Varnish Yacht Brightwork Like a Pro - Part 1
I am a boating traditionalist and I feel that a yacht is not really a true boat unless there is some outside teak nicely varnished. We call that teak brightwork. But today's boat builder prefers not to use any teak if at all possible at the insistance of today's consumer.How sad. I even hear buyers state clearly "if there is any teak outside, I don't want that boat". To me, the high gloss brightwork give a yacht character.
The key to preserving bright work is to reapply the finish before it needs it, yes, before. Don't let it start to crack and peel; you have waited too long. Lets take for granted you are looking at a 1980s trawler I have for sale.. The brightwork is not too far gone but needs a little TLC. Would it just be best to avoid that boat? No, not at all. Let me show you how to get it looking great.
The first thing to consider is if we should simply sand down the existing varnish or strip it down to bare wood.
If we need to get the old varnish totally off we need to go to our preferred hardware store and get a heat gun and a 2-3 inch metal putty knife; look in the paint department. This method is far safer and quicker than chemicals. And don't even consider using a vibrating sander! Using the heat gun on full power, hold it about 4 inches from the surface at an angle, you'll see the varnish weaken and with a little assistance from your putty knife, it comes right off in long thin sheets. Don't get too close or you will singe the teak. When you have removed the varnish, sand with 120 and 220 sandpaper to get a smooth surface.
So how about varnish that does not need removing but needs some maintenance?I did my annual upkeep last weekend and here is the rundown. My trawler has 94 feet of teak handrail to give you a feel of what we did and how long it took.
My choice of finish is Sikkens Cetol. It's a product produced for teak by the manufactuers of Awlgrip .
Shopping List
·Heat gun (if you are removing the old varnish)
·Sandpaper 120/220 grit
·7-day blue painter’s tape
·Mineral spirits
·Tack rags
·Soap
Step 1 - Clean the Teak
The first thing you want to do it get some soapy water and really clean the dirt off your teak. Get the dirt and crud off. Let it dry. Next, very important here, dampen a cloth with mineral spirits and wipe the teak down again. The solvent will remove any silicon or wax that might lift your varnish later on If you sand with these on the wood, you will really drive the products into the wood
Prep Time - 30 minutes
Step 2 –
After the teak is clean, we will need to roughen it up some to make the new varnish stick. Using 220 grit sandpaper, lightly buff the surface to scuff it up being careful not to go through the existing varnish. Be sure to level the surfaces. Use a tack rack to get rid of the dust
Next, tape up any nearby metal to keep varnish away from those areas you do not need varnished. Use blue 7-day painter's tape; it will save you lots of cleanup time later on.
Time - 2 hours
in our next article, we'll start our varnish application
Questions and Answers
Varnishing teak (brightwork) can be challenging. Here is the scoop on getting it right.
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