Sealing Stanchions on Painted Teak Railings

The stanchions supporting my teak railings on my deck were leaching rust from their undersides; the railings themselves are painted over teak. I removed them and cleaned the rust from their undersides and am now getting ready to replace them, the screw heads showed light rusting and the screw shafts were not rusted.

My question is about sealing them back up while I await new 316 ss screws.

Most, but not all of them had caulk underneath them, presumably placed there by a previous owner. Both the caulked stanchions and uncaulked stanchions were rusting so I am confused. Should I caulk the undersides? Or would it be best to just run a sealing bead around the edges after replacement? And what about the screw heads? Should I caulk their undersides as well or will I cause corrosion of the ss by removing the oxygen pathways? Lastly, any recommendations for caulk that won't discolor?

Greetings,
Mr. j. I have a few small issues with SS rusting similar to your situation. My areas of concern are behind a SS 1/4" X 3" strip over my rub rails (the backside of the strip). I am using this product: Paint Over Rust with Extend Rust Neutralizer from Loctite Adhesives
I have no idea if it is going to work but upon drying it does leave a polymer "film" which I assume and hope will eliminate further problems. I would not recommend using it where it is visible but underneath your stanchions may be OK.
As far as bedding compound, I use Dolfinite exclusively. http://www.jamestowndistributors.com/userportal/show_product.do?pid=4400

You might want to passivate the all stainless including the screws with something like Stellar Solutions - Citric Acid Passivation

Dolfinite is a classic old school bedding compound. Nothing wrong with it other than it's not an adhesive. If you need better adhesion look to something like Sikaflex.

Jamestown Distributors

Stumbled across this site the other day looking for something else, but it looked worth saving;

Home - Spotless Stainless Removes Rust, Protects Stainless Steel

I've used that stuff. Works very well.

You can also use lemon and/or lime juice as well.

Greetings,
Mr. 11. I agree with your post re: Dolfinite (...it's not an adhesive...) which is exactly why I use it.
I've been in boating for a little while and the MAIN complaint I have about fittings and bedding is the trouble I've experience in the removal of old caulking prior to re-bedding. No fitting stays watertight or secure for-ever and eventually it will have to be removed.
As circumstances have it no DPO of our vessel has used the dreaded "Silicone" but has used copious amounts of, now failed in some cases, crappy, sh*tty, gawd awful garbage to supposedly bed and seal various items on board. Yes, it is adhesive but it's stuck to everything except what it is supposed to and I'm seriously thinking of some sort of tactical explosive for removal of same.
I'm repairing, as I progress in my repaint, those fastening beds/substrates that have failed over the years allowing movement and leakage, primarily of stanchions. I figure that if the fastener is secure, I'll have little use for the adhesive properties of caulkage. HAH! Well, at least when it does fail I won't be cursing myself while easily removing the Dolfinite. Comes off well with varsol or turps.

Hey you don't have to convince me. I've been using Dolfinite for decades.

There are just times when you want something with more stick to it.

Greetings,
Mr. 11. Not trying to convince you at all. Simply expanding on MY reasons to use the product. Mr. j asked for an opinion although, Dolfinite may not be the product he's looking for as it starts off as "discolored". In my case, when I get the the stage of re-bedding my vents, rub rails, stanchions, antennae and assorted paraphernalia I have no concern as to ultimate color. Just the success of the seal and the ease with which it can be renewed.

Most times the rust is coming from water penetrating and not drying out, corrosion starts and leaks out. Clean up and re-bed every real well, also don't over tighten the screws where all the bedding squeezes out.

Look up this site

Re-Bedding Deck Hardware With Bed-It Butyl Tape Photo Gallery by Compass Marine How To at pbase.com

***Buy Bed-It Butyl Tape*** Photo Gallery by Compass Marine How To at pbase.com

I have been using this tape as he suggests it and it works well. There are some situations whare a caulk is better, but not for what you are doing. It is not as quick a a tube of caulk but it does not harden either.

I'm a Dolphinite fan as well.

For the stanchions I'd consider coating the bottom of the stanchions (mounting surface) w POR-15. Then bed the stanchions w Dolphinite. Re-bed every 4 to 6 years or as necessary.

By all means bed the stanchions in something. You don't want water getting under them and a bead around the edge is not enough.

Only girly men use Dolfinite and Butyl Tape. Real men use 5200.:lol:

Greetings,
Mr HC. "...5200..."?

Well done RT! I was wondering what you'd come up with.

Kidding aside I do like 5200 for this application. I know it is harder to deal with if you have to take it apart. t I feel you are less likely to need to take it apart if the sealant adheres to both parts being joined.

I don't want to start a long argument over this. Dolfinite and other soft sealants work well also. It's just my preference to use 5200. When one of the parts is metal, it's actually easy to take apart. Just apply a little heat with a propane torch and it pops apart.

I may expand the banned words list to Anchor, Gun and 5200 if you guys don't behave.

My favorite rust stain remover is hydrofluoric acid in the form of Whink Rust Stain Remover. Available in grocery and hardware stores.

I too am a Dolfinite user , BUT for really high load items I do 2 things.

First I install -epoxy-a piece of GRP on the mounting spot (on a grp boat ,teak on wood) to raise the stanchon from the deck.

This means in a slight rain or deck wash the seal is NOT being tested.

Second I use a thin piece of hard rubber between the stanchon and mounting surface , Dolphinite on both sides.

This allows a far better seal between the perhaps flat item being mounted and the perhaps flat mounting spot.

Every so many years the Dolphinite must be refreshed , a very easy task.

Greetings,
Similar to the stanchion situation, the time is approaching where I will be re-installing the SS strips over the wooden rub-rails/rubbing strake. The profile of the SS is 1/4" X 2 1/2" with fastening holes every 5" or so. I will most probably be using Dolfinite (D) BUT the butyl tape mentioned by Mr. C does generate hmmmm's...
One of the considerations is that the SS is rigid and straight and the wood "backing" is not terribly fair meaning when the SS is affixed, the gap between the SS and the wood will be non existent to upwards of 5/32" (potentially). So do I seal ONLY the top of the gap leaving the bottom open or do I coat the whole 2 1/2" sealing surface? The wood under the SS will be well painted.
I do plan on filling a caulk tube with D and inoculating each screw hole.
Thanks.

Seal only the top which will allow any water, which will get in at some point, to then get out.

Although I don't have SS trim like you I have dealt with finished wood which I sealed, top and bottom. It was fine for a few years but eventually, somewhere on the top, the seal let go and water entered. When I finally had to deal with it properly, again, while cutting the caulk away I had water running out.

I now no longer try to seal top and bottom, just the top.
JMO

HopCar said:

Well done RT! I was wondering what you'd come up with.

Kidding aside I do like 5200 for this application. I know it is harder to deal with if you have to take it apart. t I feel you are less likely to need to take it apart if the sealant adheres to both parts being joined.

I don't want to start a long argument over this. Dolfinite and other soft sealants work well also. It's just my preference to use 5200. When one of the parts is metal, it's actually easy to take apart. Just apply a little heat with a propane torch and it pops apart.

I may expand the banned words list to Anchor, Gun and 5200 if you guys don't behave.

My favorite rust stain remover is hydrofluoric acid in the form of Whink Rust Stain Remover. Available in grocery and hardware stores.

Click to expand...

I agree..different items need different sealants....choose wisely...repair is a different issue/discussion and despite some peoples thinking 5200 is the devil's glue...like silicone on a boat...you just have to be smarter than the issue.