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Teak removal/refinishing

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lauvermd
Deckhand

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13 Posts

Initially Posted - 03/21/2006 : 08:42:26

This will be our first year lauching our boat. The teak is in pretty bad shape. Last year we cleaned/oiled it but I was never happy with the look. I was planning to either do it with Cetol or Deks Olje this year prior to launch. I was thinking of going to the boat and removing all the exterior teak then bring it home and sand and refinish in my shop. The boat is an hours drive so it would be hard to make several trips to build up a nice finish.

Is this a good idea or is it best to try and do it on the boat? How much of a pain is it to remove and reinstall the handrails and other pieces? Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks

Lauver
Maine
79 SR/FK

Edited by - on

Leon Sisson
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1893 Posts

Response Posted - 03/21/2006 : 10:08:57

Lauver,

I'd say you're on the right track. I remove my exterior teak and refinish it with Cetol. The first time you take it off the boat may be a real pain, depending on how it was last glued on. Go slow and be careful not to damage the teak. I've had good luck cutting old adhesive using a thin, sharp putty knife driven with a soft mallet. Of course subsequent removals depend on how you reinstall it. So think ahead...

-- Leon Sisson

Edited by - on

John P
Captain

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USA
324 Posts

Response Posted - 03/21/2006 : 10:13:15

I removed all of my exterior teak and entry way teak (including stairs) in about 2 hours. It all came out easy. I would make sure it is a warm day, be patient, bring a putty knife or a narrow taping knife. Take care when drilling out the teak plugs to access the screw heads. I just barely drilled into the wood, then used a knife to dig out the remaining materil. Still unsure if I am going to replace with plugs or not.

Edited by - on

OLarryR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3462 Posts

Response Posted - 03/21/2006 : 11:05:16

I just finished 3 coats of Cetol Light while the teak was on the boat. Used a good grade of masking tape and covered all areas but still got a little bit of the Cetol onto the cabin top (very little). Took me ~4 days to do the light sanding and then 3 coats. I did one coat on the back side and edges of the companionway hatch covers. Would have done 3 coats on the back side but lost steam by the time everything else was done. I was lucky had good weather during the entire job. I'm satisfied but would have come out even better if i had removed all of the old finish.

Edited by - on

Derek Crawford
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3321 Posts

Response Posted - 03/21/2006 : 15:32:46

If you are going to use Cetol from now on, I suggest that you take all the wood off the boat so that you can do a thorough sanding down to bare wood. Put on 3 coats of Cetol (whichever shade you prefer)and then a coat of gloss to protect it.
When reinstalling the handrails remember that it really is a 2-man job.
This way you will get a finish that lasts and only requires touch-up about once a year.
BTW - in Texas I can get all 3 coats on in one afternoon - there are times when warmth is wonderful!

Derek

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dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 03/21/2006 : 16:07:27

My vote is to take it off also. If you do, be carefull removing the long handrails because they will spring straight and if you're not careful, you may split it.

The only thing I didn't remove was the decorative pieces above the cockpit seat backrests.

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OLarryR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3462 Posts

Response Posted - 03/21/2006 : 18:44:57

I know it would be better to remove the teak...but the laziness factor sets in and the thought that it be best not to mess with something that is presently intact keeps me from going that route. But ...I have to admit the sanding off of the old finish would have come out better had the teak been off the boat. The hatch boards came out fine and most of the trim came out fine as well. the only area that could have been a bit better was the top of the hand rails. I suspect that the previous owner had let them go just a bit too long before treating the wood and so...it would have been better to sand off the entire old finish, then bleach the wood to get some of the dark areas out , then apply the Cetol. Even so, the teak came out okay. I'll see how it does and hopefully only have to apply one coat if I keep on top of it say next Fall or so.

Edited by - on

ct95949
Captain

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Aruba
300 Posts

Response Posted - 03/21/2006 : 18:49:59

I never thought twice about removing it,all the prep and six coats of Cetol seemed way to hard with it on the boat.If you do the companionway trim and threshold I would dry fit it first and make sure the washboards drop in and line up good before applying the sealant.

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Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 03/21/2006 : 21:11:58

Sorry guys but I will always use oil. I found that if I left the teak plugs in the bolts held and I was able to remove the inside nuts without help from above.

Edited by - Frank Hopper on 03/21/2006 21:14:33

bjoyce
1st Mate

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51 Posts

Response Posted - 03/24/2006 : 08:36:53

I would strongly recommend removing the teak. The previous owner of the Impulse applied the cetol without removing the teak. I have not been able to remove his sloppy mistakes. I've tried with everything from chemicals to dental tools. The teak is rather simple to remove. It also allows one to seal the teak to the boat with lifecaulk. I re-finished the Impulse 2 years ago and it still looks new. It's worth the effort.

Barry

Edited by - on

Justin
Admiral

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502 Posts

Response Posted - 03/24/2006 : 09:41:17

Frank, your teak looks great. What kind of oil do you use and how often do you have to oil the teak? Do you still remove the pieces each time you reapply the oil?

Edited by - on

Gambit
Navigator

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USA
160 Posts

Response Posted - 03/24/2006 : 09:55:31

I have not yet developed the stomach to remove my teak. Most time and money has been going into safety and speed improvements. I did redo the tiller last year with Cetol and that worked very well.

However, I did read a nice tip for removing your teak. Once you get an edge of it up (with a putty knife) use a guitar string to pull back and forth and saw through the glue. Being a harmonica player I do know know which string to use but one of the middle ones seems best. Stay away from the fat bass strings.

Good luck with your project.

Edited by - Gambit on 03/24/2006 09:57:03

pjeffarch
Navigator

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USA
135 Posts

Response Posted - 03/31/2006 : 13:51:13

I too removed the teak and never regretted it! Definitely the right thing to do - and it WAS the laziness factor that set in! If you can take the teak back to your shop, properly strip it and coat it (I used six coats of Cetol) - and yes, it still looks brand new after two years, and no ugly stains on the boat. A no-brainer, which fits.

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 04/02/2006 : 15:00:08

I too was able to remove the handrails without removing the plugs over the bolts. I squirted a little WD40 on the nuts first to make them come off easier without making the bolts turn, and pulled down a little as I turned them to add friction at the bolt head. If the bolts had turned so I couldn't remove the nuts, I probably would have used a cutting wheel on a Dremel to cut a little slot in the end of the bolt so I could hold it with a screwdriver while turning the nut.

Edited by - on

IndyJim
Navigator

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USA
130 Posts

Response Posted - 04/06/2006 : 22:39:31

Lauver,
I'm only echoing what others have already said but I have done it both ways. Four years ago I left the teak on the boat and did all the sanding and 6 coats of Cetol. What a pain in the transom! So, this winter I decided to pull it all off and do it the right way. It was 10 times easier! As has been stated, you don't have to drill the teak plugs if you're careful removing the nuts. I can tell you that the wood looks great and I'm throwing away the teak oil! Whatever others say you lose in the Cetol/Teak Oil controversy, I gain in maintenance free sailing time! Do yourself a favor. Remove the teak and do the work in the comfort of your woodshop/garage. Good luck!

Edited by - on

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