guydickinson
Well-Known Member
Wonder what most people think is best for, say, iroko or mahogany or teak fittings on boats such as toerails, handles and so on. Varnish (uv so-called resistant) or oils of various (which?) kinds!?
Varnish or oil
- Thread starter guydickinson
- Start date
Steve_Jones
Well-Known Member
Endeavour Oil and White Wax, natural-product based stuff from Oz. We have used it now for a while and it works well. No connection etc, etc...
Evadne
Well-Known Member
I use Danish oil on toerail and grab handles, two coats if we get the time, varnish everywhere else. B&Q do a Danish oil but it's noticably thinner than the more expensive stuff (Blackwoods' IIRC).
Have always been pleased with epiphanes varnish 'til now, but an impulse purchase at Southampton boat show between the free gin tent and the Guiness stand means I'll be trying Tonkinois at some point soon.
Have always been pleased with epiphanes varnish 'til now, but an impulse purchase at Southampton boat show between the free gin tent and the Guiness stand means I'll be trying Tonkinois at some point soon.
Poignard
Well-Known Member
I tried oils for about seven years and have given up using them. I have been using Epifanes Gloss varnish for the last two years and I prefer it because it lasts much longer and is less messy to apply. Also it doesn't darken the wood like oil. On the whole, I think a good varnish involves less work.
I started using oil because I thought that the oil would soak into the wood and preserve it but I found that with mahogany it doesn't penetrate very far at right angles to the grain but penetration into end grain and cracks is good, and I'm sure it has provided a good foundation for the varnish I am now using.
Is Le Tonkinois an oil or a varnish? I've heard good reports of it.
Incidentally, I saw a deckhand on a Brittanny ferry using a "non-drip" varnish on the external handrails a couple of years ago. I wrote down the make of the varnish but have lost the bit of paper. Anyone come across it? [The varnish I mean - not the bit of paper]
I started using oil because I thought that the oil would soak into the wood and preserve it but I found that with mahogany it doesn't penetrate very far at right angles to the grain but penetration into end grain and cracks is good, and I'm sure it has provided a good foundation for the varnish I am now using.
Is Le Tonkinois an oil or a varnish? I've heard good reports of it.
Incidentally, I saw a deckhand on a Brittanny ferry using a "non-drip" varnish on the external handrails a couple of years ago. I wrote down the make of the varnish but have lost the bit of paper. Anyone come across it? [The varnish I mean - not the bit of paper]
mickshep
Well-Known Member
Re' Tonkinois varnish. Good gear but in my experience, once the tin is opened you must use the whole tin as it began to turn to jelly rendering the rest of the tin useless. It led to a lot of waste and I wouldn't use it again. (Personal experience only) Regards, Mike.
yelbis
Well-Known Member
What should be used on teak finish seats in the cockpit and swim platform. i was told that products can affect the rubber bonding that is used with the decking and should apply to the wood only.
rogerthebodger
Well-Known Member
Have a look at this product. I do not know if it is available in the UK but it is designed and used in South Africa where we know somthing about the problems the sun can bring on unprotected surfaces included peoples skin. I have use this alot in both Dutban on by yacht and on my house in Johannesburg (6000 ft above sea level UV is very high) was on my boat 2 years in Durban 2 years JHB and only now on the horizontal places does it need scraping/samding off and replacing. Vertical places light run down and 2 coats.
Clear and tinted avaiable I used clear but tinted will last longer. Frend put on 10 coats yellow tinted and still OK after 5 years in Mozambique
No connection just happy customer
Clear and tinted avaiable I used clear but tinted will last longer. Frend put on 10 coats yellow tinted and still OK after 5 years in Mozambique
No connection just happy customer
vyv_cox
Well-Known Member
I have found Deks Olje to be excellent on new, previously unvarnished wood. About five years ago I did a piece of teak used to support my outboard on the pushpit and I have never done a thing to it since. It still looks excellent, despite three years in the Med sun.
However, i also did toe rails and other stuff that had been varnished previously. It was very disappointing and I have now removed all the remnants.
DO is very low viscosity and difficult to apply to small areas/sections. Recommended for larger surfaces.
However, i also did toe rails and other stuff that had been varnished previously. It was very disappointing and I have now removed all the remnants.
DO is very low viscosity and difficult to apply to small areas/sections. Recommended for larger surfaces.
doug748
Well-Known Member
A couple of years ago a chap spoke highly (Sailing Today) of Sikkens Cetol Novatech. This is a specilist, high solids, oil, finish not generally sold into the marine trade. It goes on in two coats and is said to weather well, and give a passable varnish "look". I intend to give it a go and will report back.
I feel teak is best left to itself, but I do like a bit of shine on the handrails.
I feel teak is best left to itself, but I do like a bit of shine on the handrails.
kandoma
Well-Known Member
having a Fisher, I'm used to varnish teak. I do it the Awl grip way: 3-5 layers of varnish - 10 weeks waiting time to get it dry - two layers of any two part clear varnish for cars and you have several years in front of you with no varnishing at all.
I went for 10 years with epoxy - clear two part varnish and gave up. The epoxy finaly will break down by UV, sooner then later. Oiling never worked on places, where water can stand.
Peter
I went for 10 years with epoxy - clear two part varnish and gave up. The epoxy finaly will break down by UV, sooner then later. Oiling never worked on places, where water can stand.
Peter
alienzdive
Well-Known Member
TO me a clear gloss varnish looks better, 10 years ago water based varnishes were to plastic looking and peeled off within hours of UV saturation. However the quality and durability of water based varnishes as well as the finish is improving. The quick drying times and improved sandability between coats, it will not be long and water based varnish will be the norm in for natural wood finishes.
jimbaerselman
Well-Known Member
Guy,
A goog starting point for finding out about varnish is to try wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varnish
Very informative. All varnishes are mixes of oils and resins; some mostly oil, some very heavy in resin. So, if you like, oil is at one end of the spectrum of varnish types. There are, of course, several types of oil - tung oil a favourite, and linseed oil a traditional type. Both take a long time (weeks) to cure compared to resin containng varnishes.
These simple facts are hidden among all the brand names that people swear by.
A goog starting point for finding out about varnish is to try wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varnish
Very informative. All varnishes are mixes of oils and resins; some mostly oil, some very heavy in resin. So, if you like, oil is at one end of the spectrum of varnish types. There are, of course, several types of oil - tung oil a favourite, and linseed oil a traditional type. Both take a long time (weeks) to cure compared to resin containng varnishes.
These simple facts are hidden among all the brand names that people swear by.
guydickinson
Well-Known Member
Thanks v much - good article. What do you think of Deks Olie D1?
jimbaerselman
Well-Known Member
It's one of many. It works. It's well promoted, so you're paying quite a lot for marketing. It's more effective in cooler climates, since it uses thinner oils than some varnishes; this also gives it better penetration.
In Greece, I use linseed oil on teak. About 20cents a litre, they call it 'English Oil'! Takes 2 to 5 days to cure in the summer temperatures out there.
A 'Teak Oil' of brand name forgotten (Scandinavian I think) three years ago was a lot more volatile, penetrated better, cured quicker (1 - 2 days), lived about the same length of time (one full summer, could have done a second but had bleached moderately), but cost Euros 15 per litre.
But if you want a gloss (looks a lot better - I was just going for protection) then you must use resin based varnishes.
In Greece, I use linseed oil on teak. About 20cents a litre, they call it 'English Oil'! Takes 2 to 5 days to cure in the summer temperatures out there.
A 'Teak Oil' of brand name forgotten (Scandinavian I think) three years ago was a lot more volatile, penetrated better, cured quicker (1 - 2 days), lived about the same length of time (one full summer, could have done a second but had bleached moderately), but cost Euros 15 per litre.
But if you want a gloss (looks a lot better - I was just going for protection) then you must use resin based varnishes.