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Teak
 
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Default epoxy/varnish/poly ?

I am close to finishing a 50's style runabout and considering what is the
best finish to put on the teak decking. It has to stand up over the years
and retain that classic runabout gloss look with as little maintenance as
can be reasonably expected. I am considering 3 coats of epoxy followed by 3
coats of spar varnish for the uv protection. Anyone satisfied with other
glossy sealants that have stood the test of time ?

...Ken


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Mac
 
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On Mon, 06 Jun 2005 18:56:39 +0000, Teak wrote:

I am close to finishing a 50's style runabout and considering what is the
best finish to put on the teak decking. It has to stand up over the years
and retain that classic runabout gloss look with as little maintenance as
can be reasonably expected. I am considering 3 coats of epoxy followed by 3
coats of spar varnish for the uv protection. Anyone satisfied with other
glossy sealants that have stood the test of time ?

...Ken


Would you reconsider? Teak decks don't need to be protected. They are more
functional bare (natural non-skid) and IMO more beautiful, too.

As long as you use the boat from time to time, the bare teak will look
nice. If you are NOT going to use the boat, you may have to occasionally
scrub the teak.

If you must finish it, maybe you could just use oil?

If you don't like it bare, you can always finish it later. You won't have
lost anything.

FWIW, I used epoxy with varnish over it on a mahogany table, below deck,
and it worked well for several years, until I sold the boat.

--Mac

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Teak
 
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"Mac" wrote in message
news
On Mon, 06 Jun 2005 18:56:39 +0000, Teak wrote:



Would you reconsider? Teak decks don't need to be protected. They are more
functional bare (natural non-skid) and IMO more beautiful, too.

As long as you use the boat from time to time, the bare teak will look
nice. If you are NOT going to use the boat, you may have to occasionally
scrub the teak.

If you must finish it, maybe you could just use oil?

If you don't like it bare, you can always finish it later. You won't have
lost anything.

FWIW, I used epoxy with varnish over it on a mahogany table, below deck,
and it worked well for several years, until I sold the boat.

--Mac

I am big on reconsidering, but in this case it has to have a gloss coat to
reproduce the classic 50's Chriscraft, open cockpit, runabout look.
The sole will be fine sanded and oiled but the bow etc. requires the gloss
finish.
...Ken


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Evan Gatehouse
 
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Teak wrote:
I am close to finishing a 50's style runabout and considering what is the
best finish to put on the teak decking. It has to stand up over the years
and retain that classic runabout gloss look with as little maintenance as
can be reasonably expected. I am considering 3 coats of epoxy followed by 3
coats of spar varnish for the uv protection. Anyone satisfied with other
glossy sealants that have stood the test of time ?

...Ken


Sounds good but I'd think about 6 coats of varnish for the
first year. Nothing about varnish is "as little
maintenance" unless you keep it covered a.k.a. "the elephant
man boat".

Evan Gatehouse

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Brian D
 
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Evan's right on. Z-Spar Captains is my usual choice, and it has worked on
WEST and System Three for me (no special prep other than sanding). There
are other choices that are good too. I think the original boats were just
plain varnish, probably 12 coats or so, but the idea of using 3 coats of
epoxy first then about 6 coats of varnish (lightly sanded between each coat
....working down to 320 grit before the last) is good ...but only if the boat
is truly epoxy encapsulated. If it's a traditional construction boat as per
original, then your only choice is varnish by itself or you risk trapping
moisture at the wood/epoxy interface ...foggy at best, rotten at worst.
Spar varnish breathes and flexes, and it's softer (for these reasons) than
furniture varnish. That also implies that a light sanding and recoating
every now and is a good idea, e.g. yearly if the boat is used a lot,
otherwise go as-needed. Just be glad that you're doing this on the outside
of the boat. Beats the heck out of trying to get perfect finishes on
everything INSIDE the boat.

Let us know what you decide and be sure to post pix online somewhere so we
can have a gander...

Brian


"Evan Gatehouse" wrote in message
...
Teak wrote:
I am close to finishing a 50's style runabout and considering what is
the
best finish to put on the teak decking. It has to stand up over the years
and retain that classic runabout gloss look with as little maintenance as
can be reasonably expected. I am considering 3 coats of epoxy followed by
3
coats of spar varnish for the uv protection. Anyone satisfied with other
glossy sealants that have stood the test of time ?

...Ken


Sounds good but I'd think about 6 coats of varnish for the first year.
Nothing about varnish is "as little maintenance" unless you keep it
covered a.k.a. "the elephant man boat".

Evan Gatehouse





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Mac
 
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On Tue, 07 Jun 2005 04:14:40 +0000, Teak wrote:


"Mac" wrote in message
news
On Mon, 06 Jun 2005 18:56:39 +0000, Teak wrote:



Would you reconsider? Teak decks don't need to be protected. They are more
functional bare (natural non-skid) and IMO more beautiful, too.

As long as you use the boat from time to time, the bare teak will look
nice. If you are NOT going to use the boat, you may have to occasionally
scrub the teak.

If you must finish it, maybe you could just use oil?

If you don't like it bare, you can always finish it later. You won't have
lost anything.

FWIW, I used epoxy with varnish over it on a mahogany table, below deck,
and it worked well for several years, until I sold the boat.

--Mac

I am big on reconsidering, but in this case it has to have a gloss coat to
reproduce the classic 50's Chriscraft, open cockpit, runabout look.
The sole will be fine sanded and oiled but the bow etc. requires the gloss
finish.
...Ken


Fair enough. Sounds like a beautiful boat. Maybe you could post some
pictures somewhere down the road and let us look at them. ;-)

--Mac

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John (scuubydu)
 
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On Mon, 06 Jun 2005 18:56:39 GMT,
Teak wrote:

I am close to finishing snip


{begin} My two cents worth...

As a point of note you should be aware
that to epoxy is 100% ok on any (old)
wood surface...
however (yes there is always a but)

The other side of the wood/planking/ply
should NOT have any epoxy/poly material
applied other than the usual painting to
allow the wood "to breath", thereby in
most (not all) cases preventing that
nasty old boogy called ROT to set its
ugly feed in!

{end} My two cents worth...

John
City of Sails
Auckland, New Zealand.
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Teak
 
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"John (scuubydu)" wrote in message
news
On Mon, 06 Jun 2005 18:56:39 GMT,
Teak wrote:

I am close to finishing snip


{begin} My two cents worth...

As a point of note you should be aware
that to epoxy is 100% ok on any (old)
wood surface...
however (yes there is always a but)

The other side of the wood/planking/ply
should NOT have any epoxy/poly material
applied other than the usual painting to
allow the wood "to breath", thereby in
most (not all) cases preventing that
nasty old boogy called ROT to set its
ugly feed in!


Well....in an ideal world, or a laboratory.
Any exposed wood will absorb the humidity in the air, so at best the wood
will be around 12 % moisture content. Whether you paint,varnish, epoxy or
heavily oil on all sides you will (especially on the end grain) be
effectively sealing in the moisture content. As long as you are at 12% or
less this does not pose a problem. Some species of wood will respond
differently of course. Sealing all surfaces stops the uptake of moisture
during wet winter weather. I do agree with you that sealing in a high
moisture content is excercising poor judgement.

...Ken




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Brian D
 
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I know some folks do it that way (seal one side), but it disagrees with what
the epoxy manufactures say, what Gougeon Brothers say, and others. The
existing moisture in the wood will get trapped on 'surface states' in
between the wood and epoxy. Rot organisms will then have all that they need
....food (wood), oxygen (unsealed wood 'breathes' as you say), and water
(trapped at the epoxy/wood boundary). Not on my boat...

Brian


"John (scuubydu)" wrote in message
news
On Mon, 06 Jun 2005 18:56:39 GMT,
Teak wrote:

I am close to finishing snip


{begin} My two cents worth...

As a point of note you should be aware
that to epoxy is 100% ok on any (old)
wood surface...
however (yes there is always a but)

The other side of the wood/planking/ply
should NOT have any epoxy/poly material
applied other than the usual painting to
allow the wood "to breath", thereby in
most (not all) cases preventing that
nasty old boogy called ROT to set its
ugly feed in!

{end} My two cents worth...

John
City of Sails
Auckland, New Zealand.



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Mac
 
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On Wed, 08 Jun 2005 22:04:52 +1200, John (scuubydu) wrote:

On Mon, 06 Jun 2005 18:56:39 GMT,
Teak wrote:

I am close to finishing snip


{begin} My two cents worth...

As a point of note you should be aware
that to epoxy is 100% ok on any (old)
wood surface...
however (yes there is always a but)

The other side of the wood/planking/ply
should NOT have any epoxy/poly material
applied other than the usual painting to
allow the wood "to breath", thereby in
most (not all) cases preventing that
nasty old boogy called ROT to set its
ugly feed in!

{end} My two cents worth...

John
City of Sails
Auckland, New Zealand.


I don't think a teak deck will rot. Period. But I could be wrong, of
course.

--Mac

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