subject: Varish Yacht Brightwork Like a Pro - Part 2 [print this page] Author: Mike Dickens Author: Mike Dickens
In Part 1, we talked about how to prepare for laying some varnish on your teak; let's now get to work.
Step 3- Varnishing, Getting Ready
Shopping List
Your choice of varnish
Solvent
Foam brushes ( I like the ones from Wal-Mart)
Tack rags
Bleach
If you are starting with bare teak you may want to use the Cetol Marine which has some pigment in it. I like to use two coats of it on raw teak to give it a pretty color to it. I follow this with 4 coatings of gloss . On teak previously finished, I use only gloss. Each year, the varnish builds up so you will have to strip it down to bare teak and start over every 5-6 years or so.
This year I only applied 3 coats of gloss as I stripped the teak railsdown to bare wood last year.
Cetol advises not to thin their product with thinners. Forget that! I reduce my Cetol with a suitable thinner at least 30%; if its in the 90 degree F temperatures I reduce it up to 50%. The rational for doing this is that it allows the Cetol to flow and level itself, reducing the irregular results you will get otherwise. Cetol directly out of the can will flow to a greater extent like honey than a paint.
My choice of applicator is a 2 inch foam brush. No brush hairs and it glides on oh so smooth.
Step 4- Let'sLay Some Varnish
Ok, we are almost prepared but there's one additional step you need to do. Bright work has a tendency to get mildew beneath the varnish on the wood over time. You'll want to kill any likely spores with a cloth moistened with bleach and wiped over the surface before the first coat. The bleach will not raise the grain nor will it damage any bare teak.
Lets varnish.
Moisten the foam brush with Cetol and apply the varnish to the teak in about 6-10 inch stokes. Apply it lightly to avoid runs always watching your work to catch that run that does occur. Always keep a wet edge, meaning you work your way into the previously wetted surfaces to avert drags from drying varnish. The going appears slow but it moves quickly.
be sure to allow time to dry before reapplying another; weather permitting, I can apply three or four in a day. Be sure to use a tack rag toget rid of any dust before another coat. Theres no requirement to sand between coats when using Cetol.
About 6 coats will give you a lovely finish.
Time - 2 hrs. for coat
Total application time - 6 hours
Step 4- Clean Up
Remember we put the masking tape on certain spots for catching the overlooked brush strokes? It took me about 5 minutes to remove it all. I passed nearly 4 hours with a Dremel tool and brush a while ago removing the varnish that the Patricia Ann's past owner had "applied".
Not bad; it looks good to me. All said it took my wife and I a total of 8.5 hours out of a 2 day weekend to get the bright work back into Bristol condition. So its not such an ordeal after all if you know how to do it.
The author, Mike Dickens, is a trawler owner and owner/Broker of Paradise Yachts located in Florida USA.About the Author:
Mike Dickens, the author, is a boat owner and owner/Broker of Paradise Yachts.
Paradise Yachts is a Yacht Brokerage offering used yachts to customers worldwide.
