Thank again for your videos, I have no teac in my boat, but I admire your willingness to always help others. I replaced the teac my boat had, when I bought it, for lumberock, it is a composite, it doesn't looks as nice as finished teac, but it is very durable, my boat is more for fishing so I need materials that I don't have to maintain a lot. The 95% of my boat and a friend's boat, I fixed it following your videos.

Andy, recently found your channel and I just love it! Thanks so much for sharing with us your talents and experience! I am learning gobs!

Andy, the natural Finish looks great for me.

Hi, Andy, sibling of a St Norbert grad here! I'm not sure if you've got the time to try this, but I have had spectacular results from "wet" sanding the bare wood with a 4:1 solution of mineral spirits, varnish, and 360-400 grit as a final step before brushing on that first coat. It does a great job of filling the grain. Mind, you need to buff the slurry created off with an old towel-- but, again, might be worth trying.

The way to get a great finish on any paint or varnish is to sand between coats! It flattens the surface and removes tiny imperfections everytime you do it. It's time consuming but satisfying...

@waynelaw8999

4 жыл бұрын

Agree. Many years ago I varnished a bar top with 14 coats of clear polyurethane. I sanded between coats but instead of using sand paper used a fine steel wool. As you say, took the high spots off and scuffed it sufficiently for the next coat to stick. End finish looked like glass but with a rock solid finish that took heaps of use. Sad thing was some years later the house sold and about 10 years later again it went on the market again. Made a point of doing an inspection and couldn't believe the bar had been painted over with what was clearly a cheap acrylic gloss paint. Devastated!

Always amazing brother!!

Thank you for the video. When you get a chance it would be nice to see a comparison of some professional wood finishes for marine applications. I'm thinking of catalyzed varnish. I'm currently working with Awlwood by Awlgrip. So far I like it very much

I used a couple of these on the teak trim on my grady white. Has held up well for 2 summers in Boston, but needs to be recoated this year. Should be relatively easy as everything is still in good condition and doesnt need to be stripped to bare wood again. A couple things I noticed. The satin is still pretty glossy, and I wasnt really happy with it on my somewhat worn teak where I was trying to hide some imperfections. It turned out ok, but was a bit more gloss than I would have liked. The natural teak and satin are very similar except for a slight brown tint/ pigment in the satin. I believe the tint/ pigment helps slightly with UV resistance.

very helpful. just what the DR ordered. I was thinking of painting all my teak with brown paint. After watching this, I dont need to. It will protect my teak until I am dead and then someone else can varnish it without having to remove paint first.

Natural Teak sure looks good, great video

Great video Andy!!!

Now, I'd like to see you leave them outside and see how they weather.

@kizzjd9578

4 жыл бұрын

Good idea, especially since it's coming into summer there.

@Str4ng3F0lk

4 жыл бұрын

Right. Some people are willing to sacrifice initial appearance for superior weathering properties. Afterall - that's why the manufacturer puts those dyes in the finish even though it makes it looks 'like paint'. This is only half the story.

@mhansl

3 жыл бұрын

@@Str4ng3F0lk Precisely. One of the complaints about Cetol is the supposed 'plastic' appearance. But, the Practical Sailor review of alternative finishes put Cetol ahead of the pack in the year+ later category.

@justinMacPhee

3 жыл бұрын

@@mhansl how does this stuff hold up in the year later category?

Nice test. I always use clear for all but the last coat when I’m going for a satin finish. When just using satin finish for the last coat you get better wood visibility.

@drewthompson7457

4 жыл бұрын

When I wanted a satin finish, I would use several coats pf gloss, with 1 maybe 2 layers of satin. I Now do little varnishing, and most of the varnish goes bad in the can or down sized bottle. I"ve switched to Big Box store varnish, it lasts a year, and when I want a satin finish, I let the varnish harden, then use #0000 steel wool, and teak oil to just take the gloss off.

Always great content Another related topic is the time and expense of custom coverings - sunbrella , other for any exposed bright work - by piece, or partial custom or store bought boat covers, etc Seems a select few have exceptional brightwork and the masses have a range of marginal brightwork that is not , protected cleaned or maintained ...

I really like the clear. to me the saten looked to much like the other brand you Mentioned. but the Traditional surprised me how much I like it. I will be doing my gulfstar in the clear very soon. thanks you really help us do it yourself guys.

@backthebadge4009

4 жыл бұрын

We have a Gulfstar also. Are you doing inside or outside?

Spent a summer working in boat yard applying spar varnish heated over smudge pot. Used a mop and 4 inch brush in the blazing socal sun. ONE summer only!

So...what your saying is that Mads would be a pro at varnishing...Sanding, Glorious Sanding! Some great info here Andy. I don't have a boat anymore, but all these tips/tricks that you show have saved me many times on other things. The Natural Teak and Gloss look the best to me as well. The satin seems to have added more pigment to it. When I had my boat(s) I used another brand of Teak "stain" and it looked great when I was done, and it held up for 6 years...much better than the varnish the previous owners had done to it (horrible orange color).

I've had very good luck with sanding down teak to the wood, penetrating epoxy, and then applying varnish.

FWIW, I don’t find the newer Cetol Natural Teak to be orange in hue. I also don’t build it up, so there’s that, I guess. I’ll typically apply one coat of the CNT, followed by two coats of the Cetol Gloss (mostly clear). I imagine the Total Boat product would be used similarly.

Not to be picky but I believe the correct term referring to the ability to see details through the finish (or any other substance) is “transparent”. “Translucent” refers to light passing through an object but not details - like my accordion blinds I’m looking at. Love your channel.

Hi Andy try something different insted of sanding try some 00 steel wool I am sure you know its very good in polishing glass removing the shine off the clear that will give a top finnish with about 5 or 6 coats. Tony .

Another great video! Do you think there would be any adhesion problems with teak that had been previously treated with teak oil?

Andy, Which one was your favorite and looked the best, I really like the gloss!!

I greatly appreciate your content, long time subscriber. What are your recommendations for those of us in Canada who can not get Totalboat products?

It would have been good to see some of the other manufacturer's products compared side by side with the Total Boat stuff. Your criticism of Cetol is shared by others, however, Sikkens has apparently improved the product over the years. Also, there's the question of longevity, which for a DIY boat owner with lots of brightwork, who is shooting for something between bristol and gray, is seriously interested in.

I guess I'm a natural kinda guy, easy-peasy and looks great!

Another great video! One of these days I'll actually get to working on my boat rather than just watching...

@djmjr77

4 жыл бұрын

I feel ya, ive been stuck over analying my project and at least witching the vids makes me feel at lest like im doing sone kind of planning .. honestly im probably just procrastinating.. lol

My boat trim was finished in the "orange" product by the previous owners. I hate the look, but I'm not going to refinish it, til it needs it. This will be the 5th summer outdoors, maybe next year, I hope?

Haven't read the comments to see if already asked question, but what grit do you recommend sanding with after each clear varnish coat? Do you step the grit up in numbers like most all other sanding post coatings? Thanks for all you do Handy Andy.

We have a new to us 1984 Passport that has some interior teak doors whose finish is cloudy. Could I have your thoughts as to what might have caused this and the best way to correct it. Are we going to need to sand and refinish them?

I use Cetol natural teak and it looks very similar. I agree on the older cetol products kinda orangy..

What grit sandpaper do you use between coats if you chose to sand? Also for first coat should you sand Down to bare wood, or just rough it up with 220 then apply?

Agree with your assessment. The first 2 (in the can) looked ‘cloudy’, 3rd appeared more clear, being a traditionalist, that would be mine. Didn’t like Satin at all. Did u say sanding was not required, per manufacturer? Assume these are not water based? Would be interested in your opinion on 2-part varnishes? Do u know who actually manufactures those varnishes? Thanks for your Videos-Great information, Andy!

Do you have any thoughts on International Woodskin product? How does it compare? It's also quite easy to apply (3-4 coats, no sanding in-between).

Do you prefer applying varnish with a foam brush? I have never tried that. Mainly because I like to be able to clean a brush and use it multiple times.

My boat has a wooden rub rail. I see these Total Boats finishes are for exterior use. What do you think about using this product on the rub rail? Right now it’s painted black but I think the stain would really ‘pop’ .

Andy thoughts on Semco or Starbrite Tropical teak sealer?

Hi Andy, nice demo. I would have liked to see a direct comparison with actual varnish to show the level of pigmentation in the three Total Boat finishes. I was a bit surprised that the "satin" looked glossy. Did you mix it adequately, or is it not supposed to be an actual satin finish? I am not surprised that the satin finish looked pretty muddy. Is the satin intended for exterior work or is it for interiors? My experience, limited as it is, with satin/matte finishes is that you do your build coats with more transparent finishes and reserve the satin for the final coat to maximize visibility of the grain. What I would like to have seen is a comparison of different products such as the Total Boat, Epifanes rapid clear, the less pigmented Sikens (i.e., Interlux) and the Pettit Seagold. Yeah, I realize that would have cost actual money to buy all the products. I have to admit to being a varnish guy, particularly since I just finished my annual two coats of Epifanes gloss varnish on the teak on my sailboat and will be varnishing the mahogany on my wooden power boat over the next two weeks. Here in Maine once you have done your initial build up, two coats at the beginning of the season keeps things looking good and you only have to strip back to bare wood every 8-10 years.

@boatworkstoday

4 жыл бұрын

Hey Todd :-) The satin seemed to be more of a semi, which I think is a nice level as it has a bit of gloss, but not so much that it shows every blemish lol. Have a safe season up there, would love to make my way back to your neck of the woods for a little bit this Fall ;-)!!

can you use this on warnich? i have coulour differense's and want more stain on some parts. didn't show before I warniched..

Andy, will this eventually lift off and need to be scraped like traditional varnish or is it more like the Semco team sealer?

Thanks for your time. Cetol is ugly af, this stuff is nice. I love the clear.

Hey Andy, I just varnished my teak hatch boards using Cetol natural teak made by the other company. My friend who is a professional recommended it. Being new at this, I didn’t know whose opinions to listen to. I will say that Cetol went on very sticky like honey. Is that normal? I found that I either had to make it thicker than I wanted to make it spread, or end up dry brushing when I attempted to go for a thinner coat. I thought that garnishing would be fun because I like painting. It wasn’t fun. After weeks of adding one coat per day, it took a couple weeks because the boards had to be turned over. It’s been two weeks since the last coat, and the boards are still sticky. Would my experience have been different using a different brand product? Also, I still think the natural teak is way to orange for my preference for Cetol and the Total Boat that you used. As always, thanks for your expertise.

Hey interested in how well it holds up and lasts?

I have been varnishing mahogany runabouts for more than 20 years and been happy with Schooner and Captains varnish.. i can send you pictures if you wish.. steve

Left, right, center is the order for me

What is your opinion on these compared to traditional Teak Oil?

Can you lay glass cloth over the varnish to protect the finish?

Can you use it outside or is a special varnish for wet condition

I found out that automotive clear coat is the best for any wood surface. But it must be High Solid and UV protective .

Does it matter if I don’t sand it between the couple coats??

How long would this stuff last in comparison to a tradition varnish?

Looks like Total Boat no longer sells the Teak Marine Wood Varnish. I can only find the clear on their Web site. :-(

Do you suspect the same appearance differences in the coatings would apply when transferred to marine plywood?

@boatworkstoday

4 жыл бұрын

I would guess so, but would suggest testing it first before coating a large section on a boat :-)

just curious but you sanded the wood with 220 grit why not go up to 800 or higher to get an extra smooth finish ? btw i love all your videos, once im done taking care of all the covid-19 patients in NY i'm gonna test alot of this stuff out on my sailboat.

@billstorm191

4 жыл бұрын

Actually a question I can answer... 220 is the grit the varnish can fill and then level as it cures. Finer grits don't offer as good a bite for successive layers, plus the varnish is going to fill it, so something like an 800 grit would be overkill and not hold as well. I actually use 320 grit with Epiphanes, and it fills the sanding marks easily for each coat, especially when it's warm out.

I would recommend Awlgrips Awlspar and alwbrite to anyone. Real easy to work with and repair.

Tinted varnish always looks muddy to me, I would go to brown paint before the hassle of tinted varnish.

Would you recommend using a teak oil on the wood before applying the finish, or would that interfere with the finish bonding well to the wood?

@deafdeadfishfloating

4 жыл бұрын

Any 'oil' would markedly interfere.... until you sanded it off.

I also despise orange wood finishes.

Omg two cents, when the desired finish is satin or matte. I use the gloss for film thickness and durability then finish with the desired finish. Old saying , higher the shine, harder the finish.

Its nice to see another person who thinks a certain company pays people to recomend Cetol when asked what varnish to use because it doesn't look great.

In my opinion, after multiple coats and the passage of a few years, Cetol looks like an opaque wood coating. Not my favorite finish on external mahogany or teak. Also, it is a bear to remove.

My neighbor used the stuff on his right on mahogany. Its fkn awzome!!.

Do you ever use products that we can buy easily in the UK?

@officialWWM

4 жыл бұрын

charlesxix or Australia :/

@jordandegeus5791

4 жыл бұрын

No, he is sponsored by TotalBoat now, so pretty much feels like a marketing/tutorial for the specific product now. Not that its bad, because a lot of what he teaches can go to other products.

Teak oil for me.

What happen if we use epoxy on top of the wood, instead of varnish? I seen nobody doing that, is there a reason?

@billnlori3149

4 жыл бұрын

I was wondering about this too, might be a cool comparison!!

@sail4life

4 жыл бұрын

Epoxy isn't all that UV stable. There are additives but these are sacrificial, meaning, once they're gone, they're gone. After that, your epoxy will start to delaminate from the wood, including any glass you may have laid down with it. UV actually attacks the interface between epoxy and wood. I just peeled off more than 9 sq ft or 1 sq m of old glass that had been applied over teak veneer. It just peeled right off!

@ChristianCastleman

4 жыл бұрын

Gustavo Berns lots of people do that when building wood boats (stitch and glue in particular). However it still needs varnish or paint to provide UV protection.

@CaptShrubs

4 жыл бұрын

Epoxy will need UV protection. So, you can epoxy, then varnish over the epoxy if you want a clear coat look. Or you can paint over the epoxy also. Unprotected epoxy will yellow and fail from UV exposure.

@worldboatskiff8709

4 жыл бұрын

Most epoxies have no UV protection, after some time in the sun it just flakes off.

Thanks. Like 868

I guess i'm really old school. I still scrub, bleach, and oil my Teak.

@lydiaajohnson

4 жыл бұрын

I like the look of that too.

@z_actual

4 жыл бұрын

that would be my choice

The natural is more transparent not translucent

Don't like any of them. My choice is interlux perfection. Don't want no stinking color added to my varnish. 2nd choice is epifaines rubbed effect varnish.

Hi Andy! I've been trying to find a way to contact you, but having trouble with your website. I donated there though - can you please check your facebook messages for my question? Thank you!!!

sikkens cetol is my least favorite lol

after you clean the wood , you NEVER touch the wood with your hands, I have seen finger print in the wood where the varnish didnt cover..

Orange is not a good color for wood. Agreed. But is orange a good color for presidents? Opinions vary, but tend to be strongly held.

@sail4life

4 жыл бұрын

Depends entirely on the number of layers of varnish applied...