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New Teak Look


L'escale

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Firstly thanks Wheels & Rigger for posting some great stuff on this brilliant forum - thanks Squid also for putting it in place

 

OK now that's done:-

 

I have 4 year old teak decks that are aging quicker than the rest of the yacht.

I already have signs of cupping and raised caulking/sealant as a result of wear on the teak.

Through the wonders of the internet I have absorbed truck loads of info on cleaning - the do's and don'ts.

However I am keen to know of experience others may have regarding a new look finish that lasts more than a few months under Kiwi UVs?

On my previous yacht I used Sikkens on the complete decks and they looked wonderful but I want to avoid that amount of work if possible.

I have observed other teakeees applying various potions and expensive bottles and cans containing combinations of guaranteed outcomes - BUT none of them last more than a few months.

The latest claim I have seen is an outfit with new Nano-technology based stuff

In hindsight I would not tick the teak box again (when I placed the order) as I observe my neighbours cleaning their non teak decks!

So give me some feedback if you have the answer?

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An uncle of mine soaked all teak in a bath of boiled linseed oil for at least a week before he attached it to the boat and each year thereafter, he'd brush on another few coats. It looked great for years, but it did take on quite a dark colour.

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An uncle of mine soaked all teak in a bath of boiled linseed oil for at least a week before he attached it to the boat and each year thereafter, he'd brush on another few coats. It looked great for years, but it did take on quite a dark colour.

 

The linseed oil coating has another advantage - if the deck is payed with pitch (marine glue - the black stuff) the linseed oil softens the pitch and helps in its longevity. On one sailing ship I worked on we did this every 6months or so. The dark colour fades over time, also we used raw linseed oil

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I have tried just about every darn thing ever made I reckon. And I have come to the conclusion that the Sikkens Cetol and Sikkins HLA is the best there is. If you like the finish (some don't) then that is the only way to go. And really, the only thing you have to worry about at recoat time is a wash, allow to dry and recoat. I have never had a coating that has lasted as long.

When it comes to wanting a natural oil type finish, then expect to recoat every 3 to 6 months. Even Deks Olja doesn't give you much longer than 6 months. Certainly a year at the most. I am sick of painting some darn thing on the boat. I want to get out and play with it.

Oh and you can get lighter colours int he Cetol range. So if the Teak colour is too dark, try a light one. But ensure you test a little patch to see if you like it first. Keep the can clean and seal it well again afterward, so that if you don't like the look, you can take it back and swap for a darker colour.

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Just spoke to the dudes next door, they specialise in putting deck decks on superboats. They suggest a light sand, with the grain, until it's all reasonable even and leave it. If required you carefully slide a very sharp chisel along the Sika lines to drop the hight to that of the timber.

 

Or you can sand a tad further and use a coating. But they said most costings don't tend to hang on that long so you'll probably be needed to redo it in 3-6 months. Interested to see Wheels saying the same thing.

 

Don't forget these guys are talking 'superboat' so are probably working with the mindset you have a crew of 10 and a billion dollars.

 

They seemed to be of the opinion there isn't any wonder product out there and all are more short term. They reckon a nice sand will last a year or 2 and probably the best bet when thinking the best for 'minimal maintenance'.

 

They also said they work on Teak decks loosing 1mm in thickness per year from general wear, tear and the elements.

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Boiled Linseed Oil has drying agents formulated into the product after "cooking" to hasten drying. Raw Linseed Oil takes 10-14 days to dry but has a thicker more durable finish than Boiled Linseed Oil does because it has been thinned with other chemicals and products.

 

Boiled linseed contains driers such as Terebine and oxidizers such as cobalt and zirconium. These make the product dry hard and thus with age they become brittle and break down.

 

the biggest problem people face when oiling exterior timber is the use the wrong product. its the same for cricket bats.

 

Always use RAW linseed oil out side. Boiled is ok inside.

 

By the way Linseed oil comes from the flax tree.

 

The other trendy oil is Tung oil. This comes from the nut of the tung tree, from memory, and is very good when made properly.

 

Most products that claim to be Tung oils are in fact not pure tung oil but a mixture of a small amount of tung oils and other synthetic materials.

 

The key with oils is to thin them so the soak into the timber and do not form a film. and as said above do it often but not so often as to form a film.

 

 

So thin them so they soak in to the timber. Hard woods need more thinning, soft less.

 

Oil leave you to it.

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Nooooooooo, never use Raw Linseed outside. It goes black and all oriible like.

That's the whole point of boiled linseed, it doesn't go black.

Tung oil is good. But expensive.

Whatever oil used, the thing that must be done is to saturate the timber till it accepts no more.

The sikkens Cetol tends to make the wood look a little "plasticy". It is not a clear oil. And that is the problem with any clear oils. They are no good with UV. Cetol dries like a paint and is a cross between paint and oil. It's like a paint that didn't have enough pigment put in. It has excellent UV protection. The HLA is a Base coat that you keep putting on till the timber takes no more, then you top coat with the Cetol. I have never tried the two yet. The Cetol is all I have used and the Teak hatches are three years now and still look good. The Matai and Quila are in need of a coat. But they only ever got one coat anyway, so they have stood up really well.

The picture is one coat on Matai. I can't remember just how old in the photo, but I think it may have been a coupla months. Certainly within the year of that photo

P1010006.JPG

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Nooooooooo, never use Raw Linseed outside. It goes black and all oriible like.

That's the whole point of boiled linseed, it doesn't go black.

Tung oil is good. But expensive.

Whatever oil used, the thing that must be done is to saturate the timber till it accepts no more.

The sikkens Cetol tends to make the wood look a little "plasticy". It is not a clear oil. And that is the problem with any clear oils. They are no good with UV. Cetol dries like a paint and is a cross between paint and oil. It's like a paint that didn't have enough pigment put in. It has excellent UV protection. The HLA is a Base coat that you keep putting on till the timber takes no more, then you top coat with the Cetol. I have never tried the two yet. The Cetol is all I have used and the Teak hatches are three years now and still look good. The Matai and Quila are in need of a coat. But they only ever got one coat anyway, so they have stood up really well.

The picture is one coat on Matai. I can't remember just how old in the photo, but I think it may have been a coupla months. Certainly within the year of that photo

 

 

All Linseed oils go black out side. but if you thin it and keep it "in" rather than "on" the timber then they will erode away slowly and not go black (as fast).

 

The problem with raw is that people apply it to thick and thats where the problems start. a thick film , that drys to slowly, will attach all kind of mould and opther contaminants.

 

I have used thin coats of 100% thinned raw Linseed oil on many boats with no blackening. Thinning with xylol or tolulene helps speed initial drying and thinning will not allow excessive slow drying films.

 

Try it you will be suprised.

 

Go thin is oil i'll say.

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Hey thanks for all the feedback - Yep figured there would be no "prayer in a can" on this subject.

I think I may do the Sikkens thing as I have done the toe rail and various trim with great results.

As I recall my biggest beef was the heat that the darker decks generated requiring footwear at all times in Summer.

I used the 'oak' colour as this is the lightest whilst retaining good anti UV properties.

I also used an old fashioned (often the best) anti slip.

I sprinkled epsom salts on to the Sikkens whilst still wet.

After a couple of days (or in Aucklands weather the next days rain will do it) you hose it down resulting in all the surplus disolving and leaving 'pock marks'. Never tried but I might try a test piece by mixing it in for the final coat.

The big benefit with this is that for future preparation there is no abrasive to contend with.

I have found over the years (using it on trim) that an annual regime of washing, then after drying go over with one of those green pot wash thingees and then a good thick coat of Cetol.

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Hey thanks for all the feedback - Yep figured there would be no "prayer in a can" on this subject.

I think I may do the Sikkens thing as I have done the toe rail and various trim with great results.

As I recall my biggest beef was the heat that the darker decks generated requiring footwear at all times in Summer.

I used the 'oak' colour as this is the lightest whilst retaining good anti UV properties.

I also used an old fashioned (often the best) anti slip.

I sprinkled epsom salts on to the Sikkens whilst still wet.

After a couple of days (or in Aucklands weather the next days rain will do it) you hose it down resulting in all the surplus disolving and leaving 'pock marks'. Never tried but I might try a test piece by mixing it in for the final coat.

The big benefit with this is that for future preparation there is no abrasive to contend with.

I have found over the years (using it on trim) that an annual regime of washing, then after drying go over with one of those green pot wash thingees and then a good thick coat of Cetol.

 

 

The key thing with oil "based", urethane or alkyd "cured" (film forming) products is to ensure minimal substrate (timber) movement but applying a thinned (sealer) coat fist to fill the grain! This first coat will "hang" all subsequent coats on to it so has to have maximum adhesion and penetration (especially hardwood) to obtain durability.

 

Remember "cured" hard film coatings (including Boiled Linseed oil) have oxidizers in them that oxidize, with the air (oxygen) to cure the film. This curing process also , with time, will cause the film to go harder and become brittle. Thus film thickness is important but adhesion of the first coat is imperative.

 

Air dry/ uncured filmes such as raw linseed oil, Chloronated rubber, Nitro cellulose Lacquers... dry by solvent evaporation only and are inherently soft more flexible coating so will move with the substrate.

 

Pick the coating to match the substrate.

 

With timbers such a teak you need to sand along the grain to open the grain and let the first coat penetrate the timber. But sanding will generate heat which can draw oils from the timber which will reduce the coatings ability to penetrate or bind with the timber. so solvent wipe the timber with a white rag until no more "yellowish" oil is visible on the rag.

 

don't use turps but Epoxy cleaning fluid, is best.!

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