To oil or not to oil, that is the question.

[Seumas]

I’m refinishing the interior of my Fortier 26 and have removed, scrapped and sanded all the teak trim pieces. I’d like some advice on whether or not I should use teak oil or varnish. There are a lot of small pieces, less that 6”-7”. I was thinking about using oil as the pieces will never be exposed to weather but have read where the oil will get very dark and possible mold (?) What has been your experience with using teak oil for interior trim?

 

[John Hobby]

I use Watco on my interior and exterior teak and have had good luck. Easy to apply when you want, small T shirt rag. I prob apply every 2 weeks or when I have time. I like the look. Just don't leave the rag on the boat, discard properly for sure.

 

[Brooksie]

My lower cabin interior teak has been oiled over the years, not to mention oil from your hands. It did darken slowly until it was sort of a purple color. Last year I took it down and applied Minwax Helmsman like I have always used in the upper cabin then after the trim was sealed, I masked & painted all the dark Formica bulkheads white. I was very pleased with the result and have always been happy with the varnished trim in the upper cabin.

 

[Leprechaun]

Interlux Sikkens Cetol - only way to go! I'm sure everyone will have their own products they use. We have a 26' Fortier with the interior teak package. Put 4 or 5 coats on then just lightly sand every year, put a coat on and life is good. Have been doing it for years. Looks mighty fine.​

 

[John Hobby]

Brooksie,, that looks really nice. Well, maybe I will have to go that route. Like the look.

 

[Fishonnelsons]

I’m in the process of doing all the exterior teak on the Dyer. Was going to use cetol, as thousands do, But, my teak started to be more orange colored after 5-6 coats on a big aft bench seat. I stripped it down, and am now doing it with varnish, after 6 coats looks beautiful, 6 more to go. I also used the cetol on two handrails on the cabin sides, and teak railings on the deck on top of the cabin. These did not get the orange color, but they did end up darker than I would have liked, but acceptable.

On the interior, all my teak is perfect “as-is”, no clue as to when it was done last, but I’m pretty sure it’s varnish. point here is on the interior, the stuff lasts a lot longer with minimal wear or breakdown. But, a lot of work.

If you get into the cape this winter I’ll give you the rest of my cetol light, and cetol base, both quarts, maybe 3/4 left. You could try it and see how you like it. Most people say light sand and 1-2 coats each year, but on the interior probably every 3-4 years

 

[Fishonnelsons]

My lower cabin interior teak has been oiled over the years, not to mention oil from your hands. It did darken slowly until it was sort of a purple color. Last year I took it down and applied Minwax Helmsman like I have always used in the upper cabin then after the trim was sealed, I masked & painted all the dark Formica bulkheads white. I was very pleased with the result and have always been happy with the varnished trim in the upper cabin.

View attachment 98437

View attachment 98438

Brookfield, what brand paint did you use? Thanks

 

[Jjammer]

For interior spaces waterlox tung oil is nice ... settles into a semi gloss varnish and it’s very durable

 

[Brooksie]

Brookfield, what brand paint did you use? Thanks

Rich,
I did some testing on scraps of Formica b/c I didn't want to sand it at all, just wash w/ TSP. Various Zinsser primers and stuff. I finally settled on Ben Moore STIX primer. That stuff is like iron after it hardens (10 days), it's water bourn so no fumes and rolls on smooth as glass with a foam banana roller. For the finish coat, although I usually use Zinsser MildewProof bathroom paint, I did more testing looking for the hardest paint I could find. Ben Moore ADVANCE seemed to have the most scratch resistance so I went with that over Zinsser & Rustolium products. I was even thinking of trying Formica counter paint but was told the solvent would kill me b/4 I could finish the job, it didn't come in pure white anyway.

 

[Dr Rosemary]

An old sailor told me years ago 1/2 Linseed oil and 1/2 teak oil mix.. anyone ever heard of that for oiled teak? I am a varnish guy myself.

 

[Canyondiver]

Brooksie,
Watch out for the fumes produced by Moore Advance.
While they tout it as a water based alkyd, prolonged exposure will make you ill.
Wear a respirator, and Happy New Year!

 

[Quik Fix 16]

An old sailor told me years ago 1/2 Linseed oil and 1/2 teak oil mix.. anyone ever heard of that for oiled teak? I am a varnish guy myself.

I've been doing this all my life. Most times I'll thin it.

 

[Bern]

Any of Sikkens Cetol products have a significant amount of pigment in them, it helps with the UV protection and it holds up well, however, you need to be ok with changing the appearance of the wood before you go down that road. Any kind of oil, (Teak, Watco, & Tung) can mold in damp areas lacking sun and ventilation. I got so screwed with Helmsman a few years ago in a semi covered space, didn't hold up, had to sand it all off. I like Captains' gloss, I think there are a bunch of good ones, Armada, Penofin, etc.

 

[Fishonnelsons]

Rich,
I did some testing on scraps of Formica b/c I didn't want to sand it at all, just wash w/ TSP. Various Zinsser primers and stuff. I finally settled on Ben Moore STIX primer. That stuff is like iron after it hardens (10 days), it's water bourn so no fumes and rolls on smooth as glass with a foam banana roller. For the finish coat, although I usually use Zinsser MildewProof bathroom paint, I did more testing looking for the hardest paint I could find. Ben Moore Advantage seemed to have the most scratch resistance so I went with that over Zinsser & Rustolium products. I was even thinking of trying Formica counter paint but was told the solvent would kill me b/4 I could finish the job, it didn't come in pure white anyway.

Thanks. That zinsser seems to come up in discussions. I will check out the six primer. Need to do the interior of the Dyer, relatively small job, but a lot of taping due to a lot of teak shelving etc

 

[chortle]

I’m refinishing the interior of my Fortier 26 and have removed, scrapped and sanded all the teak trim pieces. I’d like some advice on whether or not I should use teak oil or varnish. There are a lot of small pieces, less that 6”-7”. I was thinking about using oil as the pieces will never be exposed to weather but have read where the oil will get very dark and possible mold (?) What has been your experience with using teak oil for interior trim?

Not a fan of teak oil down below. It looks fine but in my experience, over time, it needs more regular cleaning to keep it clean and free of mold. I have always preferred varnish down below, out of the sun. I have done bright varnished trim next to white or slightly off white bulkheads on several boats, the Herreshoff look, it is really stunning. I have gravitated to a satin varnish version which I also like.

I recently found something that I used at home on the inside of my new mahogany front door and found it to be absolutely stunning and amazingly easy to apply. It can only be applied to raw wood. It is called Rubio Monocoat 2C, you can get it on Amazon. It is imported from Belgium and is used extensively for interior flooring in Europe and has been used here in the states for quite some time. Floor refinishers really love it. Super, super easy to apply, only one coat, wipe it on with a white 3M scrubby, wipe off the excess with a dry cloth, you can't do more than one coat if you tried. It is super durable but not UV resistant so it only good for inside. It is a two part product, the 350ml package (about 3/4 of a quart) costs $50 but will cover 160 sq ft so it goes a long, long way. That 350ml would likely do your interior two or three times.

If you are okay with a flat sheen it would be perfect. Zero VOC, it smells like hot tea, not toxic at all, dries completely in a day or two, dry to the touch in about 20 minutes. It is what is known as a hard wax oil. It is a polymerized linseed oil. If you wanted to see what it looks like on your wood you could wipe some boiled linseed oil on a piece of scrap. The plain boiled linseed oil would take a couple of weeks to dry so this two part version is much, much better. Pot life of the mixed components is several hours. Shelf life of the unmixed components in a controlled atmosphere is a couple of years. Some photos attached.

Epifanes satin and gloss varnish with off white and white


unfinished mahogany door


Rubio Monocoat 2C Pure

 

[hunttr]

I for one am all done with exterior varnishing.Way to much maintanence for me.It was a major job to get all of the varnish off and it will never go on again.I have been using SEMCO products.It is super easy to apply once or twice a year.I usually go over the teak with some sand paper or a starbright pad in the spring to clean it up before applying.It leaves the teak with a natural weatherd look.Their are differant pigment shades and a clear (I like the clear).

 

[Kailua Kid]

I've been doing this all my life. Most times I'll thin it.

If you mean Boiled Linseed Oil, wear gloves! Has lead in it. And try to avoid gnawing on the treated wood!

 

[Tunacious]

Slikens Cetol. Used it on a 1987 boat with tons of exterior teak. Light sand and one coat each season. Looks great.

 

[chortle]

If you mean Boiled Linseed Oil, wear gloves! Has lead in it. And try to avoid gnawing on the treated wood!

BLO doesn't have lead in it anymore. It does use some very small amount of cobalt manganese salt as a drier. The MSDS for various suppliers lists. The response to the Chronic Exposure and Medical Conditions sections of the MSDS are "none known." This stuff is FDA approved for treating butcher block cutting boards. The real danger with it is disposal of rags soaked in the stuff. It can very easily combust spontaneously, from the MSDS...

RISK OF FIRE FROM SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION EXISTS WITH THIS PRODUCT. Oily rags, waste, and other oily materials can cause spontaneous combustion fires if not handled properly. Immediately after use, and before disposal or storage, you MUST (1) Spread out all oily materials outside to dry by flattening them out to their full size in an airy spot for 24 hours at temperatures above 40 degrees F, or (2) Wash them thoroughly with water and detergent and rinse. Repeat until you have removed all oil from all clothes, tools, rags, paper, clothing, mops, and any other materials contacted during use or as a result of an accidental spill. Make certain all wash and rinse water is disposed of properly.

Most pros who use this stuff know this and have metal cans with water for storage of oily rags.

 

[Kailua Kid]

BLO doesn't have lead in it anymore. It does use some very small amount of cobalt manganese salt as a drier. The MSDS for various suppliers lists. The response to the Chronic Exposure and Medical Conditions sections of the MSDS are "none known." This stuff is FDA approved for treating butcher block cutting boards. The real danger with it is disposal of rags soaked in the stuff. It can very easily combust spontaneously, from the MSDS...

RISK OF FIRE FROM SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION EXISTS WITH THIS PRODUCT. Oily rags, waste, and other oily materials can cause spontaneous combustion fires if not handled properly. Immediately after use, and before disposal or storage, you MUST (1) Spread out all oily materials outside to dry by flattening them out to their full size in an airy spot for 24 hours at temperatures above 40 degrees F, or (2) Wash them thoroughly with water and detergent and rinse. Repeat until you have removed all oil from all clothes, tools, rags, paper, clothing, mops, and any other materials contacted during use or as a result of an accidental spill. Make certain all wash and rinse water is disposed of properly.

Most pros who use this stuff know this and have metal cans with water for storage of oily rags.

Good to know! Thank you for sharing.