Cetol, Semco, Oil, Epihanes??

[TitanTn]

I'm getting ready to start my swim platform project and have been doing some reading. Geez, that didn't help at all. Can someone point to a definitive resource on the difference between these finishes?

[chris young]

Sorry I can't help, but me too. I'm looking forward to some replies.

[Salty87]

jamestown distributors is a good site for lots of information and user reviews.

[TitanTn]

Well, I didn't know that about Cetol. Thanks. Semco is like Cetol, and Epihanes is a type of varnish.

I remember that post by Mike now that you say it. I'm just so skittish about using oil because I'm not wanting to maintain it every month. But I know how yours looks and if you haven't touched it in a year...

[sybrmike]

I haven't touched mine since refinishing last spring & still looks the same - granted I only made it out about a dozen times and she's stored in the garage, so don't know how it'd hold up with lots of sun exposure compared to straight oil. However, I can tell you that my platform had been badly neglected and looked & felt more like Balsa than teak. After a really good acid cleaning & light sanding, the turpentine mix technique really soaked in. I think the first coats of high turpentine mix helps the oil penetrate deep into the wood so it's not just a surface finish since the platform is still noticeably heavier and the surface is much harder.

Four coats:
75% turpentine / 25% teak oil, 50/50, 25/75, 100% oil. Heavy, saturating coats each time - kept applying until it just wouldn't soak up anymore. Waited a few days/weeks between coats. More work up front, but I'd do it again based on my results.

[TitanTn]

Alright, you two have convinced me. Oil and turpentine it is.

Two questions - what type of acid clean and what do you consider "light" sanding?

[Salty87]

only sand if you need to. teak is an oily wood to begin with. the grain clogs easily. i sanded mine once before i did much reading. i don't think it was necessary, in fact i messed up the teak in a few spots. if you have dings or scuffs then sanding can help. otherwise, if the surface is smooth and flat don't bother with it.

2 part cleaners/brighteners work well. there are a few brand names commonly sold. i've read people bash these as harsh but no harsher than sanding.

i haven't tried Michael's turpentine mixture but definitely allow the wood to dry before adding more coats. regular maintenance using oil if the wood doesn't need a reapplication of cleaner/brightener is to just put some more oil on it. the worn areas will blend into the areas that are better oiled. if you're good about it doing it regularly, it takes no time to keep the teak looking good.

[sybrmike]

Even before soaking and scrubbing with a 2 part cleaner (Starbrite I think), my teak was so dry that sanding wasn't a problem. It was beat up pretty bad, so I used some 150 and 220 grit to round some corners and smooth some gouges. Like Salty said - sand only if necessary. The grain can clog easily so use a scrub brush and water after sanding & let it dry out real well before oiling.

[TitanTn]

Thanks guys. I bought some turpentine tonight and will be getting some cleaner soon. I'm finishing up painting the trailer wheels and my next project is the platform. Results to come.

[TitanTn]

I posted this in my restoration thread in my sig, but to complete this thread, here is a pic of the finished result. I'm very pleased.

http://unumemarketing.com/boat/refinished_platform.jpg