove my paint! Today I received a response from Tom Fabula of Honey Teak fame. He pretty much confirmed my suspicion when he wrote that it can (must) be sanded off....
Now to the point: Will the ordinary gel-type eco-friendly paint/varnish removers easily remove Cetol without destroying good sturdy two-part paint? I think the answer is probably yes, but some actual real-world experience would be helpful here.
The remover I mentioned easily removed the finish that was on my teak when I bought the boat. I believe the finish was probably about three coats of Cetol Light, but I can't be sure. It was satin, not too thick, and had some color..... A lot of it was in pretty good shape.
Stripping Cetol
Moderator: Jim Walsh
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Troy Scott
- Posts: 1470
- Joined: Jan 21st, '06, 01:23
- Location: Cape Dory 36 IMAGINE Laurel, Mississippi
Stripping Cetol
Regards,
Troy Scott
Troy Scott
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Kurt
- Posts: 188
- Joined: Feb 8th, '05, 11:12
- Location: 27' Cape Dory (Alerion),
9' Dyer,
Grosse Pointe, Michigan
One method to remove Cetol
I watched a fellow remove built up Cetol from his Westsail 32 by using a heat gun and various shaped scraping tools. He's a very knowledgable woodworker and seems to know what he's doing.
Aquastrip
I used Aquastrip to remove about 8 layers of cetol as well as the painted name on Seraph's stern. Great stuff, but expensive @ almost $50 per gallon. I used almost 2 gallons on Seraph, our 25D.
Beats the heck out of the heatgun and scrapper routine. You apply it and wait and wait and wait, up to four hours for it to work. If need be it can be left on for days before you wash it and the cetol off with water.
Beats the heck out of the heatgun and scrapper routine. You apply it and wait and wait and wait, up to four hours for it to work. If need be it can be left on for days before you wash it and the cetol off with water.
Randy 25D Seraph #161
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Troy Scott
- Posts: 1470
- Joined: Jan 21st, '06, 01:23
- Location: Cape Dory 36 IMAGINE Laurel, Mississippi
When I bought my boat the teak was done with Armada, which is very similar to Cetol, in fact the company was started by some chemists who left Sikkens and started Armada.
The Armada would come off with both the heat gun method as well as chemical stripper method. Of course chemical stripper would destroy your paint as well. But note that even with a heat gun your going to have to be extreamly careful as it can destroy paint as well. With a painted boat no matter what finish you use, stripping is going to take much more care and time. Armada(and cetol I suspect as well) though definately does not strip as easily as varnish, which one would suspect since it lasts longer and adheres better.
The Armada would come off with both the heat gun method as well as chemical stripper method. Of course chemical stripper would destroy your paint as well. But note that even with a heat gun your going to have to be extreamly careful as it can destroy paint as well. With a painted boat no matter what finish you use, stripping is going to take much more care and time. Armada(and cetol I suspect as well) though definately does not strip as easily as varnish, which one would suspect since it lasts longer and adheres better.
Russell
s/v (yet to be named) Tayana 42CC
s/v Lady Pauline Cape Dory 36 #117 (for sale)
s/v (yet to be named) Tayana 42CC
s/v Lady Pauline Cape Dory 36 #117 (for sale)
Re: Cetol and Paint
It's gel coat, AND YES, Aquastrip will remove paint!! That's what it does.Troy Scott wrote:Randy,
Is your 25D painted, or still gelcoat?
Randy 25D Seraph #161
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Troy Scott
- Posts: 1470
- Joined: Jan 21st, '06, 01:23
- Location: Cape Dory 36 IMAGINE Laurel, Mississippi
PAINT..., or PAINT
Randy, (and all)
I have no doubt that Aqua Strip will remove single part paint like, for example Brightsides. I was hoping somebody would tell me it doesn't bother a good two-part (catalyzed, hard) paint like Perfection or Awlgrip.
I have no doubt that Aqua Strip will remove single part paint like, for example Brightsides. I was hoping somebody would tell me it doesn't bother a good two-part (catalyzed, hard) paint like Perfection or Awlgrip.
Regards,
Troy Scott
Troy Scott
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John Danicic
- Posts: 594
- Joined: Feb 5th, '05, 10:30
- Location: CD 36 - Mariah - #124 Lake Superior
- Contact:
Troy:
A heat gun and a hand scraper work great on Cetol. Don't hold the heat gun too long in any one spot or it will darken (burn) the wood. A light sanding afterward and you are good to apply it again. I did all my teak that way. I never have liked chemical strippers. They leave wet, messy globs that get on to every thing and cost money. With a heat gun, the Cetol flakes off, is dry and easy to vacuum or sweep up.
Sail on.
John Danicic
CD 36 - Mariah - #124
Lake Superior
A heat gun and a hand scraper work great on Cetol. Don't hold the heat gun too long in any one spot or it will darken (burn) the wood. A light sanding afterward and you are good to apply it again. I did all my teak that way. I never have liked chemical strippers. They leave wet, messy globs that get on to every thing and cost money. With a heat gun, the Cetol flakes off, is dry and easy to vacuum or sweep up.
Sail on.
John Danicic
CD 36 - Mariah - #124
Lake Superior
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Troy Scott
- Posts: 1470
- Joined: Jan 21st, '06, 01:23
- Location: Cape Dory 36 IMAGINE Laurel, Mississippi
stripper
John,
Thanks! I've been using a heat gun to remove the paint from my cabin ceiling. I did use stripper as part of my recent clean-up effort, but I was removing everything. All the old teak finish, all the stripes and the bottom paint. I used another stripper made specifically for silicone to remove all the old portlight sealant. And yet another stripper to remove all the remnants of polysulfide where other deck fittings had been. All these chemicals worked well, and I wasn't too concerned about any of them ruining something else because everything is being renewed. HOWEVER, in future I will have to be a lot more careful. That's why I'm so concerned about what the options will be when I have to maintain the various finishes and sealants I'm choosing now. I don't want to make future maintenance unnecessarily more difficult because I didn't do my homework. And I do tend to over-think and over-research....
Thanks! I've been using a heat gun to remove the paint from my cabin ceiling. I did use stripper as part of my recent clean-up effort, but I was removing everything. All the old teak finish, all the stripes and the bottom paint. I used another stripper made specifically for silicone to remove all the old portlight sealant. And yet another stripper to remove all the remnants of polysulfide where other deck fittings had been. All these chemicals worked well, and I wasn't too concerned about any of them ruining something else because everything is being renewed. HOWEVER, in future I will have to be a lot more careful. That's why I'm so concerned about what the options will be when I have to maintain the various finishes and sealants I'm choosing now. I don't want to make future maintenance unnecessarily more difficult because I didn't do my homework. And I do tend to over-think and over-research....
Regards,
Troy Scott
Troy Scott
OK, John
"Vacuum or sweep" sounds sooo much better than scraping off gloppy stripper. You've made a convert here, and I'm checking out my heat gun possibilities. . .John Danicic wrote:Troy:
A heat gun and a hand scraper work great on Cetol. Don't hold the heat gun too long in any one spot or it will darken (burn) the wood. A light sanding afterward and you are good to apply it again. I did all my teak that way. I never have liked chemical strippers. They leave wet, messy globs that get on to every thing and cost money. With a heat gun, the Cetol flakes off, is dry and easy to vacuum or sweep up.
Sail on.
John Danicic
CD 36 - Mariah - #124
Lake Superior
To unpathed waters, undreamed shores.
The Winter’s Tale. Act iv. Sc. 4.
The Winter’s Tale. Act iv. Sc. 4.
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John Danicic
- Posts: 594
- Joined: Feb 5th, '05, 10:30
- Location: CD 36 - Mariah - #124 Lake Superior
- Contact:
keep on thinking
Troy:
Nothing wrong with over thinking, it's under thinking that gets us into trouble.
But speaking of thinking. Several boat owners at my marina have used a product called "Honey Teak" by Signature Finish.
http://www.signaturefinish.com/index.php?topic=About
Being the cautious, practical traditionalist, I am keeping an eye on how long this fairly expensive finish will last while dutifully coating my own teak with Cetol yearly. This Honey Teak finish looks like a clear varnish though is supposed to last longer. A Bristol Channel cutter in our marina had her extensive teak work professionally done three seasons ago and it still looks clear and seems to be holding on tight. I will keep my eye on her for another year or so as well as two other boats who switched from Cetol or varnish to this stuff but you might want to check around for users in your area and see how it works for them. Yeah I know, Cetol is not traditional but it works fine if you maintain it; it is easy to scrape off if you don't and reapply and though it looks a bit cheesy compared with Varnish or this Honey Teak stuff, it is cheep and can be applied in conditions that would curl varnish like those found on the shores of Lake Superior in the Spring. Practical? You bet. Just keep on thinking things through and...
Sail on.
John Danicic
CD 36 - Mariah - #124
Lake Superior
Nothing wrong with over thinking, it's under thinking that gets us into trouble.
But speaking of thinking. Several boat owners at my marina have used a product called "Honey Teak" by Signature Finish.
http://www.signaturefinish.com/index.php?topic=About
Being the cautious, practical traditionalist, I am keeping an eye on how long this fairly expensive finish will last while dutifully coating my own teak with Cetol yearly. This Honey Teak finish looks like a clear varnish though is supposed to last longer. A Bristol Channel cutter in our marina had her extensive teak work professionally done three seasons ago and it still looks clear and seems to be holding on tight. I will keep my eye on her for another year or so as well as two other boats who switched from Cetol or varnish to this stuff but you might want to check around for users in your area and see how it works for them. Yeah I know, Cetol is not traditional but it works fine if you maintain it; it is easy to scrape off if you don't and reapply and though it looks a bit cheesy compared with Varnish or this Honey Teak stuff, it is cheep and can be applied in conditions that would curl varnish like those found on the shores of Lake Superior in the Spring. Practical? You bet. Just keep on thinking things through and...
Sail on.
John Danicic
CD 36 - Mariah - #124
Lake Superior