Replies

1. 
   scott_bonder | Apr 03, 2000 07:34pm | #1

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   Teak Oil that is sold for woodworkers is nothing but a wiping varnish with some oil, probably linseed oil, added for color. There is not a lot of protection offered from the elements. The varnishes sold in marine shops is more like a conversion varnish that gets applied thickly to help protect, but still breaks down over time and has to be reapplied. I would not use Watco or one of the other "oil finishes" in a marine environment. You'd be better off with a straight varnish that will build a film more quickly.

1. 
   ChuckT | Feb 13, 2001 05:28am | #2

   *Fred,Scott's correct. Most of the marine store "teak oil" concoctions are some sort of thinned oil. In urban areas, that oil serves to attract airborne soot and other pollutants that stick to it and makes it black. There are two products that I've used with reasonable success. They are Semco Teak Sealer and another called Teak Wonder. They are both silicone based, so airborne junk doensn't tend to stick to it and they apply very easily. Semco is available clear, their other color is too orange for me. Teak Wonder has a brackish color, but blends better with the teak color. There is no holy grail here. The enemy is the sun. It will ultimately break down any finish. The clearer it is, the more quickly the breakdown will happen. Semco and Teak Wonder contain some UV protectants, but will require at least annual renewal. Spar varnish will look fabulous and last longer, but will require much more surface preparation and is more difficult to apply and repair. There is another product called Cetol that a friend of mine swears by. I believe it's an oil/varnish mix with some tint or pigment. The pigment provides protection from the sun so it lasts longer. The tint also obscures the natural grain and appearance of the teak; an effect I don't like. If you don't keep up with the maintenence with Cetol and it gets to looking ratty, re-doing it or switching to something else requires a lot of work to get back to bare wood. Good luck; I'm interested to see what you end up using. I'm always looking for a better teak care product. Oh yeah there's one more alternative. Ignore the teak, bag the scraping and go boating!