After weeks of deliberation and studying the many threads I've made a decision on the finish for my exterior teak and compiled a process from the bits and pieces of info in the threads. Please comment! I start this weekend.
1. Strip old varnish from teak (I'm using a product called Ready-Strip which I'm told is the only biodegradable stripper that actually works)
2. Apply Star Bright Teak Cleaner
3. Apply Star Bright Teak Brightener with a scotchbright pad
4. Bleach with a soap/bleach product (ala DeMers) IF there is discoloration or uneven color (with a scotchbright pad)
5. 100 then 220 sand if teak is rough
6. Wipe clean with tack cloth
7. First Coat finish with Armada (same day as sanding)
8. Two more coats of Armada (or whatever it suggests on the can)
Thanks everyone...I know we don't need any more teak postings on this board but none of them put it all together into a definitive process.
jamespadams@yahoo.com
Complete Teak Process...COMMENTS PLEASE!!!
Moderator: Jim Walsh
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D. Stump, Hanalei
Re: Yep, you pretty much got it...
Jim,
What you list pretty much covers it. If you use the teak brightener, you may not need Larry DeMers' AJAX chemistry set. You will know when you sand it with 100 grit sandpaper. If it looks good, don't use the bleach, go for it.
I just did this to Hanalei, and she looks the best she ever has. You will like the Armada. Oh, get a good bristle brush to apply it, don't use cheap foam. Also, I got a combo drop cloth from the hardware store that was paper on one side and plastic on the other, this worked real well in controlling drips. Cut it up into strips about a foot wide.
Figure one coat per day, you have to wait 12 hours before applying subsequent coats.
Good times sanding...it is ALL in the preparation!!!
Dave Stump
Captain Commanding
s/v Hanalei
What you list pretty much covers it. If you use the teak brightener, you may not need Larry DeMers' AJAX chemistry set. You will know when you sand it with 100 grit sandpaper. If it looks good, don't use the bleach, go for it.
I just did this to Hanalei, and she looks the best she ever has. You will like the Armada. Oh, get a good bristle brush to apply it, don't use cheap foam. Also, I got a combo drop cloth from the hardware store that was paper on one side and plastic on the other, this worked real well in controlling drips. Cut it up into strips about a foot wide.
Figure one coat per day, you have to wait 12 hours before applying subsequent coats.
Good times sanding...it is ALL in the preparation!!!
Dave Stump
Captain Commanding
s/v Hanalei
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Jim Adams
How much Armada
How much Armada did it take to refinish Hanalei? I assume you did all exterior teak. Also, how many bristle brushes did you run through? I have a 30. Thanks again.
Jim Adams
s/v Lauren Leigh
CD30 Houston, Texas
jamespadams@yahoo.com
Jim Adams
s/v Lauren Leigh
CD30 Houston, Texas
jamespadams@yahoo.com
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D. Stump, Hanalei
Re: How much Armada...
Jim,
I purchased three quarts, that should be more than enough. I haven't finished yet, got 2 coats on coamings and bowsprit, one coat on everything else on Port side. Have to do toe rail, dorade box, hand rail and eyebrow on Starboard side this weekend. Still, I think three quarts will do it...Hanalei is a 30 too....
Dave Stump
Captain Commanding
s/v Hanalei
I purchased three quarts, that should be more than enough. I haven't finished yet, got 2 coats on coamings and bowsprit, one coat on everything else on Port side. Have to do toe rail, dorade box, hand rail and eyebrow on Starboard side this weekend. Still, I think three quarts will do it...Hanalei is a 30 too....
Dave Stump
Captain Commanding
s/v Hanalei
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Don Carr
Re: How much Armada...
Dave;
Although I am a CETOL fan ARMADA/CETOL are chemically very similar.
The amount used in inital preperation will be far greater than the maintainance quantities. I am willing to bet you will use most of the 3 quarts this year and that you will use less than a quart next year. In my mind that's one of the strong points of synthetic 'varnishes'. On my CD25 I used 1.5 quarts on the original 3 coats and being the third season have just finished the second quart. You can extrapolate from the CD25 to a 30.
carrd48@netzero.net
Although I am a CETOL fan ARMADA/CETOL are chemically very similar.
The amount used in inital preperation will be far greater than the maintainance quantities. I am willing to bet you will use most of the 3 quarts this year and that you will use less than a quart next year. In my mind that's one of the strong points of synthetic 'varnishes'. On my CD25 I used 1.5 quarts on the original 3 coats and being the third season have just finished the second quart. You can extrapolate from the CD25 to a 30.
carrd48@netzero.net
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Jim Adams
Re: Step 6.5..indeed
After purchasing the Armada (High Gloss) and reading instructions...it says to wipe with acetone prior to application. Purchased Acetone with the Armada along with various things to get the job done that ran into the millions of dollars!
jamespadams@yahoo.com
jamespadams@yahoo.com
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Chris Schnell
Re: Complete Teak Process...COMMENTS PLEASE!!!
Jim,
I just finished doing my toerail & rubrail while my 1982 CD30 Cutter is on the hill. A word of caution about the chemcial cleaners given to me by a friend who builds wooden boats....don't! He says the chemicals get down in the rough grain and eat away at it more. This year I actually used a power washer (very carefully & lightly) and then followed w/a somewhat dilluted bleach solution for the really bad mildew spots. Worked fantastic to prep. Then I sanded w/80grit, but not baby smooth, would take away too much wood, which you can't get back. I then used Epifanes high gloss varnish dilluted about 40% w/mineral spirits for the first 2 coats. This allows this very high UV varnish to penetrate deeply into the wood grain. I then went to a 30% for the 3rd coat and then 20% dillution for 4-7. I used 300 grit to burnish between 3&4 and again between 5 & 6...one of the advantages to the Epifanes....you don't have to burnish every coat. So now she has 7 coats of high gloss which I will touch up in the fall and then again in the spring and that will maintain her for a number of years before having to strip her down. Now there's all the other teak to be done with the same process. One man's opinion. Good Luck!
Chris Schnell
s/v MADNESS III
swabbie@compaq.net
I just finished doing my toerail & rubrail while my 1982 CD30 Cutter is on the hill. A word of caution about the chemcial cleaners given to me by a friend who builds wooden boats....don't! He says the chemicals get down in the rough grain and eat away at it more. This year I actually used a power washer (very carefully & lightly) and then followed w/a somewhat dilluted bleach solution for the really bad mildew spots. Worked fantastic to prep. Then I sanded w/80grit, but not baby smooth, would take away too much wood, which you can't get back. I then used Epifanes high gloss varnish dilluted about 40% w/mineral spirits for the first 2 coats. This allows this very high UV varnish to penetrate deeply into the wood grain. I then went to a 30% for the 3rd coat and then 20% dillution for 4-7. I used 300 grit to burnish between 3&4 and again between 5 & 6...one of the advantages to the Epifanes....you don't have to burnish every coat. So now she has 7 coats of high gloss which I will touch up in the fall and then again in the spring and that will maintain her for a number of years before having to strip her down. Now there's all the other teak to be done with the same process. One man's opinion. Good Luck!
Chris Schnell
s/v MADNESS III
swabbie@compaq.net