De-greying teak?!

[VirtualVagabond]

Originally Posted by IdoraKeeper

Del, the white vinegar goes in the head. I may however experiment with beer!

Todd

Beer is good in the head... try to get it above the chin and below the nose...

[VirtualVagabond]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Good attitude, Vic! Sounds like you are settling in to the cruising life pretty well!

Cheers,

Jim

Hi Jim,
Looking forward to the actual cruising part. Not long to go now

Vic

[ssittler]

I used gentle brushing with tsp/water, rinsed with garden hose, then grocery store vinegar, rise again, then Cetol light brushed on 3 coats, brown/gold now 7 LOOKING GOOD, AND RENEWING THE COAT WITH MORE CETOL TAKES MINUTES NOT HOURS THEREAFTER.
S. SITTLER

[evm1024]

Originally Posted by VirtualVagabond

It gets a mention in the Morgan le Fay link with how to duplicate a DIY product with the same active ingredients.
DIY Teak Cleaner | Morgan le Fay
It's what got us looking for phosphoric acid for the part B.

Vic

Yes I wrote that before I had found a good source of Phosphoric acid. I'd have to check the Te-Ka MSDN again to find the concentration but I did find a gallon de-ruster that was Phosphoric acid. And was only about $15 a gal.

Perhaps I'll head over the local Ace to see what they have and what I might have bought.

Regards

[evm1024]

For Phosphoric acid I used Barrs Kleen Strip prep and etch. The MSDS shows 35% to 45% phosphoric acid. http://www.wmbarr.com/ProductFiles/K...%2018%2012.pdf

I use Zeps purple industrial cleaner degreaser from home depot. Here is the MSDS:

http://www.cleanandpolish.com/msds/I...easer_MSDS.pdf

So Zeps takes the place of Teka part A and Kleen Strip is the part B


Regards

PS you can dilute the phosphoric acid a bit if you like to get it to 20% to 30% like Teka part B

Te-Ka
Part A: 5-10% sodium hydroxide
Part B: 20-30% phosphoric acid
Snappy Teak-Nu
Part 1: 7% sodium hydroxide
Part 2: 7% hydrochloric acid
Star-Brite Teak Cleaner, Brightener
Cleaner: 5-10% sodium hypochlorite (active ingredient in household bleach)
Brightener: 4-10% oxalic acid

[VirtualVagabond]

Originally Posted by evm1024

For Phosphoric acid I used Barrs Kleen Strip prep and etch. The MSDS shows 35% to 45% phosphoric acid. http://www.wmbarr.com/ProductFiles/K...%2018%2012.pdf

I use Zeps purple industrial cleaner degreaser from home depot. Here is the MSDS:

http://www.cleanandpolish.com/msds/I...easer_MSDS.pdf

So Zeps takes the place of Teka part A and Kleen Strip is the part B


Regards

PS you can dilute the phosphoric acid a bit if you like to get it to 20% to 30% like Teka part B

Te-Ka
Part A: 5-10% sodium hydroxide
Part B: 20-30% phosphoric acid
Snappy Teak-Nu
Part 1: 7% sodium hydroxide
Part 2: 7% hydrochloric acid
Star-Brite Teak Cleaner, Brightener
Cleaner: 5-10% sodium hypochlorite (active ingredient in household bleach)
Brightener: 4-10% oxalic acid

Thanks evm.

That Zeps Purple stuff is brilliant. I used a gallon of it to give my bilge a good clean out. Worked like magic.

I'll give it a go here too.

Vic

[VirtualVagabond]

Originally Posted by ssittler

I used gentle brushing with tsp/water, rinsed with garden hose, then grocery store vinegar, rise again, then Cetol light brushed on 3 coats, brown/gold now 7 LOOKING GOOD, AND RENEWING THE COAT WITH MORE CETOL TAKES MINUTES NOT HOURS THEREAFTER.
S. SITTLER

Post 2... I was going to say welcome to CF, but you've been a member longer than I have!

We've been stripping off old cetol and hate the stuff. It had been let go, and it wasn't the 'light' which may be different.

The "...now 7 LOOKING GOOD..." is that 7 coats or years? How often do you have to recoat?

Vic

[VirtualVagabond]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

Thank for this Vic. I strive for your state of teak-Zen. We too have a bought into an older boat with teak decks, teak rails, teak cockpit, teak tiller... and teak everything down below. I often joke that the only way I could have more wood on my boat is to have a wooden boat .

We have also opted for the natural grey deck, but are oiling our rail and varnishing the cockpit. As you say, there's never a question of being without a project. If there's no other urgent task, there's always the teak. So far I don't find this the burden that some people perceive it to be, but like you, we don't strive for perfection, just satisfaction.

And we certainly turn heads coming into most anchorages. With most newer boats all looking the same (to my eye anyway), it's nice to be a bit unique and "snippy."

[tightgroup]

Leave the Teak alone !!

"According to Wiki and pros alike"

Teak is also used extensively in boat decks, as it is extremely durable and requires very little maintenance. The teak tends to wear in to the softer 'summer' growth bands first, forming a natural 'non-slip' surface.

Any sanding is therefore only damaging. Use of modern cleaning compounds, oils or preservatives will shorten the life of the teak, as it contains natural teak-oil a very small distance below the white surface. Wooden boat experts will only wash the teak with salt water, and re-caulk when needed. This cleans the deck, and prevents it from drying out and the wood shrinking.

The salt helps it absorb and retain moisture, and prevents any mildew and algal growth.

Please just leave your Teak alone.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by tightgroup

Leave the Teak alone !!

Well.... it's more complex than that. Ships with teak decks used to have just that teak deck, not teak on steel, fiberglass, plywood or anything. The teak they used was also much thicker, like 1" thick or more. At that thickness, teak starts to be able to hold it's natural oils much better than the thin veneer-like teak decks of today.

Then there's the climate; where a modern teak deck lasts forever in western europe, it'll be gone before you know it in the tropics.

I believe in the tropics you're best off without teak decks: plastic fantastic. Clean with a pressure washer and enjoy. But if you have teak and wonder around in the tropics, I believe that you need to clean and oil it every 6 months. I believe that because an old salt Brazilian shipwright told me that. Replenish the oils he said

[tightgroup]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

Well.... it's more complex than that. Ships with teak decks used to have just that teak deck, not teak on steel, fiberglass, plywood or anything. The teak they used was also much thicker, like 1" thick or more. At that thickness, teak starts to be able to hold it's natural oils much better than the thin veneer-like teak decks of today.

Then there's the climate; where a modern teak deck lasts forever in western europe, it'll be gone before you know it in the tropics.

I believe in the tropics you're best off without teak decks: plastic fantastic. Clean with a pressure washer and enjoy. But if you have teak and wonder around in the tropics, I believe that you need to clean and oil it every 6 months. I believe that because an old salt Brazilian shipwright told me that. Replenish the oils he said

I agree, my comment does not apply to a look alike teak deck Tropics = extreme heat. On your point IMHO oiling teak could actually attract more dirt and leave you with more of a mess. In the sun teak will dry out and shrink thus putting additional stress on the caulking . Wet teak daily.

[Stonefloat]

Originally Posted by VirtualVagabond

As is often said, all boats are compromises. Like most, we decided to buy more boat than we could sensibly afford, and make it work. Bite off more than you can chew, then chew like hell philosophy.

So, we have mostly teak decks, but solid not sandwich underneath so they don't leak. We get a few leaks from other places, but that's boats.

That was a compromise we had to make to get a big, comfortable ketch that feels like home. Visitors come on board and are quite blown away by it all. But to us it's home and how we enjoy our home to be whether we have visitors or not.

We have teak that is as old as the boat, 30 years, and plenty of it. We like grey teak for the decks and salt water is the go. We don't like grey for all the trim and fiddly decorative bits. I'm not remotely concerned about my teak disappearing due to my cleaning, brightening and oiling it. It will still be here and looking good in another 30 years and anyone who thinks otherwise is out of touch with reality.
But, there is a great pool of knowledge and experience on this forum and we happily pick and choose as we go from generous participants.

The result is that we are never out of work, we have a home, a boat that would cost close to $1m if we were buying new, for a fraction of that figure. The compromise is the work. Well worth it to us.

We make instant friends wherever we go because the boat has that 'romance of sail and far away places' about it. People come up and ask to take a picture and the next thing you know you've been invited for a meal. That tends not to happen with 'just another piece of Tupperware'

So, we work on keeping her looking good, not pristine, just cared for. And the members here have helped a lot to keep that work manageable, both from a cost perspective, and longevity.

As always, all opinions are appreciated, and some even respected

Vic

Right on Vic ! , couldn't have said it better. Our decks , house & rails are 40 years old !! Splash with seawater and enjoy

[Albro359]

Just use saltwater and a light scrub ACROSS the grain......teak goes grey in the sunlight 'cos the UV degrades the cellulose on the surface..there's nothing actually WRONG with it..the grey is natural protection.....live with it !

Oiling exterior teak is one of the WORST things you can do. The oil encourages funghi to grow and your beautiful teak will end up BLACK

[IdoraKeeper]

Today I am cutting teak plugs for the deck fasteners. I am thinking I will seat them with 5200...any comments on the choice of adhesive?

Todd

[VirtualVagabond]

Originally Posted by IdoraKeeper

Today I am cutting teak plugs for the deck fasteners. I am thinking I will seat them with 5200...any comments on the choice of adhesive?

Todd

It will be a bastard to ever break and clean them out again if you have to. How confident are you that you want them in for good?
I'd be inclined to use 4200, but what do others think?

Vic