Restoring the colour of teak

[JonnieFlamingo]

I'm certain this has been discussed but I have searched this forum and come up empty handed. My gaff cutter (www.justflamingo.com) has lots of lovely teak just waiting to be restored. On really worn areas almost all of the old varnish has flaked off and the exposed wood has faded grey like a teak deck. Obviously sanding will get back to the lovely honey coloured teak lurking beneath, however I'm wondering whether there is a way of restoring the colour without sanding it. Not that I'm afraid of a bit of hard graft you understand, and who needs finger prints anyway, but I'm conscious that repeated sanding will start to blur the shape and definition of moldings like the rubbing strake or coach roof lip. I have used a wood restorer before but with poor results, any advice gratefully received.
Jonathan

 

[Eyore]

In my experience the results are directly proportional to the graft expended, so there is no way to avoid stripping right back. The varnish that is there is clearly not a substrate onto which any further coasts can be added and anyway the colour of the timber where the varnish remains and the part that is weathered will never match unless its entirely stripped and rubbed back.

 

[Tranona]

You can buy teak restorer and cleaner from a variety of sources. Wessex Chemicals have one that works well. They are usually oxalid acid based and you might find straight oxalid acid diluted and mixed with wallpaper paste will work well on your coachroof sides.

 

[Kukri]

Strip the varnish with a hot air gun and a scraper; sandpaper should get the colour back soon enough, but yes, the standby is oxalic acid.

 

[PlankWalker]

Strip the varnish with a hot air gun and a scraper; sandpaper should get the colour back soon enough, but yes, the standby is oxalic acid.

+1 A bigger problem is what to do with those shakes? Rake them out and fill with epoxy and sawdust maybe.

Plank

 

[ripvan1]

Cabinet scraper - a drop of varnish stripper should help as well.

 

[Mandarin331]

+1 for oxalic acid, mixed in wall paper paste, apply liberally then cover with cling film to stop it drying out and leave for a few days, 're applying if it drys. Then wash off with water, only sand after washing as inhaling oxalic acid dust is not great. Cling film also works well over nitromors.

 

[FWB]

I imagine that you will have to scrape and sand to get back to the honey colour. The problem is how to keep the colour. I hate varnish since it's a pain to have to keep on top of it. All of the teak on my boat,apart from the deck obviously, was oiled. Big mistake as it went black in the sun. So I sanded it all down and have now left it to weather just like the deck. I keep it looking clean with a yearly dose of Patio Magic which is very easy to appy-- just spray and leave.
Here's after sanding and how it looks now by just leaving it bare....

.

.

 

[JonnieFlamingo]

Wow! Beautiful boat, and a lovely soft finish. That is certainly food for thought. Do you think there will be any long term effects of not protecting the wood like drying out, splitting?

 

[FWB]

Wow! Beautiful boat, and a lovely soft finish. That is certainly food for thought. Do you think there will be any long term effects of not protecting the wood like drying out, splitting?

It's been like that for at least five years with no problems.

 

[narmribboats]

The Teamac brand of paints might be your solution. The brand have a wide range of colors for wooden hulls etc.

 

[SAMYL]

JonnieFlamingo your decks are certainly teak but your coach roof looks like mahogany, although I might be wrong.

If it is teak then varnish will not stick to it terribly well anyway as teak is an oily wood and needs careful preparation if you want to varnish it properly.

 

[Cheery]

I would rub down and use a teak oil and just re-apply the oil over the top every year. At least I would have done until I read the post on it going black but that could be because it was dirty before the oil was applied. Sand and rinse, sand and rinse, just like woodwork at school. Take it from there.

 

[FWB]

I would rub down and use a teak oil and just re-apply the oil over the top every year. At least I would have done until I read the post on it going black but that could be because it was dirty before the oil was applied. Sand and rinse, sand and rinse, just like woodwork at school. Take it from there.

The boat was brand new when the oil was applied. Oil and sunlight don't seem to mix.

 

[Cheery]

Garden furniture seems to be fine. Was it the addition of salt perhaps?

 

[FWB]

Garden furniture seems to be fine. Was it the addition of salt perhaps?

That's an interesting observation about garden furniture. In fact it was accidentally spraying Patio Magic on some that gave me the idea of using it on the boat!
I guess if your garden furniture has not gone black after many years then it may be that is because there's a lot more UV at sea....or the type of oil you are using is the answer!
I have not managed to get all the black out of the teak, I shan't be going near it with oil again.

 

[Cheery]

A joiner friend of mine suggested oil when I had mahogany windows years ago. He said it saves having to rub old varnish down every year. As for the garden furniture, i use a Danish teak oil but, as you say, it could be a combination of stronger UV and salt water. Although I amsure someone will be along shortly with a complicated graph regarding land UV and sea UV.

 

[KristiferColumbus]

A joiner friend of mine suggested oil when I had mahogany windows years ago. He said it saves having to rub old varnish down every year. As for the garden furniture, i use a Danish teak oil but, as you say, it could be a combination of stronger UV and salt water. Although I amsure someone will be along shortly with a complicated graph regarding land UV and sea UV.

Are you sure you are not confusing the two,Danish oil & "teak oil?" Teak oil is what made my external teak go black,Danish oil has a small amount of varnish in it I believe but without continuous maintenance would it be enough to retain the colour?

 

[Cheery]

I think you could be right about the Danish thing. My chairs are looking like they need a rub down, whereas the table just needs oiling. Thank you, you may have solved a mystery. I shall check which one I have left in the shed.

 

[Cheery]

Just found this thread. Sounds promising.

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthrea...t-versilcraft-Mystery43&p=4943526#post4943526