Teak Guard

[rtbates]

Anybody using Teak Guard? This past weekend I got the first two coats on the toe/rubrail and it really looks promising. Nice honey color. The biggest effort was expended in getting the teak clean and the teak's oil removed using Teak Guard's cleaner. That effort took 5 hours Sat. But it's the most important part. The first two coats are then allowed to polymerize and bond with the wood fibers!! sounds good, but only time will tell as with all teak treatments. They all look good at first. It's how they stand up and the effort needed to re coat. One good thing about applying the stuff was that no taping was required. I just followed with a wet rag and wiped up the deck as I went. It's water soluable.

I've gone from Cetol (turns black after repeated recoating over the years). Removing it was a major pain. I then used Teaqua. It just didn't last very long and if too much is applied it will turn black. At least it was fairly easy to remove using a cleaner/degreaser and wet dry 50 grit sanding pad.

If Teak Guard proves to be a bust it'll be brown rustoleum paint!!

[John Laton]

Lots of comments in the archives if you search Teakguard or teak guard (mine is one of them). Found it a good alternative to teak oil as it lasted longer and looked cleaner for the same amount of work. You are right about the nice honey hue it gives the teak and I received a lot of compliments on the look.

That was my old CD25.. Now the 25D I have may require an upgrade to 6 coats of varnish !

Fair winds !

John
Paradox
CD25D #55
Milford, CT

[rtbates]

Lots of comments in the archives if you search Teakguard or teak guard (mine is one of them). Found it a good alternative to teak oil as it lasted longer and looked cleaner for the same amount of work. You are right about the nice honey hue it gives the teak and I received a lot of compliments on the look.

That was my old CD25.. Now the 25D I have may require an upgrade to 6 coats of varnish !

Fair winds !

John
Paradox
CD25D #55
Milford, CT

Varnish? don't have enough work, do ya? haha

I just may varnish my hatchboards, but only becasue I keep a sunbrella cover over the hatch way and boards when not aboard. After all the effort to remove Cetol I swore to never use a hard coating ever agian. Well, maybe the handrails, IF I make a sunbrella cover FIRST... I much prefer sailing to teak maintenance

I have only the first two coats on the rub/toe rails and am looking forward to getting more on.

[Markst95]

I'm trying the natural teak cetol, anyone have any experience with it? From my research it seems to be a newer product.

[Bill Starck]

I have been using Teak Guard for the past few years, it holds up very well and looks nice. I put on 5 or 6 coats at first then 2 or 3 coats every season.

Bill Starck
CD 36
RyAL

[rtbates]

I have been using Teak Guard for the past few years, it holds up very well and looks nice. I put on 5 or 6 coats at first then 2 or 3 coats every season.

Bill Starck
CD 36
RyAL

thanks Bill. as easy as it was to apply the first two coats I may have a hard time stopping @ only 6 coats! As I remember the instructions say to apply coats in pairs and wait 24 hours.
I plan to finish the toe/rub rail completely (all coats) before tackling the rest of the teak. I used 8 oz of material just doing the first two coats on the rub/toerail, the wood was so porous. Sucked it up like a sponge, both coats. I assume the next coats will use less material. I also used the entire 8oz bottle of Super Cleaner on the rub/toerail. That surprised me. I now have another 16 oz of Super Cleaner and 16 oz Teak Guard coming. Hopefully enough to get me through the rest of the teak.
It's times like these that I'm glad Seraph is only 25 feet!!!

[ronkberg]

Randy, I Googled teak guard and found:

1. http://www.teak-guard.com/
2. http://www.teakguard.com/index.html

I have stripped Cetol from all of my teak as I do not prefer a glossy finish and have applied Teaqua. I agree with your comment about Teaqua fading too soon, but I like the finish and with some light sanding, I can re-apply another coat fairly quickly. I apply before spring launch and live with the effect for the full Maine summer....not long enough! I like the water soluble products which are much easier to apply w/o need for taping.

We are in agreement with our desire to sail rather than address teak maintenance.

Ron

[rtbates]

Randy, I Googled teak guard and found:

1. http://www.teak-guard.com/
2. http://www.teakguard.com/index.html

I have stripped Cetol from all of my teak as I do not prefer a glossy finish and have applied Teaqua. I agree with your comment about Teaqua fading too soon, but I like the finish and with some light sanding, I can re-apply another coat fairly quickly. I apply before spring launch and live with the effect for the full Maine summer....not long enough! I like the water soluble products which are much easier to apply w/o need for taping.

We are in agreement with our desire to sail rather than address teak maintenance.

Ron

Hi Ron:

The latter, ie http://www.teakguard.com/index.html

Funny thing, in all my searches I never found the former site?

I still have a qt and 1/2 of Teaqua that I'll be continuing to use on my patio furniture. It's not bad, really. what I found dis-couraging, besides the longivity issue, was it's propensity to develop black stains in the grain area.

I also find that Teakguards honey color more appealing than Teaqua's brownish hue. BUt, and this is a big but, I've just begun and only have the first two coats on. Two more planned for Sat. Time is the real test of any teak product.

[aja]

Randy,

We used Teak-Guard for 3 years and we did like it. But, I think you are only supposed to put on 2 coats. The first year we put 3 and the results were a very sparkly-glittery, almost painted on finish and chipping. I called tech support and they recommended only 2 coats. That worked much better in the following years.

That was 2-3 years ago and I don't know if they have changed the formula or their recommendations - but I would certainly check with them before you go to the trouble of putting on more coats.

We replaced all toe/rub rails 2 years ago and the coamings/handrails, etc last year. We have since switched to Teaqua. We hand rub it on and I like the more natural oil finish, but I do agree it is dark and does fade and wear more than TeakGuard. We got more teak compliments with the Teakguard - but I felt it was a little too orangy - especially with extra coats. If only we could combine the 2.

I just wish there was a way my exterior teak could look like the smooth, satin, natural oil finish of my dining room table...

Diana

[mgphl52]

I just wish there was a way my exterior teak could look like the smooth, satin, natural oil finish of my dining room table...

Diana

Diana, I'm afraid there is a way... but who wants to keep their Cape Dory in a dining room year round?

-michael

[rtbates]

Randy,

We used Teak-Guard for 3 years and we did like it. But, I think you are only supposed to put on 2 coats. The first year we put 3 and the results were a very sparkly-glittery, almost painted on finish and chipping. I called tech support and they recommended only 2 coats. That worked much better in the following years.

That was 2-3 years ago and I don't know if they have changed the formula or their recommendations - but I would certainly check with them before you go to the trouble of putting on more coats.

We replaced all toe/rub rails 2 years ago and the coamings/handrails, etc last year. We have since switched to Teaqua. We hand rub it on and I like the more natural oil finish, but I do agree it is dark and does fade and wear more than TeakGuard. We got more teak compliments with the Teakguard - but I felt it was a little too orangy - especially with extra coats. If only we could combine the 2.

I just wish there was a way my exterior teak could look like the smooth, satin, natural oil finish of my dining room table...

Diana

Hi Diana:
According to Teakguard's instruction booklet if you have Teakguard chipping you most likely didn't get enough of the teak's natural oil removed prior to application.

Not to worry I've read their instructions so many times I could teach a class! I bet you're thinking of Teaqua using ONLY two coats. When I used Teaqua I did make the mistake of thinking that if they say two coats is good four must be twice as good. The last two just gather dirt and turn the finish black.

I guess they've changed their instructions. Now they say ,"We recommend that no less than 3 coats of Teakguard be applied to raw teak. Traffic areas should be coated 4 to 6 times to extend the life of the finish. Seats, hand rails and brightwork tables, chairs and other furniture should be given 3 to 8 coats based on the color and finish you are trying to achieve".

I wouldn't mind if the toe/rub rails took on a furniture grade look!

thanks for your comments

[aja]

Randy,

6-8 coats... if that is the case then they have definitely changed their directions, and maybe they have changed their formula too. Let me know if you get a "glittery" look or not. Maybe we'll switch back...

Diana

[rtbates]

Randy,

6-8 coats... if that is the case then they have definitely changed their directions, and maybe they have changed their formula too. Let me know if you get a "glittery" look or not. Maybe we'll switch back...

Diana

will do.

[Sea Hunt]

I am looking at TeakGuard for a couple of reasons, including needing (wanting) to do the toe and rub rails on S/V Tadpole.

Initially, I had sort of decided on Cetol Marine Natural Teak and Cetol Clear Gloss, but after doing some research on this board I am thinking about TeakGuard.

Any updates from "users" of TeakGuard, especially those living in Florida or the Southeast where the sun is brutal 10 months a year

[rtbates]

I am looking at TeakGuard for a couple of reasons, including needing (wanting) to do the toe and rub rails on S/V Tadpole.

Initially, I had sort of decided on Cetol Marine Natural Teak and Cetol Clear Gloss, but after doing some research on this board I am thinking about TeakGuard.

Any updates from "users" of TeakGuard, especially those living in Florida or the Southeast where the sun is brutal 10 months a year

Shot me a pm with your email and I'll send you photos of Seraph's teakgaurd that is 6 months old. As it ages it is getting more golden colored.