Teak Restoration

[brains06]

Hello all,

I just wanted to post a few pics of my ongoing teak restoration project. I got my 78 260SD last July after it had been sitting for almost 4 years. I took the remainder of the season to shake it down and make sure all the mechanicals were up to snuff and now this year my plan is upgrades and restoration. With my boat being a 78' it's got ALOT of teak. All of it was grey or dark brown and really weathered. At the end of last season I took every piece off that wasnt required for me to get back up on the boat or stand on the deck (swim platform and engine cover stayed) and put it in the garage for a spring project. So I had a pile of bow rails, trim pieces and side rails waiting on me all winter. Well, I just finished it all and I'm ready to re-install them. I took a bunch of pics but my camera batteries died so the pics of the engine and battery hatch are from my phone. I'll take more after I put them back. Please, my skin is thick! Let me know what you think!

Jay

 

[brains06]

a few more pics....

Oh yeah, the one with my wife in it is to show some of the teak in it's "before" stage.

 

[Sundancer]

Wow!! I thought my boat had too much teak! It looks great and will make the boat look awesome when you reinstall! More pics at that point PLEASE!!

What did you do to prep the surface and what did you use on the teak?

 

[ghuskin]

Jason,

Looks great!

Now you have another reason to go to the boat. "Honey, I need to keep the teak looking good!"

Gregg

 

[fwebster]

There is nothing any classier on an older boat than nicely maintained teak....looks like you are on your way to having a show piece.

The only bad thing about having teak that looks that good is knowing that you have just started the "teak clock" all over again.

 

[ghuskin]

Frank,

I could think of worse ways to spend your time!

Jason,

How did you remove the teak bow rails? did you have to remove the headliner in the cabin?

I am doing the samething with my teak, but am leaving the bow rails attached.

TIA.

Gregg

 

[brains06]

Wow!! I thought my boat had too much teak! It looks great and will make the boat look awesome when you reinstall! More pics at that point PLEASE!!

What did you do to prep the surface and what did you use on the teak?

Thanks alot! I needed the reassurance!

I knew that the teak would be great once it was restored but GOOD GOD what a tedious job! I still have more small cabin trim pieces left to do but they will have to wait a little bit, and they're only very small accent stuff.

As far as prep goes, I started by sanding the old stuff off using 60-80 grit paper on a 1/4 sheet hand sander. Once all the grey was gone and the grain was showing again, I went over it with 150 and then again with 220. The 220 really smoothes it out and makes the grain "pop". I cleaned all the dust off with water and or tack cloth and sealed it with Sikkens "Natural" color. It went on easy and the pictures still dont do them any justice cuz they look great! I was considering putting a coat of gloss on too but thought better of it due to possible hazing. I only have the swim platform left to do.....and I'm not looking forward to that. I should be putting all the other stuff back on over the rest of this week so I'll take some more pics then.

 

[Sundancer]

There is nothing any classier on an older boat than nicely maintained teak....looks like you are on your way to having a show piece.

The only bad thing about having teak that looks that good is knowing that you have just started the "teak clock" all over again.

You got THAT right! Our teak clock seems to run about 2 years and 9 months before it peels. It doesn't matter if I restore the teak in the fall or the spring, I get two good seasons and the third season it starts to look crappy. The only part I hate doing are the two long rails down the bow. So, those get done about every 6 years, the rest every 2 years and 9 months!

 

[Sundancer]

Jason:

Thanks for the info. I do the same thing, but with a little less sanding. Once I get the old stuff off, I'm ready to re-apply. Unfortunately when I started mine in 2000, I couldn't find the natural Sikkens. I ended up with something really orange, almost like the orange on this web page. After a while it fades and turns dark. I HATE it and will change to the natural when I get the old stuff off next go around.

Can I send my parts to you so you'll have a job next winter?

 

[brains06]

Frank,

I could think of worse ways to spend your time!

Jason,

How did you remove the teak bow rails? did you have to remove the headliner in the cabin?

I am doing the samething with my teak, but am leaving the bow rails attached.

TIA.

Gregg

Gregg,

My bow rails are screwed into an elevated portion of the bow that runs its length from the window to the pulpit. So it was just a matter of unscrewing them and taking them off. Now the bow pulpit and some of the gunwale pieces just wouldnt come off so they are being done on the boat.

 

[brains06]

Jason:

Thanks for the info. I do the same thing, but with a little less sanding. Once I get the old stuff off, I'm ready to re-apply. Unfortunately when I started mine in 2000, I couldn't find the natural Sikkens. I ended up with something really orange, almost like the orange on this web page. After a while it fades and turns dark. I HATE it and will change to the natural when I get the old stuff off next go around.

Can I send my parts to you so you'll have a job next winter?

I almost started re-applying after the first sanding until I took the 220 to one of the gunny rails. I think I put a close up of it in the first post.....the difference in the way the grain looks is amazing. I would say though that for bow rails and other pieces that are not gonna be subjected to any kind of close inspection......skip the finer grits.

 

[ghuskin]

Jason,

Are they screwed from the top down into the fiberglass, or from inside the cabin, up into the teak?

 

[Sundancer]

I almost started re-applying after the first sanding until I took the 220 to one of the gunny rails. I think I put a close up of it in the first post.....the difference in the way the grain looks is amazing. I would say though that for bow rails and other pieces that are not gonna be subjected to any kind of close inspection......skip the finer grits.

I agree! The two pieces in the swim platform I've only sanded enough to get the old stuff off and then I re-apply. I call it extra traction! The other pieces where I grab or touch HAVE to be nice and smooth. Off to West Marine for some Naturak Sikkens Cetol!

I can't wait to see your finished pictures!

 

[brains06]

Jason,

Are they screwed from the top down into the fiberglass, or from inside the cabin, up into the teak?

Screwed from the outside of the rail into the raised section of fiberglass running down the bow. I'm at my limit for attachments but if you pm me your email address I can show you a better pic.

 

[brains06]

Jason,

Are they screwed from the top down into the fiberglass, or from inside the cabin, up into the teak?

they are screwed into the fiberglass but its an elevated section so there isnt any need to go into the headliner. Pm me your email addy and I'll send you a better pic.

 

[brains06]

I agree! The two pieces in the swim platform I've only sanded enough to get the old stuff off and then I re-apply. I call it extra traction! The other pieces where I grab or touch HAVE to be nice and smooth. Off to West Marine for some Naturak Sikkens Cetol!

I can't wait to see your finished pictures!

U cant wait???? I cant wait!!!! Oh and by the way.....bring your teak on down! We'll work it out over a case!

 

[ghuskin]

Jason,

Thanks. I think your's are like mine. did you have to remove a "plug" in order to get to the screws? If so, how hard was it removing that little bugger?

Do you boat on the river? lake St. clair? Lake Erie? All the above?

 

[ghuskin]

sundancer will need to move a bit closer to help you work on that "case"...

 

[brains06]

Jason,

Thanks. I think your's are like mine. did you have to remove a "plug" in order to get to the screws? If so, how hard was it removing that little bugger?

Do you boat on the river? lake St. clair? Lake Erie? All the above?

Nope,

No plugs thank God. I have those on the gunwales and thats why they got sanded while in place.

I just started boating last season so I never went any further north than Sinbads and any further south than the "5 mile light house" on Erie. I dock in Wyandotte. This season I'll be coming up into St. Clair and also trying to make the run to Put-in-bay. What about you?

 

[sbw1]

Jason, I owned a '79 26 Express with pretty much the same teak arrangement. You should probably shoot some 4200 into the screw holes during ther re-install to keep water out of the forward deck or any place you are attaching to fiberglass. There is probably coring in the deck. Looks good. SBW