Wood bleach

[mainshiptom]

Since I got my boat last summer, I have been trying to lighten up the intrior wood and there is lots of it , Amrican boat !,

I have stripped the varnish, I have used wood bleach, i have used a two part wood bleach, i have sanded the wood down, somtimes in certain areas I did get a good result but on the all when I varnish again with clear varnish the wood chnges to a very lovely dark colour but I wanted it light !


Can any body help ?

I will do anything...


Thanks

Tom

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[tillergirl]

I don't have the answer but ironically I have been trying to darken the colour of the new iroko saloon lockers to match the 40 year old dark iroko of the remainder! I've been just as unsuccessful as you.

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[Peterduck]

Which species of wood are you dealing with? If it is an American boat, you may be trying to lighten up teak or even mahogany, and you may be wanting it to be lighter than it will ever get to. If bleaching and sanding have not lightened it up enough, you are down to either replacing the interior, or getting to love it as it is. If the layout is fine, the joinerwork good, and the condition good, I'd choose the latter. Another possibility is to paint some of the timber in an ivory [not white!]enamel, leaving other parts varnished as an accent. I am currrently fitting out my edwardian gaff ketch with vertical matchboarding painted ivory, and varnished balckwood [similar colour to teak] highlights such as galley bench top, bunk sides, etc.
Peter.

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[mainshiptom]

Thnks for the input !

I should of said ! The boat has a mixture of teak and a second wood which is either mahogony or cherry ?

The teak is no problem and comes up very bright every time it is cleaned !

It is the other wood whichj seems to clean up well and even blech well but on appling anything to keep it prottected it will darken again ??

Tom

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[mainshiptom]

Nice to see that you are contributing from Aus, I used to live in Melbourne about well 26 years ago !!

South caulifield !


Tom

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[Romeo]

I am no expert as my boat does not have an interior. However, have you thought about using furniture wax to treat the wood rather than using varnish? Presumably the interior of your boat does not see much of the elements.

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[mainshiptom]

good advise , I will try a wax !

Tom

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[Peterduck]

Well, well! South Caulfield eh? I live in Moorabbin, which must be all of three miles away! We are just starting to get some semi-regular rain after seven years of drought.
If you have mahogany, no bleach in all the world will make it light. It was popular because it is dark, which was very fashionable.
Cheers,
Peter.

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[Captain Coochie]

Domestos works everytime
water it down and rub it in with wire wool
ive used this method loads of times and always had the result i was after
stronger mix gives a lighter result
:O)

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[mainshiptom]

500 Glen eira road ! Really good memories asw well.

I have managed to brightn the wood up quite a bit Using oxilac acid and a two stage mixture !


Can I leave the wood with no protction ?? Because it looks great ??

Tom

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[mainshiptom]

good idea , I will try anything once !

Tom

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[tcm]

althouhh i think it will be ok and no real harm will come to it inside, imho you should at least put some wax on it, i think, to protect against dirt ingress and so on, otherwise you will be sanding down next year as well. A furniture polisher will be able to advise (i'm not one) and i think basic protection is shellac, then wax on it.

But i bet the darker colours will return of their own accord - even well-varnished woods take on a darker hue over time, so near-white maple goes honey coloured except where a picture covered it, bright white sycamore rolling pins go biscuit coloured, and excitingly tiger-like iroko goes towards a deeper brown.

If you want it to look more exciting, and less dull, praps you can brighten it with different fabrics? Alcantara hold colour well, so a daring yellow, purple, cobalt blue or even pink will dramtically modernise otherwise olde worlde interior. Be brave - this is only a small area, not like choosing a lunatic colour to plaint a large room. And anyway, some rooms actually do look good in colours you daren't try yourself

good luck

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[Peterduck]

If it feels good, do it! I generally find that I prefer a clear finish of some kind, as it shows off the wood better. However, this is a matter of taste. In old mansions like "Rippon Lea" scrubbed pine was all the go for bench tops in the kitchen. Mind you, they always had someone to scrub the pine! Down below the timber should be more protected than outside.
Peter.

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[mickshep]

Hi Tillergirl. Wondering how long the new iroko has been fitted, I've used a hell of a lot of it over the years, when fresh cut it can be very light brown or even a yellowish colour, IMHO it doesn't need staining down as in my experience it has allways darkened down of its own accord. generally to a nice teak like colour. the stuff I used on my old five tonner a year and a half ago is indistinguishable from the sixty year old burmese teak that the rest of the boat is built of, even varnishing has made no difference, Hope this helps. Fair winds, Mick.

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[ccscott49]

Try burmese teak stain, this darkened down my new iroko very well.

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