Epifanes Rubbed Finish on Teak (show me!)

[Cdn_bacon]

I'm new to varnishing and was thinking to finish with Epifanes Rubbed Finish Teak. I prefer the satin or matte finish. What would you recommend for a base coat? (Varnish Clear, Woodfinish, or a Rapidcoat?). I'm not a huge fan of amber and prefer the deeper reds that come with age.

Show me your teak!

[keepondancin]

I do build coats with rapid clear until grain is mostly filled, sand, then at least one coat of clear regular varnish,sanded, then one or two coats of hand rubbed. It gives a really nice finish. Hand rubbed is interior only. I don’t like wood finish, I think it is too soft when dry and cured.

[deblen]

This used to be good stuff.
No recent experience,& in Canada,it's difficult to find real oil paint/varnish any longer.
https://www.loghomestore.ca/product/sikkens-cetol-1-re/

[Cdn_bacon]

Originally Posted by keepondancin

I do build coats with rapid clear until grain is mostly filled, sand, then at least one coat of clear regular varnish,sanded, then one or two coats of hand rubbed. It gives a really nice finish. Hand rubbed is interior only. I don’t like wood finish, I think it is too soft when dry and cured.

Why use rapid clear instead of building up with regular gloss varnish? Have a pic of your finished product?

[keepondancin]

Rapid clear can be recoated without sanding, and several coats can go on the same day. With gloss clear you have to wait 24hrs then sand. Rapid clear is a little thinner so you don’t get the same film thickness per coat, it you can build it up quicker.

[rls8r]

I generally use Epifanes below decks - but the interior of my boat is mahogany - not teak. I use various mixtures of rubbed effect and gloss - depending on the amount of wear/handling that I expect. I use pure rubbed effect on the surfaces that do not get much handling (e.g., ceiling boards, bulkheads, etc.) - a 50/50 mixture of rubbed effect/gloss on surfaces that get moderate handling (e.g., door frames, etc.) - and a 75/25 mixture (gloss/rubbed) for surfaces that get a larger amount of handling (e.g., grab rails, bulkhead trim, etc.). It seems to me that gloss stands up to handling better than rubbed effect - but I could just be kidding myself. I called Epifanes and they told me that mixing gloss and rubbed effect was OK as long as the rubbed effect was well-stirred.

I apply a couple of 'base' coats of Epifanes rapid clear - diluting the first coat with about 25% thinner and the second with about 10% thinner. I sand the next-to-final coat with 400-grit paper, and keep applying thinned rapid clear (and sanding) until I get a nice, smooth surface before applying the final coat.

I don't use Epifanes on the outside - where my teak brightwork lives. I tried it and was not pleased. I've switched over to AwlWood. AwlWood is easier to apply and maintain - and it seems to hold up to the UV light better than others that I've tried. I usually give the brightwork 8 (or so - sometimes 9) coats. I'll finish by 'buffing' the final coat with 3M Perfect-It rubbing compounds (using the appropriate pad on my 8" buffer/sander).