Mahogany doors

[Micanda]

Hi guys
Stripped the old finish off my mahogany exterior doors and wanted to know the best finish to put on. Talk at boat yard is schooner gold, internet research says epoxy any suggestions ? Thanks Mike

 

[Blitzen]

Since this is an exterior door I would use Awl Spar for building coats and then use the Awl Brite for the finish coats. When you are done if there is any dust or imperfections in the finish you can use a fine compound and buff them out to a very high shine.
If you want a simpler approach you can use the Captains varnish and buff that too.

 

[Rearmount]

Try Smiths clear penetrating epoxy sealer for first few coats. Nasty stuff but works good.

 

[nickyp]

i do pretty much all the brightwork at the boatyard i work at. we almost exclusively use original schooner. haven't used the gold since we're so happy with the original. its user friendly, glossy and durable. its a traditional varnish, so you'd be starting out with thinned out coats, and then applying full strength. one coat at a time, with sanding/scuffing in between.
its time consuming, but it looks great and stands up to to the powerful bermuda sun.
i have no doubt there are many great alternatives to schooner.

 

[nickyp]

forgot to add:
if you use epoxy as a sealer, or a two part poly as the finish coat, remember, they are very durable, but if you do have to strip it for one reason or another, it won't be fun.

 

[captainlarry84]

forgot to add:
if you use epoxy as a sealer, or a two part poly as the finish coat, remember, they are very durable, but if you do have to strip it for one reason or another, it won't be fun.

Nickp has good advice. Make sure whatever you use can also be removed without a problem. Sikkens Cetol works well on Mahogany & Teak. Plus it touches up easily without a lot of work. Lastly if you want to refinish it removes without too much effort.

 

[nickyp]

i've used 2 coats of 'cetol natural teak' (not the original orange looking cetol) as a sealer and then overcoated it with schooner.
this way your sealer alone has terrific uv resistance, then your 4 or more coats of gloss over that. you can put on your two coats of cetol and first coat of varnish without sanding since the cetol has a long window for this. then you lightly sand your first coat of varnish and go from there, with a good buildup already.
i've only done this on teak, and it really does not look all that different from varnish alone.
i don't know how this would look on mahogany.

 

[Micanda]

Thanks for the advise will go with schooner as nick advised , can I spray this product or should I brush it for faster build?

 

[nickyp]

the only experience i have spraying it is for small bits of trim that i have removed from a boat.
i got the paint store to load it up into a spray can.
i'm sure it could be sprayed in a gun with good results. and you could probably apply several coats in a day, but it would involve waiting for it to be sufficiently tacked off between coats.
you will have to talk to a spray painter.
brushing it is quick, and like you said, you can lay on a fairly thick coat. one coat a day. takes the guesswork out of it.

 

[bub147]

Blitzen has it correct

Listen to Blitzen ... anything less than that will be a second rate finsh job.

 

[Micanda]

I have some seams that have about a 1/8 space is there a filler that wont shrink and crack? Thanks bub147 Like most of us I have jumped to decision to regret it later. I am trying to learn from mistakes I would like to put something on that will stay on for a while and look good. Thanks for the feedback all !

 

[nickyp]

I have some seams that have about a 1/8 space is there a filler that wont shrink and crack? Thanks bub147 Like most of us I have jumped to decision to regret it later. I am trying to learn from mistakes I would like to put something on that will stay on for a while and look good. Thanks for the feedback all !

i have used products like dap alex plus exterior caulking for such applications with success. its highly flexible and take paint and varnish.

just remember that everyone is partial to what they use and have had good results with.
if you prep properly, use a high quality marine product, and apply it well, then you will be happy with the results. all marine varnishes can be sanded with ultra fine sandpaper and buffed once allowed to dry THOROUGHLY, if you want the sheet of glass/bartop look. some products that dry very quickly and to a very hard finish cannot always expand and contract with the wood enough, and it will show in time.
best of luck