Internation Woodskin - one year on feedback

[Tam Lin]

I was the original poster and it is now 4 years on. So I thought I would provide another update. My boat has a lot of teak. I have given up on the Woodskin and I am in the process of stripping it all off. After thorough preparation and following the instructions to the letter and goodness knows how many coats it now looks awful. It has gone a matt dark brown laced with black patches where water has penetrated. The sad thing for me is the teak looks nothing like teak. It looks more like the sort of colour on dark brown Edwardian furniture. It lasted slightly better on vertical surfaces, but the horizontal ones are prone to water ingress and blackening. When I came to strip it was apparent that it had not penetrated the teak - it just sits on top. I used some heat and a scraper, then chemical teak cleaner followed by sanding. It is a lot of work. After a recommendation from a boat builder friend I am now trying Semco. It is expensive (but so was the Woodskin and I have 2 unopened tins) It is easy to apply - like brushing khaki coloured water onto the teak. Just two coats the second immediately following the first. Yet to be proven but they say a wash followed by a top-up coat each season. So far I am pleased with the results. The teak looks like untreated teak. Water beads on the teak and apparently when this stops it is time to recoat. I'll provide an update next year.

I’ll have your unopened tins!

 

[maby]

Semco is excellent - easy to apply and provides a good level of protection without significantly altering the basic nature of the teak. On our previous boat, we made the mistake of applying one of the coloured Semcos - it looked very good for the first couple of years, but the colour became a bit patchy after that and we needed to strip it off before applying a fresh coat. These days we apply the Clearcote version - effectively no colour. The teak continues to look more or less new for a long time and there seems to be less need for stripping it back before recoating.

 

[Andibs]

Anybody tried using Danish oil?

 

[viva]

Yes I have tried Danish oil. It is easy to apply and gives a pleasing finish, but it needs topping up too frequently in my opinion

 

[vyv_cox]

Anybody tried using Danish oil?

Very disappointing on previously varnished teak. No penetration and it lasted less than a season. But on virgin teak it did well. Low viscosity makes it difficult to apply on small sections such as toe and hand rails but it was OK on my windowsills at home.

 

[KINGFISHER 8]

I've used Woodskin on brand new wood, straight out of the factory. Three coats and no problems yet. Gunwales and a cockpit table. Other than wiping down the new wood with thinners no other prep so maybe it's best used on new wood rather than wood that's previously been coated.

 

[viva]

Opinion is clearly divided. I wonder if the varying performances are caused by the type of wood. From scanning the thread it could be that non-teak users have good experiences with Woodskin and I wonder if the product doesn't work so well on teak . Could those who have used it on teak please tell us how well it has performed?

 

[Graham376]

Opinion is clearly divided. I wonder if the varying performances are caused by the type of wood. From scanning the thread it could be that non-teak users have good experiences with Woodskin and I wonder if the product doesn't work so well on teak . Could those who have used it on teak please tell us how well it has performed?

As well as sapele table, I used it on teak grab rails which weren't in the best wear and finish condition, having had Burgess in the past. None has peeled/flaked and I wonder if some people's problems have been caused by lack of de-oiling first with acetone or similar.

 

[blan321]

My main companionway doors are teak with teak Louvres. Boat and doors 29 yrs old. When i bought boat 3 yrs ago i stripped off the terrible quality dark blue paint thaf had been slapped on with no primer, and finished with 3 coats of woodskin. After 1 year doors good but lower edges of most louvres down to bare wood. I took off, put on some "winter" doors, touched up with another 3 coats on louvres and 2 elsewhere. That was 5 months ago. So far still excellent. I am very pleased with the finish and touching up was easy and now invisible. The slight tint has obscured any residual blue paint in deep grain, even after copious paint stripper etc. Overall doors now look excellent.

 

[Quandary]

I have used Woodskin on teak for the first time this year though I have used its ancestor on external larch cladding at home (with really good durability).
The boat has only limited external teak, a cockpit grating which is just washed with sea water, two exposed coachroof handrails and a trim batten across the sliding hatch under the sprayhood. Performance on the latter has been good with no deterioration which I attribute to its sheltered dry location. The handrails have not fared so well and it will do well to last the season there, as well as greater weather exposure the rails get knocks from the boat hook and dinghy oars which are stowed alongside them. So next year I will remove what remains of the Woodskin there and revert to bare teak.
I am not so keen on the tint either, particularly after kicking the open tin down the non slip white grp sidedeck.