Varnish/paint that brighten interior woodwork

[Wckoek]

All boat interior can get oppressively dark as the interior woodwork finish gets darker.
What sort of refinishing products and process that can keep the bright longer and easier to maintain?

[mike d.]

If you have teak or mahogany it should get lighter, as long as some sun light gets at it, not darker ! If you are reffering to the actual finish, that is because it did not have uv inhibitors ! New finishes have inhibitors ! Our boat is 41 yrs young, and the original finish/wood actually got lighter/yellowed over the years !

[Uncle Bob]

Hi, if you have large panels of varnished timber, such as bulkheads and headlining you can paint them with a warm white, keeping any trim pieces varnished. Done well it can transform the bat cave remarkably well.

[Wckoek]

Originally Posted by mike d.

If you have teak or mahogany it should get lighter, as long as some sun light gets at it, not darker ! If you are reffering to the actual finish, that is because it did not have uv inhibitors ! New finishes have inhibitors ! Our boat is 41 yrs young, and the original finish/wood actually got lighter/yellowed over the years !

Probably it is because of the actual finish like you say.

Originally Posted by Uncle Bob

Hi, if you have large panels of varnished timber, such as bulkheads and headlining you can paint them with a warm white, keeping any trim pieces varnished. Done well it can transform the bat cave remarkably well.

I have heard of people revarnish and these days even applying new vinyl, but I haven't heard or seen others painting boat interior woodwork.
Not Quite Seasoned, but Very Well Salted: Painting the Interior
This one have airy, feels larger after the paint, but it isn't to my taste, too bright?

[Uncle Bob]

Originally Posted by Wckoek

Probably it is because of the actual finish like you say.

I have heard of people revarnish and these days even applying new vinyl, but I haven't heard or seen others painting boat interior woodwork.
Not Quite Seasoned, but Very Well Salted: Painting the Interior
This one have airy, feels larger after the paint, but it isn't to my taste, too bright?

Have to agree, the white is too white and there is far too much of it, achieving a good balance with colour and quantity is the goal.

[Exctyengr]

Many boats of the '80's vintage had teak interiors that were oiled (instead of varnished, this saved the manufacturer money). Over the ensuing decades, the oil darkened the wood, attracted dust and dirt and gets dingy. On a previous boat (Catalina 36) we gave it a light sand and varnished it with semi gloss and it lighted it quite a bit. I would be hesitant to paint like the link describes because I do think it will affect value. Suggestion: Try cleaning, light sanding and see if that helps. If so, satin or semi-gloss varnish.

[avotrejoyeux]

We had a Cal 2-46 for 32 years and we found the no-light areas stayed dark and the salon with large windows became lighter. In 2007, we chose to change the interior teak from an oil finish to a varnish finish. We equalized the color by mixing stains to make the salon the same as the other cabins. We sprayed 5 to 7 light coats of satin Z Spar after cleaning, sanding and staining. The finish looked the same in 2017, when we sold the boat, as it did when we varnished. The new owners are currently cruising coastal Mexico and frequently comment on the durability and ease of cleaning of the surfaces.
Our daughter bought a Cal 34 that was all teak below as well. She chose to paint the teak panel surfaces in a combination of two colors of enamel. We wondered when she told us the plan because of our long appreciation for teak. The result was stunning and fresh. She didn't have the appreciation for the classic teak interiors. We thought of the quote: “The past is a foreign country; they do things differently there.” L.P. Hartley

[MJH]

Originally Posted by Wckoek

All boat interior can get oppressively dark as the interior woodwork finish gets darker.
What sort of refinishing products and process that can keep the bright longer and easier to maintain?

I'm one of those guys that loves the texture of wood and suggest thinking twice before ever painting over it. During my boat search years ago I saw a few good boats that were ruined in my estimation by owners that painted over cabin teak or other wood interiors. Don't do it.

~ ~ _/) ~ ~ MJH

[MarkSF]

I've seen just the bulkheads done in white, leaving the rest of the wood alone, looks quite good.

Also, brightening up the upholstery can make quite a difference. Picture attached is of my re-upholstered salon cushions - they were in dark blue originally.

[Ken Fry]

Originally Posted by avotrejoyeux

“The past is a foreign country; they do things differently there.” L.P. Hartley

And of course, in the further past, many (if not most) yachts looked like this:



Things come around.

[Ramona]

Check out yachts that have been for sale for ages. Invariably they have had the interior updated with paint! Tastefully done paint looks good but how often do we see good taste in painted interiors?

[PineyWoodsPete]

Our past Meadowlark 37 interior was finished with white panels and the 3x3 mahogany "timbers", trim, and drawer fronts varnished. With the 5' 8" headroom, we appreciated the lightness.

[Wckoek]

Originally Posted by PineyWoodsPete

Our past Meadowlark 37 interior was finished with white panels and the 3x3 mahogany "timbers", trim, and drawer fronts varnished. With the 5' 8" headroom, we appreciated the lightness.

This look rather nice.
I think it will fit a more traditional design kind of boat.

[spiv]

A friend of mine had his plywood panel very coarsely sanded only in the direction of the grain, then a whitewash applied, then clear filled abd re-varnished.
It cost him a lot, but the finished look was of an amazing light coloured timber with grains of darker timber.

I would love to be able of recreate that!

[PineyWoodsPete]

Originally Posted by Wckoek

This look rather nice.
I think it will fit a more traditional design kind of boat.

That she was!