Teak internals - how to make new look old ?

[ribbony]

We are working on the original teak linings in the yacht. The teak is in good condition, however where we have moved items mounted on the walls we have UV exposed areas next to unexposed areas, some varnished and some raw. Any tricks to make the unexposed areas look a little darker to match the main areas ?

[Pblais]

Any tricks to make the unexposed areas look a little darker to match the main areas ?

About the only ideas I can think are ones if you missed it would be worse. If you stripped down all the wood and lightly sanded it all it would finsh more the same than not. You might eliminate most of the color differences too. Teak has a natural oil that preserves itself but the outer layer is sensitive to UV, sun and salt. The belimish does not penetrate very far at all. Just under the finish it should be like new. Making it all look new may actually work if it isn't thin veneer.

I doubt you can make the exposed areas match by darkening the wood. I would expect it to look like someone darkend the wood and it still will not match just as much as now maybe a bit worse. Getting the finish to match is more important than the color. Wood naturally has variations in color.

A total refinish is more than a big job, maybe you could try one bulkhead to see what the job entails.

[hellosailor]

Ribbony-
I'd vote for just cleaning it all down and oiling it all with "teak oil" or "lemon oil". Sanding is a huge job for a whole interior (and you're probably working with thin veneers to start with) and any attempt to match up the "framed" spots may come back to haunt you as it will age and color differently from the rest anyway.
You certainly CAN use stains or bleaches to try matching up the discolored areas--but it is much easier to make them worse, than to get them perfectly matched up.

Personally, I'd just clean & oil it, then turn a blind eye or hang something new over it. Either way, I think you'll get used to it quickly enough.

[stuffinbox]

Hello All,
I am mustering the ambition and gathering a kit to begin refinishing the interior. Tara is almost all teak paneling and the square footage is daunting but my intent is to do defined areas as time permits. I know oils and polish that contain silicon effect the outcome of the finish applied over them. The surfaces are all satin finished and after a light hand sanding what type of wash can I wipe the surface down with before a final tack rag prep that will keep the varnish from having any adheasion or blemish issues? I really have no idea what the PO used to dust and maintain the finish, I suspect Pledge or another furnature polish.
Thanks

[hellosailor]

Stuffinbox-
try asking an auto body supply shop for 3M's "prepsolve" or similar "surface preparation solvent". Body shops use this (with LOTS of clean rags) to remove all waxes, silicones, and other contamination before applying paint. It should take off anything that was used on the surface of the wood. Acetone is the traditional way of removing "stuff" prior to epoxying teak, I don't know that it would work any better but suspect it is more expensive and more toxic to work with.

Remember to use LOTS of forced ventilation when you're working below with all that solvent.

[Pblais]

Remember to use LOTS of forced ventilation when you're working below with all that solvent.

Not sure I would go there without one of those ventilation fans the fire department uses. Acetone is not people friendly. Makes you loopy as it kills your brain cells. Works great in well ventilated places.

[Zach]

Wow... De-solve-it. Ok, I'm back. Had to page through the blank spot in my mind.

I'm no expert when it comes to interior refinishing, but I wouldn't want to be in a boat with any of the MEK smelling solvents. The MSDS on them is enough to scare you before breaking the seal.

[Steve Pope]

There used to be a product called "teak brite" that used to bring decks up like new. Probably be still available or something similar. I just googled teak brite and there it was.

[Pblais]

There used to be a product called "teak brite"

Oxcylic acid aka Wood Bleach is the commonly used teak cleaner, but not on finished wood. It will remove stains on raw teak decks and cleans stainless steel quite well too. This situation has nothing to do with cleaning a teak deck.

[Liberty28]

I've read that teak is photoreactive and I've had the same problem on my boat. You might try puting a UV light on the area for a while to see if it will darken it up. Otherwise, I'd just oil it down well and call it good.

[stuffinbox]

M.E.K!
I was hoping that something less offensive would rid the surface of Old English furniture polish. I was thinking along the lines of using the reducer, either mineral spirits or 333 and clean cotton rags to try and get the silicon from the polish off the previosly varnished surface. For the most part the finish is well bonded and a topcoat is all thats required. the companionway and a few other areas that get high traffic and the the paneling in the galley exposed to dishsoap may need to be sanded to wood for better results. Does anyone have a particular satin varnish they prefer to work with? For large gouges, companionway steps and the area that gets smacked by the trash locker everytime we forget to latch it shut when sailing on a stbd. tack, has anyone done an inlay with plugs or veneir? I hope the thread stays alive for long enough to share some tips on the subject.

[ribbony]

All the screws in our teak are plugged. They were a real pain to remove. In theory a p;ug should just be pushed in and the varnish (if used) helps set them. Ours were glued in by some well meaning but mis-informed person. To remove a plug you should normally drill a small hole in the middle then use a wood or self tapping screw to wind out the plug, we had to make a round chissel for ours !

To replace plugs you can buy plugs or as we have done got a plug cutter tool and make your own plugs out of the same material and colour as your interior is made from. We used some old bits of teak from an altered cupboard surround. Even with a hand held drill we found the plugs easy to make.

Our interior is varnished in a thin satin coating, we also do not know what it is. As the pannels are veneered ply we will be avoiding sanding back to bare timber, and in any case the surface is in excellent condition apart from under the companion way hatch where a few more elements were thrown at the surface.

[Nordic cat]

I don't know about ageing teak, but for oak, I know that ammonia vapours get it to look old.

I saw an old carpenter do this with a piece of furnture he repaired. He sanded it all down when finished, so there was only wood on all surfaces. He then made a "tent" out of plastic and left a bucket full of ammonium hydroxide under the tent with the furniture. He checked it every day, and after a few days it all looked the same, sort of grey/brown.

Maybe try a sample piece over a dish with ammonia.

For light woods like maple, you can use white vinegar. Leave a handfull of "steel wool" in it overnight, and rub the wood down with the vinegar afterwards. This will give it a grey/metallic tone. More vinegar, less steel/less time gives a lighter tone.

Maybe check out some woodworking sites for more on the teak.

N.B. I strongly advise against using ammonia vapours near any electrics or electronics!!!!

Regards

Alan

[island trader]

teak dakrens with age. fresh cut teak is yellow! only way to make it even quickly is to strip it. or just kick back and wait on father time, he will fix it... exposure to sun and elements...

[ribbony]

Father time is the likely option ! Soooo many other things to do with the vessel. Next summer (in Oz) we can fuss with the timber work some more once we are mobile with the vessel. We will also see if we can mount things over the fresh patches on the teak pannels, like clocks, electronics, etc.