Teak Refinishing With 2-Part Polyurethane

I recently bought a beautiful GB32 with one exception: The teak rails have been ignored for years. Tops are going grey in huge patches and edges and bottoms are nothing to brag about. To make this happen more efficiently, I plan to remove the top rails from the stanchions and then remove the stanchions from the cap rails so we do not have to work around all the metal. I have good help, have worked professionally six years doing wooden boat rebuilding and refinishing, and have a supply of excellent tools. Here is where I need the HELP: People and purveyors are suggesting that I use clear two-part polyurethane instead of varnish or Sikkens, both of which I have used extensively and know the good and the bad. Tell me about your experience using two-part polyurethane. Pros and cons and tips are very welcome!

Sounds like it will be easy for you to strip down to nice clean wood.

The two part polys have wonderful UV resistance but they tend to be very hard and inflexible. Wood moves a lot and in the past 2 part polys would crack at each joint.

Now manufactures are making 2 part polys for wood. I’ve had terrific results painting with Interlux Perfection. In your case I’d be inclined to try Perfection Plus Varnish.
https://interlux.com/en/us/boat-paint/varnish/perfection-plus

I have been using a two-part product called 'Awlwood' on the cap rails and door frames my GB46 with very good results. Its very tough.

Hamish.

I am on year two using one part Awlwood. Primer then 8 coats. Very forgiving to apply, no sanding between coats, can overcoat 2x per day with good conditions, stretches out brush marks as it dries, and looks great. Second year did light sand and two coats. Looks like new.

Removing the rails and stanchions are well worth the effort, especially since you'll be starting a new baseline.
I've not used any of the 2-part clear coats but would imagine they are superior in adhesion and UV resistance (according to what I've read) compared to 1-part varnishes. I am sold on the varnish over epoxy method. The laminating epoxy has great "tooth" and I've not had any of it lift off of the teak in 4 years. I don't know if the 2-part varnish would have the same adhesion as epoxy over time.
The 2-part finishes that I've read about are not compatible over epoxy or 1-part varnishes, so I'm kind of stuck but happy in this camp.


Best of luck! Please post some project pics.

Hope it goes well gbb. The teak on my IG36 had been ignored too,ended up with such deep grooving on the exposed bow section a full hard sand would have removed too much material, so, a lighter sand,and Deks Olje 1 & 2.
Having taken the non varnish approach I`m no help on 2 pack varnishes. Where I do use varnish, I use Cetol HGL gloss with no added color.
I`ve a deep dislike of having to remove old varnish back to bare wood,a heat gun helps a lot, but the job is not my idea of fun.

I keep hearing about varnish over epoxy and I have been experimenting with my dining table. What fails in the system over time or is the epoxy forever with the varnish as the wear surface?

boating rich said:

I keep hearing about varnish over epoxy and I have been experimenting with my dining table. What fails in the system over time or is the epoxy forever with the varnish as the wear surface?

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Always the varnish, although even with many coasts of exterior varnish, outside the epoxy undercoat will bleach over time and the wood becomes lighter color in appearance.

There are two approaches to epoxy/varnish coatings. The first of to use MEK thinned epoxy to soak into the bare wood to seal it so moisture isn't likely to get under the varnish. The second is the apply a couple of coats of fill bodied epoxy to both seal moisture out and protect the wood. This latter method requires wet sanding of the hardened epoxy, since it is usually almost impossible to avoid brushing marks. If you go the full thickness rite, it is still a good idea to first lay down a thinned coat of epoxy before overlaying with unthinned epoxy.

And if you want to make the product more or less bullet proof, wrap it with 4 oz epoxy glass and two thick coats of epoxy. Finish with 8 coats of varnish and you're good to go.

Re: 2 part varnishes... They're kind of a bitch to apply, at least in my experience. They kick off so quickly that you can't brush them and maintain a wet edge line you can with single part product. If the work is narrow, maintaining the wet edge without it getting gummy or easier.

Bristol is a two part product that has been around for 20 years. I put it on the cap rail on our boat 12 years ago and it held up well until the ten year mark (Great Lakes). It's now beginning to lift in few spots, so will be stripped and reapplied this summer. The Interlux product mentioned earlier in this thread sounds like the same stuff.

I just started experimenting with Alwood. I have no experience with how long it lasts. Alwood sticks to the primer well but it doesn’t stick to non primered surfaces. This turns out to be great when cleaning up drips. It goes on fast as you add multiple coats in a single day. More care is required in pulling tape. With 3 different primer colors you have some influence (very small influence) on final color of teak.

In my past I have oiled, varnished, and Silkkins cetoled. None of those options last as long as i’m Looking for. If the Alwood fails to meet my expectations I will try the Bristol 2 part system.

I just had mine redone. They had pettit on them and they were near perfect. The guy that redid them for me swore by Awlbright it blows the pettit away. I am so amazed at how they turned out. It is a nice product.

I’ve been hesitant to use a 2 part on our cap rails on not knowing how to deal with repairs. We’ve been using Cetol. I can easily repair a scratch or a dig even down to bare teak. How do you do that with a 2 part?

Larry M said:

I’ve been hesitant to use a 2 part on our cap rails on not knowing how to deal with repairs. We’ve been using Cetol. I can easily repair a scratch or a dig even down to bare teak. How do you do that with a 2 part?

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Nothing repairs as easily as Cetol, and whether single or two part, varnish is going to require some real finesse. The problem is that once the varnish is aged enough to need repair, whatever you lay over it has a totally different gloss. You can 2000 grit wet sand a much larger area to get the repair to blend better, and that will give you a reasonable, if not perfect, gloss.

The Bristol is a traditional amber tint as opposed to Interlux Perfection;or Jamestown Distributors Envy. The only tricky thing I noticed using two part is that with the wet edge problem, it helps to have some one mixing for you. That way you don’t have to stop when your batch runs out. You have to mix small batches as it starts to kick sooner than you want

Awkwood

I second or third Awlwood. The result will astound you.
If you use Clear Primer with the Topcoat you shouldn’t have a problem with repairing as you haven’t tinted the wood which happens with Cetol. If the wood is teak the result is brown enough.
Awlwood isn’t a 2 part finish in that the Primer goes on first with Topcoat following in a specific timeframe.

Go online and print out the product data. It’s important to follow!

Application is easy enough. Just be aware it’s got the viscosity of water and drips everywhere. Use acetone to wipe up before it cures in 30 minutes.

Ronbo

Based on living in the Philippines for 10+ years, and the hi, hot sun that that latitude will give you, I would not use a varnish or a 2-part. If you can find a product called Deks Ole'...use it! It looks good, is easy to repair, and protects the wood without sealing it. But, since or return from Asia I have been unable to find it here in the Caribb. After a long search, we're very happy with natural Semco as a sub. Protects the teak without sealing it, and is easy to repair dings-but here in Puerto Rico, it only lasts about 6-12 months before another coat is required.

I've Been Using a Wipe on

I've been using Waterlux High Gloss Marine wipe on. I put about 5 coats on bare wood as a base, then wipe on more as required. It holds up pretty good, but the application is real easy. If you look real close, it doesn't have the depth of numerous coats of varnish, but it might be in the "good enough" category.

ronbo said:

I second or third Awlwood. The result will astound you.
If you use Clear Primer with the Topcoat you shouldn’t have a problem with repairing as you haven’t tinted the wood which happens with Cetol. If the wood is teak the result is brown enough.
Awlwood isn’t a 2 part finish in that the Primer goes on first with Topcoat following in a specific timeframe.

Go online and print out the product data. It’s important to follow!

Application is easy enough. Just be aware it’s got the viscosity of water and drips everywhere. Use acetone to wipe up before it cures in 30 minutes.

Ronbo

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Is about 3 times the cost of Captains Varnish. Does it go three times as far coverage wise?

grandbanksbayfield said:

I recently bought a beautiful GB32 with one exception: The teak rails have been ignored for years. Tops are going grey in huge patches and edges and bottoms are nothing to brag about. To make this happen more efficiently, I plan to remove the top rails from the stanchions and then remove the stanchions from the cap rails so we do not have to work around all the metal. I have good help, have worked professionally six years doing wooden boat rebuilding and refinishing, and have a supply of excellent tools. Here is where I need the HELP: People and purveyors are suggesting that I use clear two-part polyurethane instead of varnish or Sikkens, both of which I have used extensively and know the good and the bad. Tell me about your experience using two-part polyurethane. Pros and cons and tips are very welcome!

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I own a 1973 wooden GB MY and have completely redone the teak handrails several times. The first time was 10 years ago using top of the line BRISTOL FINISH Urethene. It failed within one year. Thinking user-error, I removed it to bare wood and redid again using BRISTOL. It failed again in one year. I have since switched to Cetol and have had excellent results. The first application I applied 3 thin coats of Cetol to bare wood. Then every year, once in the fall and then in the spring I maintain the rails as follows
- clean rails with rag dipped in MarineSol-M (green MEK replacement) to remove oils etc.
- VERY LIGHTLY run 400 grit paper over rails to break the surface
- clean off dust with MarineSol-M
- then apply a very thin coat of CETOL clear using a cheesecloth

This takes one person less than 90 minutes for my 48.5 Foot MY.

I have only had one failure - aft SB topside corner where a teak plug/screw had come loose.

I am now in the process of sewing canvas winter covers for all my exterior teak - to give me better protection and perhaps remove need to refresh the rails twice per year.

- Capt B

Exterior Teak

I have a 46 GB classic and use Cetol. Base is three coats of natural teak and than three coats of gloss. Each year I lightly sand and apply a maintenance coat of gloss. If I need to repair I tape off the damaged area, sand to bare wood, coat with three coats of natural teak sand lightly and apply tow coats of gloss. The system does not look as good as ten coats of varnish but it is close enough and the maintenance and durability is well worth it. More time boating!

Awl "products" seem real popular in the PNW. Had my caprail done with it a few months ago, awesome is all I can say.

Bilge always needs draining...

Hi, I have a Hirshire 37 (1980) that I have been working on for the past year and a half since it was out of the water for hull refinsihing. My concern is that I empty the bilge every time it rains.



The boat needed everything done including teak refinishing, gel coat done, finding and repair water leaks above the water line. I've repaired fiberglass where the deck meets the teak deck, holes on either sides forward below the portholes. Just wondering if you have any other suggestions about where water leaks might occur?

Another vote for Cetol. Orange or clear, lasts for years.

Yes, I have used Cetol on all the teak work... Have you had any water problems?

Unicorn V is a 1981 GB 36CL with all the original teak trim bits of that era in addition to the hand rails and cap rails. Miles of teak. In about 2004 I had her teak stripped to bare wood followed by 2 coats of CPES and then multiple coats of Epifanes varnish which I tried unsuccessfully to refresh each year. In 2009 I had it stripped to wood again but after speaking to some converts and impressed with their results I decided to try Cetol, with 2 coats of the Cetol marine followed with 3 (I think) of Cetol gloss. Very happy with the results. Dock comments are all positive. Every two years I applied 2 more coats of gloss until about 2013 or 2014 when I let it ride. By 2018 it still looked fresh but I decided not to push my luck so did 2 coats last September. She is in a shed but spends a solid 3 months each year cruising (250-300hrs/year). It is easy to apply and repair.

Cetol is just plain ugly. If it works for you great. It certainly has a longer life than varnish.

Is about 3 times the cost of Captains Varnish. Does it go three times as far coverage wise?

- Hard to answer. Varnish comes in quarts and Alwood comes .67 of a quart. I am looking to make it up in longevity. Unfortunately it’s too soon for me to give you an honest opinion on life expectancy.

I have not had to do touch ups or recoats so I can’t speak to those items either. The final look is gorgeous, even better than varnish.

jrhodes777 said:

I have a 46 GB classic and use Cetol. Base is three coats of natural teak and than three coats of gloss. Each year I lightly sand and apply a maintenance coat of gloss. If I need to repair I tape off the damaged area, sand to bare wood, coat with three coats of natural teak sand lightly and apply tow coats of gloss. The system does not look as good as ten coats of varnish but it is close enough and the maintenance and durability is well worth it. More time boating!

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CETOL remains the best.

The teak on my GB36 was pretty bad. Heat gun stripped it in a weekend, whole boat. Bleached teak twice, let dry, then used Aelwood yellow primer. Incredible deapth of color. It is so hard, we step on the teak gunnels and it has never scratched. It can be buffed. It can be thinned to really lay down. They claim five years before sanding and adding two coats, I am at year three.

It is expensive, but I don't have time to screw with it every couple of years. What is your time worth?

For a 32 figure 5 cans at least. I have seen it for $75 a can and under $40.

Compared to Cetol, Awlwood is like glass clear, Cetol like motor oil. No comparison.

Awlwood is a single stage but has Imron type properties. Buy a can and play with it, or call the Awlwood rep direct, and get in a yard that uses it to see it being applied.

When we took delivery of our new Fleming 55 in 2003, she had beautifully varnished caprails. But within a few months, white blooms appeared underneath.

I was told this was becasue it was damp when the varnish was applied. Under warranty, I was offerd a full re-varnish or removal to clean teak.

Seeing the hours and hours and hours varnished boats require to keep the varnished teak looking good, I opted for clean teak and the natural look.

Maintaing Play d'eau takes enough time, so not having varnish to take even more time, is a bonus.

And the greying teak matches my hair!