I just purchased a 1974 CD25 and the teak is black. What is the best (easiest) way to restore it? Thank You!
alewifehouse@mainecoast.net
Teak restoration
Moderator: Jim Walsh
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Geoff Safron
Re: Teak restoration
Tom;
First, take the word "easy" out of the vocabulary; Any system you use will require elbow-grease, time and patience. I took every square inch of my '30's teak down to bare wood and gave it the complete Sikkens Cetol Marine nine yards; took about 150 man-hours over three months, but everybody who walks down the dock comments on it.
First, as I said, take the wood down. Chemical strippers are a low-effort way to take old finishes off, but if your wood is black, you're going to need to sand anyway, so you might as well avoid the mess of chemicals; buy/borrow/rent power a power sander--if you're careful, you can accomplish a lot quickly with a belt-sander; back that up with sanding blocks and 80-grit fabric-based sandpaper. Get ALL the black, and even the grey out. Follow up with 150-grit to take the scratches out left by the 80-grit. Then follow the directions on the Sikkens can. Start with the matte (Cetol Marine), give it two coats without sanding between, then light sanding with 220-grit between coats till you have 4 coats of matte on. This in and of itself is a respectable finish, but I went whole-hog, and followed up with four more coats of Sikkens Gloss, using 000 stainless or brass steel wool between. By the end of it, you're sick to death of varnishing...but your wood looks honey-dipped, and you'll feel the pride of the Square-Riggers. With any luck, you won't have to do anything more than touch-up for two years, and with a single coat of gloss every other year, you'll NEVER have to go the whole route again.
This was my personal route; there are many others. Good Luck!
Geoff Safron
Commedia
Belle River, Ontario
Brainstorm@Unidial.com
First, take the word "easy" out of the vocabulary; Any system you use will require elbow-grease, time and patience. I took every square inch of my '30's teak down to bare wood and gave it the complete Sikkens Cetol Marine nine yards; took about 150 man-hours over three months, but everybody who walks down the dock comments on it.
First, as I said, take the wood down. Chemical strippers are a low-effort way to take old finishes off, but if your wood is black, you're going to need to sand anyway, so you might as well avoid the mess of chemicals; buy/borrow/rent power a power sander--if you're careful, you can accomplish a lot quickly with a belt-sander; back that up with sanding blocks and 80-grit fabric-based sandpaper. Get ALL the black, and even the grey out. Follow up with 150-grit to take the scratches out left by the 80-grit. Then follow the directions on the Sikkens can. Start with the matte (Cetol Marine), give it two coats without sanding between, then light sanding with 220-grit between coats till you have 4 coats of matte on. This in and of itself is a respectable finish, but I went whole-hog, and followed up with four more coats of Sikkens Gloss, using 000 stainless or brass steel wool between. By the end of it, you're sick to death of varnishing...but your wood looks honey-dipped, and you'll feel the pride of the Square-Riggers. With any luck, you won't have to do anything more than touch-up for two years, and with a single coat of gloss every other year, you'll NEVER have to go the whole route again.
This was my personal route; there are many others. Good Luck!
Geoff Safron
Commedia
Belle River, Ontario
Brainstorm@Unidial.com
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Bill
Re: Teak restoration
I am in the middle of just a project. All I lack is the toe/rub rail. I would forego the cleaners (I did) and used soap and water and elbow brease. followed by 80 grit and then 150 grit then 3 coats of Cetol matte. I cannot believe the differance in appearance. The teak is beautiful. While mine was not black, it hadn't been touch in 14 years according to the previous owner. With elbow grease and a good brush I think yoiu can get it clean.
Now I have to get motivated and do those rails!!!!!
Good Luck
Bill
S/V Rhapsody
willie@clnk.com
Now I have to get motivated and do those rails!!!!!
Good Luck
Bill
S/V Rhapsody
Tom Foley wrote: I just purchased a 1974 CD25 and the teak is black. What is the best (easiest) way to restore it? Thank You!
willie@clnk.com