Teak question

[lwhughes149]

A friend brought over wooden trim from a 30 plus year old boat and ask me if I could refinish it for him. He thought the wood was oak. It does look like oak but I can't see any wood being used on a boat except teak. Does teak look like oak and can I expect to bring it back to its original state with sanding? It has a redish look. Any suggestions on how to finish it and what to seal it with. I was going to use poly. Lorraine

 

[Nativespec]

I have read that white oak is used in boat construction, but more for structural applications. Spar poly is used for marine applications and I would make sure that it had a non-yellowing agent (like outdoor paint).

Thanks,

David

 

[DIYGUY]

What was the wood used for? By no stretch of the imagination are all boats built from teak. Most parts of a boat that are made from teak are not structural, but trim exposed to weather. The reason teak is often preferred is that it has natural oils that make varnishing it unnedessary to protect it from the elements. Teak starts out a reddish brown, but like cedar will weather to a dull, often dirty appearing gray. One can varnish teak to preserve the original color, but all varnishes in the marine environment are short-lived and need renewal. Lots of boats use mahogany for trim instead of teak because it costs less (usually) and the color is more appealing when it is varnished.

White oak is the wood of choice in wooden boats for almost anything stuctural with several exceptions. Wooden canoes use cedar because of its strength to weight ratio. Some dinghys use white pine in lots of areas. It goes on and on, just as in cabinet making.

You can tell if the wood is oak or teak or mahogany by sanding it. Teak and mahogany will both come back to their original color quite readily. Teak can be hard to sand, mahogany is fairly easy. White oak tends to stay light when weathered, but the rays turn black and give the wood a mottled appearance. Of course if you really want to know what you are dealing with you could always cut a piece open and that will give it away.

As for the finish - never, ever, never, never, never use polyurethane on a boat. It will not stand up any better than a good marine spar varnish and when it comes time to take it off (which is inevitable on boats) it is an absolute bear to remove. Your main culprit is UV and not water. Seems to me that I used Captains Varnish awhile back and somewhere in the distant fog of memory it received middle-of-the-road ratings by someone testing marine varnishes. Stay away from Lowe's / Home Despot varnishes. Go online or find a chandlery near you ...

 

[lwhughes149]

This wood is used for trim. I sanded several pieces, they produce a reddish dust but still remain gray. They still look like oak to me but what do I know? I don't see how I can bring this back to look like original teak.

 

[DIYGUY]

Teak is an open grain wood much like oak. When sanded it will produce red-brown dust. The surface will change from gray to a very light brown. It does not matter whether you have oak or teak if all you are doing is refinishing. Just take off the old finish, sand the surface and put on your topcoat. Either wood will accept a varnish coat just fine.

Someone posted a great link to an online species identification site that had very good pictures - wish I could provide it for you, but do a search and you will find it I am sure ...

UPDATE: Try this one - looks like what I was thinking about! Look for Dave O's post ...
http://www.ncwoodworker.net/forums/showthread.php?t=8260

 

[Big Mike]

I always used teak oil on the teak on my boat. Seemed appropriate....

 

[lwhughes149]

From the description, it appears that I do have teak. Where can I find teak oil? This friend isn't a profectionist he just wants the wood to look better. What I am sanding is still gray and very hard wood. I have to make four slats, about 10 inches long by 1/2 inch wide. I have to use red oak. To order some teak isn't something that would concern him.

 

[oderus1671]

being a boat builder by profession, I would say its teak. Anything other than teak on the exterior of any boat would be crazy, IMO. Teak has oils in it that resist the harsh marine environment. It will produce a reddish brown dust when sanded, and most notably, you can "feel" and see these oils, as the dust has a tendency to 'pill up' as you sand it. Keep in mind the older it is, the less the oils will be noticeable. Lets see a pic of it and I will tell you for sure if its teak or not. Teak oil can be bought at any marine center, such as West Marine, but I will tell you its not cheap. It also doesnt produce a "finish" like other varnishes such as poly, it merely seals the grain and protects the wood from drying out and such.

 

[DIYGUY]

Teak oil is just another fancy way for mfrs to extract money from your wallet - for years I used boiled linseed oil cut 50% with turps and it was just as good, maybe better than teak oil. Be aware that any oil can produce gumminess and is a magnet for dirt, especially in the open air. Also, the nice fresh look of oiled teak disappears rapidly when allowed to weather - teak is not maintenance free! And teak oil is not going to make oak look like teak - nothing will ever accomplish that to the practiced eye. If you decide to use teak oil ACE hardware carries it and will likely cost you less than buying it at a marine supply house (chandlery).

From the description, it appears that I do have teak. Where can I find teak oil? This friend isn't a profectionist he just wants the wood to look better. What I am sanding is still gray and very hard wood. I have to make four slats, about 10 inches long by 1/2 inch wide. I have to use red oak. To order some teak isn't something that would concern him.

 

[lwhughes149]

Thanks to all for the helpful info. Now I need to talk to the friend and see what he expects the outcome to be. Thanks again. Lorraine