Cleaning interior teak slats

[csoule13]

The interior teak slats on S/v Gabrielle all look something like the attached photo. What better way to spend the offseason than taking these off the boat and getting them good and spiffy.

Any suggestions, both on removing the stains, and a finish other than varnish? Or just leave it bare? There appears to be no finish at all on these.

Thanks,
Chris

[Dave and Kathy]

We did this job on Grayce Avery our CD 28. My first advice is to number them on the back as you take them out. I used a code to denote port or starboard, an arrow to show the forward direction and then numbered them where "1" was the top one and so on. Each one is unique to a location.

I sanded each one to clean them up, stained with MinWax Golden Oak, and finished with Cetol clear. There were a couple with dark water stains. I used a bleach on the stains, but the results were less than perfect. (It removed some of the stain but not all.)

[John Stone]

We did this job on Grayce Avery our CD 28. My first advice is to number them on the back as you take them out. I used a code to denote port or starboard, an arrow to show the forward direction and then numbered them where "1" was the top one and so on. Each one is unique to a location.

I use exactly the same numbering system.

Number them as you remove them just as David and Kathy described. Take them home. Clean them with TeKa two part cleaner. Let them dry for a day and lightly sand them with 220. They will look brand new.

And why the avesion to varnish? Nothing looks as good as gloss varnish. Ceiling strips are easy to sand and very easy to varnish. Six or seven coats and they will be stunning — yes you must sand between every coat and yes you must wait 24 hours between applying a new coat. But, because they are on the interior they will last a long long time before they need to be varnished again. More than a decade at least.

Below is a picture of one of the pilot berths on the Far Reach. That’s high gloss varnish on the mahogany staving and ash ceiling. That bright spot reflecting off the wood is not an interior light but the sun coming through a portlight. Done correctly, high gloss varnish acts like a mirror in your boat. It makes the interior brighter and seem larger and more open.

At least consider it....

[csoule13]

And why the avesion to varnish?

The Admiral has an unpleasant reaction to the smell of things, including by certainly not limited to varnish. Getting her to spend anytime on the boat at the moment is a challenge, and this would basically be hanging a "No Wives Allowed" sign on the transom. And, yes, I'm aware different products = different chemical make up, and I'm here to say that after 12 years of marriage, there are just certain things I take as givens. She loves the boat. From a distance.

And, yes, the numbering system is a given, hence why a single board came home for this exercise. My old man was ready to just stack a pile of them and go. It highlighted why we have our own boats.

Anyway, these are fairly thin strips, the TeKa isn't going to be overkill? Then again, this is likely a once in a lifetime treatment.

Thanks everyone.

[bottomscraper]

Since this is for the interior you might want to consider one of the water based urethane finishes. They have been used very successfully for floors for at least 15 years, maybe 20. Most are water clear. The water based finishes usually dry very fast, have relatively low odor and minimal time between coats.

BTW I believe those slats are ash not teak. On a boat they would be called the "ceiling" (yes strange I know) and the thing we would call the ceiling at home is the "overhead".

[John Stone]

You can’t sand stain out of wood...not without removing a lot of wood...and it would look like that is what you did. So, the other option is to bleach the wood. The best way to bleach wood is to use a two part cleaner like Te-Ka. It contain the acid and the neutralizer—two parts. Do not bleach without using a neutralizer. Don’t listen to people that say they don’t neutralize bleach or they just use water. You can neutralize with vinegar. I have used that technique and it works OK. But the best way is to use a product made for it. Te-ka will say on the container it’s for teak only. But it works just as well on ash. Have done it many times. Please reference “Brightwork: The art of Finishing Wood” by Rebecca J. Wittman. Anyone that lifts a paintbrush on their boat should have this book on their shelf. Mine is dog-eared.

“I love the smell of varnish in the morning...I remember one time we had a varnish party...over the whole boat...lasted 12 hours....” Oh, never mind.

[Steve Laume]

I am pretty sure those strips are ash.

You have good advise so far. The one thing I would add, is that you should toss out all the original fasteners. Those little, #4, slotted screws are hell to deal with. Get yourself a box of Philips heads and the reassembly will go much easier.

What I also did was to put foil faced, bubble wrap, behind the strips. I did this first in the V berth area and the foil showed between the seems. No too bad but noticeable. When I did the main saloon, I put a layer of black landscape fabric over the foil and it doesn't show at all. Any extra insulation you can add can aid in keeping the boat pleasant whether it is hot or cold outside, Steve.

[John #126]

I'm working on the same project this fall/winter on my CD25D. I'm using Epifanes interior satin/rubbed finish.
Three coats of thinned regular Epifanes as a base, two coats of the satin, and it looks great.
Although I addressed the source of the leaks that stained the ash strips, now I know that they are protected from further staining.
I'll post photos of the finished project.
John

[Brimag]

Good suggestions about bleaching, I prefer Satin or Rubbed Effect varnish, very forgiving with regards to any dust or imperfections.

[Paul D.]

I agree with the Whittman book as a great reference and the use of a teak cleaning two part cleaner/oxidizer for stains, drying and then finishing. Sorry John, I just cannot love prodigious gloss down below. To me the interior of a Cape Dory or even a Morris or Hallberg Rassy for that matter look best with a satin varnish, particularly Interlux Goldspar Satin or an Epiphanes Matte because I've used those on Canoes and interior woodwork with lovely and durable results. But use whatever you're familiar with.

Having said that, Femme has an oiled interior which looked a bit tired when we got her but looks very good now. I use Don Casey's advice and oil it all up, teak trim and ash ceilings, with Lemon Oil (No silicones in the mixture). I pick a warm day, crank some tunes when everyone has rowed ashore and wipe down all the woodwork with it. If you don't have the time or energy to varnish in a complete refit, this is a great option. Doing this every season or two keeps it looking good and mildew resistant as long as you are not having water issues. I think I've gone three seasons once without oiling and it was still in good shape. Good luck.

[John Stone]

Sorry John, I just cannot love prodigious gloss down below. To me the interior of a Cape Dory or even a Morris or Hallberg Rassy for that matter look best with a satin varnish....

Paul, that’s just so wrong. Clearly you still need to further develop your sense of what is beautiful.

On a serious note, Kaj Jakobsen’s Falmouth 34 is magnificent and it was finished with Epifanes Rubbed Effect Varnish. Very beautiful. Just slightly less beautiful than high gloss.

[Jim Walsh]

Sorry John, I just cannot love prodigious gloss down below. To me the interior of a Cape Dory or even a Morris or Hallberg Rassy for that matter look best with a satin varnish....

Paul, that’s just so wrong. Clearly you still need to further develop your sense of what is beautiful.

On a serious note, Kaj Jakobsen’s Falmouth 34 is magnificent and it was finished with Epifanes Rubbed Effect Varnish. Very beautiful. Just slightly less beautiful than high gloss.

[Bill Goldsmith]

That’s high gloss varnish on the mahogany staving and ash ceiling. That bright spot reflecting off the wood is not an interior light but the sun coming through a portlight. Done correctly, high gloss varnish acts like a mirror in your boat. It makes the interior brighter and seem larger and more open..

John,

Loonsong has the (probably) acrylic carpeting glued to the inside hull of the quarter berth (ceiling), but has the lovely ash ceiling in the v-berth. I would love to do a project and make ash for the quarter berth as well. Do those installation screws go into a furring strip glued to the inside of the hull? I would think that would create a nice air barrier for insulation.

[Maine_Buzzard]

The white “miracle sponges” will do very well in taking off the black mildew and oxidation on bare interior teak. I was shocked at how well they addressed grime on the cabintop too.

Buy a big box at Costco and a 6 pack of Pacifico. Your day is set.

[John Stone]

That’s high gloss varnish on the mahogany staving and ash ceiling. That bright spot reflecting off the wood is not an interior light but the sun coming through a portlight. Done correctly, high gloss varnish acts like a mirror in your boat. It makes the interior brighter and seem larger and more open..

John,

Loonsong has the (probably) acrylic carpeting glued to the inside hull of the quarter berth (ceiling), but has the lovely ash ceiling in the v-berth. I would love to do a project and make ash for the quarter berth as well. Do those installation screws go into a furring strip glued to the inside of the hull? I would think that would create a nice air barrier for insulation.

Bill
I’ve done it several ways. The best way I think is to get some 1/4” BS 1088 ply and rip it into 2” wide strips. Figure out where you want the strips to go vertically and prepare the hull for epoxy. Then epoxy the first strip to the hull about 12” from each end of the berth and divide the rest up so they are about 16” apart. Then, after it cures glue the next two layers to the first one with thickened epoxy as well. You can secure them to the first strip with small self taping screws. When it’s cured, remove the fasteners and fill the holes with epoxy or wood plugs. Next, mill and rip the ash strips about 3/8” tho o and 1 /34” wide. Router the edges with a 3/8” radius bit on one side. Then install them starting at the top and working down. Follow the sheerline. After they are installed, remove them and number as you go. Then, apply varnish and reinstall.

I like to use bronze #8 slotted oval head wood screws. Other like SS.

Here is the link to how we approached ceiling on the Far Reach.

http://www.farreachvoyages.com/installi ... iling.html