Interior teak hole repair

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Moersea

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 20, 2021
Messages
25
Vessel Name
Mahanda
Vessel Make
GB 36 Classic
Greetings all,

I’m a long time lurker on the forum, a relatively new member, and the owner of a very new-to-me GB 36’ classic (1989). On the TLC punch list is repairing numerous holes in the salon teak from mounting several generations of electronics. The holes are typically small (most less than 1/8”) but it looks in a couple of places like there once was a woodpecker hostel…

My options seem to be:
1. Replace the affected panels, or
2. Drill, plug, and refinish, or
3. ??

I’d really appreciate wisdom/suggestions for the third category. Has anyone had success in using filler for smallish holes? (Success here meaning visually clean and with good mechanical stability.) Another option that suggests itself is putting a clean veneer layer over the panel. Has anyone taken that route?

Thanks in advance!

Moersea
 
No help on #3 but I have used plugs to plug holes in my varnish. Smallest is 1/4" diam. that I know of.
If a really small screw hole then slivers of teak could be fashioned with knives, chisels and sandpaper. Then pushed into place and glued, shaved and sanded down and refinished.


I have also used fillers but colour matching can be fun no matter what the labels say. Maybe mixing to get the closest match. Just keep track of how much of each you use as you get close.

MAYBE use teak dust and mix in some glue that won't change the colour to much. I've done that but a LONG time ago and never followed up.

I would suggest find a piece of teak that is similar and practice first on that.
 
A couple of thoughts. If you decide to fill the holes with wood filler don't worry too much about the color, just make sure you use a color that is lighter than the surrounding wood. Then after sanding and prep you can paint the patch to match the surrounding wood and even add grain if you want. A pro refinisher did this on one of my prior boats and I swear I could not find the holes after she had finished. She used acrylic paint.

Other option is veneer if you have a number of holes in a fairly small panel. Most 'teak' wall panels on most boats are actually teak veneer over plywood anyway.
~A
 
C lectric said:
No help on #3 but I have used plugs to plug holes in my varnish. Smallest is 1/4" diam. that I know of.
If a really small screw hole then slivers of teak could be fashioned with knives, chisels and sandpaper. Then pushed into place and glued, shaved and sanded down and refinished.


I have also used fillers but colour matching can be fun no matter what the labels say. Maybe mixing to get the closest match. Just keep track of how much of each you use as you get close.

MAYBE use teak dust and mix in some glue that won't change the colour to much. I've done that but a LONG time ago and never followed up.

I would suggest find a piece of teak that is similar and practice first on that.
Click to expand...

:thumb:

I have owned this boat long enough to have the large number of holes that you describe. I have tried all of the above suggestions, with varying success.
Plugs have been the best result. Teak dust in glue the worst. Replacing panels has worked, but is probably overkill with the difficulty making it look like it was the original outweighing the improvement in appearance.
 
Use plugs. You will see the plugs of course, but they are “nice” looking. There is a mandatory cooling off period, about six months. If after the cooling off period it still bothers you, evaluate the work to replace and repeat the assessment given the knowledge of the scope of work to replace. The plugs look nice, even though noticeable. It is a rare event where you will still want to go to the extent of replacement after the mandatory cooling off period. Just filling will look a ton better, but even when using the sawdust for filler I’ve always found the result to be much darker and noticeable in a less pleasing way than a plug. I find a nice sharp Forstner bit to make the cleanest hole for a plug.
 
I have a range of teak dowel sizes & a pencil sharpener - sharpen, dip in titebond, stuff in hole, cut flush with pull saw or chisel. Works really well on small holes. I have a bunch of larger cut-outs that I'm still scratching my head over though.

Sometimes I drill the hole out a bit to match the dowel diameter and skip the sharpening step.
 
For large panel holes, choices are some sort of cover to lesson the objectionable look, or patch and veneer the entire surface.

The plug cutters make a slightly tapered plug that fit snugly in the hole. You can also match wood species.

There are large plug cutters available - at least 2 inch diameter. I've never used one that large and I'm not sure how you'd drill the hole that large without a drill press (since there's already a hole, no pilot bit possible), but it might be possible with some patience and finesse.

https://www.woodcraft.com/products/fisch-tenon-plug-cutter-3-8-cd-x-3-1-8-cl-x-5-1-2-oal
 
Many thanks for the great ideas!
 
Bung cutters are available in 1/4, 5/16 3/8, 7/16, 1/2 and large sizes. I have use all in drill press to make bungs from the teak to fix holes. Look for teak is similar in color as your floors. Drill the holes with a matching drill bit and then glue in the bungs with a yellow glue for interior use or expoxy for exterior use like on teak decks. I have also made dead mans the you fit to an odd shape hole using chisels, routers, to make a repair (a slow process). After inserting and the glue cures use a zero set saw (Wood craft or Rockler) to saw off the excess usually about 1/16 inch high. The carefully plane down with a chisel and then finish sand to make flush. I have made bigger bungs on my lathe to fill larger round holes some larger than two inch diameter. I your careful and refinish, you can see them but they look much better than the original open holes.
I have made smaller teak pins down to about 1/8 inch diameter that are made with the grain thru a die to fill small holes they work ok but you see end grain rather the the flat or edge grain.
 
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I agree that plugs usually work out best. Even if obvious visually they aren’t intrusive, at least to my taste.

I use a forstner bit to cut the holes. In areas where there is already a hole in the way, making it difficult for the bit to pilot properly, I usually use a piece of plexiglass as a guide, with the same size hole drilled though it. Press it tight above the surface while you start the new hole.

Another option is to fill the old holes with epoxy or another filler before drilling the new hole, though that’s a little more work.
 
Options 1,2&3.

I like 1 best but it is not always practical.

I agree with everyone the option 2 is very continent and I have had a lot of success with this method.

Option 3, this option is usually reserved for bigger holes and in places were option 1 is not practical. Blanking plates. You can make these out of teak or acrylic or abs plastic. Done correctly and they look just as natural.
 
Save your saw dust any time you saw teak or drill. There’s many types (and therefore colors) of teak. Find what matches your teak. For very small holes (or even some dents) using teak sawdust works best. For very small holes I think I just plastic putty knifed it in and varnished. It held until I sold that boat. Make sure what you mix it with will accept stain and varnish (teak oil) depending upon your surface finish. Went to a wood working site (forget which) for instructions and supplies. That was sometime ago so sorry I don’t remember specifics. But do remember repair was nearly invisible. Perhaps some one here can elucidate further.
 
I've used the dust and glue trick many times with great result...but only with more typical hardwoods (cherry, maple) never teak
 
To cut the plugs I also use a Japanese pull saw especially made for this purpose.
It had tooth set on one side only so that side can lie on the surface without damage to that surface.
Chisels , sooner or later, will break the plug leaving a divot in the plug surface.
If there is any plug left above the surface a SHARP chisel can then be used to CAREFULLY shave the excess down. Or sandpaper. I also do not just butt the chisel to the remainder but angle the strokes so it shaves making sure I shave in the direction of the grain, NOT across it.
 
If a lot of holes, I agree with Option #3 (blanking plates). I have two of them. One is on the instrument panel above the helm. Lots of holes, including some major ones where older electronics were removed. Second one is in the galley, again where some older electronics were removed/replaced. I have a local source for 1/4" thick solid teak in 6 and 8 inch widths. Pricey, but so easy. Cut the panel, finish the edges, and attach with stainless screws and finish washers. There is something about finish washers that makes a new patch look like an original production access plate.
 
Instead of glue , its quicker to use varnish, especially good on deck or window and door trim repairs so the plug can usually be pulled again simply by screwing into it.


The varnish frequently lets go with out enlarging the drilled hole.
 
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Moersea,

Can you post a photo of the area or give the length and width? I have some 1/8" teak plywood I can send you if it is not a huge piece.

Rob
 
Thanks! As it happens I have a piece reclaimed from a reworked cabinet that’s just right for a cover patch - but greatly appreciated nonetheless.
 
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