Staining teak trim before varnishing?
I'm getting ready to do a major varnish project on my Grand Banks 49
and was thinking that it might be nice to have the teak more or less
the same color (some is lighter, some darker, etc.). The wood will be
stripped and sanded before I start with the varnish.Does anyone have any thoughts, experience, whatever with staining
teak? If so, what type and color of stain would you recommend? Is there any downside other than some loss of wood grain visibility? I'm planning to use epifanes gloss varnish which builds up to a dark
amber color with enough coats. |
Wayne.B
Dec 3
2006
|
| Do they live with it and maintain it for a couple of years, or just report
on how it goes on and looks immediately afterward? > Does anyone else have Deks Olje experience - pro or con? I've been using it for the last 6 years. Until recently I swore it was
the best thing going. Maintenance is far easier than with traditional
varnish, and takes a lot less time. The downside is that it isn't as hard or glossy, and doesn't last as long.
In South Florida I'm sure it won't last as long as in the Pacific
Northwest. After a couple of years testing Cetol on some areas and Deks on the rest,
we've switched everything to Cetol. It's harder to sand and apply, but
lasts so much longer. Every spring the Deks would need moderate
patching, as well as a thorough sanding and a couple of finish coats. The
Cetol needed nothing but a top coat for good measure, and patching only
where it had been physically damaged. So I think I'm a Cetol convert. If I were on the boat year-round to
do regular touch-ups, I might go back to Deks -- especially just the #1
satin, which alone is a really nice finish. But I haven't left it on
without the #2 long enough to know how well it lasts by itself. Many people don't like Cetol's orange color. The new Light version
is less orange. Deks Olje has a traditional varnish color, darker than average. Finally, a safety issue -- Cetol is so hard that it's very slippery, while
Deks is soft enough that it's almost non-skid. Matt O. |
Matt
Dec 4
|
| They apply the coatings to test panels and put them outdoors for a
year, similar to what a boat would experience. |
Wayne.B
Dec 4
|
| >varnish-like appearance you want. Once you get through the initial
>work, upkeep is relatively easy (a once a year quick update for me).
>It also darkens the teak a bit but gives you a consistent finish. I know that some people swear by it but for some reason it has never
been rated very highly in any of Practical Sailors teak coating tests. My varnish would probably last almost forever in Maine but down here
in south Florida the sun is brutal. Perhaps PS did their testing in
the tropics also. Does anyone else have Deks Olje experience - pro or con? |
Wayne.B
Dec 4
|
| Try Deks Olje; part 1 will seal and part 2 will give you the
varnish-like appearance you want. Once you get through the initial
work, upkeep is relatively easy (a once a year quick update for me).
It also darkens the teak a bit but gives you a consistent finish. Steve Hayes
Augusta, ME |
steve_hayes_ma...
Dec 4
|
| I wouldn't do it. I tried it a few months ago on a laminated teak display
easel I was building for a friend down in the BVI. Stained with an aniline
dye which is the most transparent of all stain types to subdue the variation
in the veneers and it still came out with a muddy look under the varnish.
Stripped it down to bare wood and started over. BTW, if anyone gets to Tortola and want to repay the first mate for putting
up with your boating addiction, be sure to take her to the Brandywine
Restaurant. Finest dining experience in the Caribbean. I made the menu
easels. :-)
|
Glenn
Dec 3
|
| Staining teak is generally a bad idea. I've seen it tried twice (Albin
trawler and Jeaneau 41). and in both cases it was a disaster.
The problem is that teak is oily and hard to stain evenly. If your teak
has been ignored over the years and drier (In that you didn't oil it),
it might stain more evenly. Depending on the condition of the wood and
it's depth, it may be hard or even impossible to undo the staining
process.
After he tried it, the owner of the Albin told me it had been as dumb
as painting a DeLorean. Teak is a gorgeous wood. Don't stain it. Good luck in any case!
Robert B
Beneteau 35s5
NY
http://hometown.aol.com/bobsprit/index.html |
Capt.
Dec 3
|
| There are products specifically made to even out the ability of difficult woods
to absorb stains. Ask anyone who builds and finishes furniture. CWM |
Charlie
Dec 3
|
| The fellow with the Albin used something that smelled like acetone for
that very purpose. It didn't work. Nothing was capable of getting
enough oil out of the teak. I haven't looked lately, but the last time
I did most sites said staining teak was not a good idea either.
If the original poster tries it I'd like to hear the results. At my
yard it's generally considered a no-no. Robert B
35s5
NY |
Capt.
Dec 3
|
| Maybe use an oil based stain? |
Calif
Dec 3
|
| That wasn't it. Acetone (and similar solvents) is used to remove surface oils.
I'm talking about a product that is designed to make stains more even when
applied. You need to talk to someone who specializes in wood finishing for
furniture. Boat yard guys are not gonna be your best source of information on
this subject. CWM |
Charlie
Dec 3
|
| I have to concur with those who say "Don't do it." The variations in the
grain are part of the beauty of teak. If you would stain it, you might as
well go whole hog and just *paint* it. |
KLC
Dec 3
|
| have to concur with those who say "Don't do it." The variations in the grain are part of the beauty of teak. If you would stain it, you might
as
well go whole hog and just *paint* it. >>> That's a very good point and I've seen people paint over teak with good
results. That may be a smarter move as well since you can get the paint
off one day. Robert B
35s5
NY |
Capt.
Dec 3
|
| If you seal the wood with varnish first, it is possible to remove the
paint at a later date. We have already painted some of the teak trim
that is difficult to get at but it would not look good on the part
that I'm doing now. |
Wayne.B
Dec 3
|
| Instead of staining consider 'tinting' the varnish after the first few
coats.
Check with the varnish maufacturer for the best chemical 'match' of
tint to varnish; for oil based varnished I use aniline dyes .... just a
'pinch' is 'plenty' and build up with coats till you reach the 'hue'
you want. If you are over 50 years of age, get some younger person to
help with the color match as old eyes cant perceive colors very well.
;-) In article <kn66n256k56gsa4du9fsaamcjm4i4bfq16@4ax.com>, Wayne.B
<waynebatrecdotboats@hotmail.com> wrote: |
Rich
Dec 4
|
| Being a woodworker, I feel that way about many woods. I had a customer once
that wanted "cherry wood" cabinets. When the material was delivered (I do
the woodworking on site), he thought I was trying to rip him off. He
couldn't believe that the wood delivered was cherry. I explained to him that
cherry wood develops that deep cherry tone with age, and this is how it
looks new. He didn't want to wait, so I stained it with that sh*ty rosewood
stain. He was happy, and I was paid. I still didn't like ruining that
gorgeous wood though... AAMOF, I have a fair amount left over from that job,
and it's been sitting in my shop for 10 years or so. It's looking VERY nice
right about now. Now I just have to figure out what to make out of it. --Mike "Capt. Rob" <Bobsprit@aol.com> wrote in message |
Mike
Dec 4
|
