Varnish Removal & Restoration

[JD5652]

I have a 1989 44 Ocean with LOTS and LOTS of teak. The brow boards, cockpit door frame, salon window frames and other items have a glossy, multi-layer marine varnish system that has degraded. I want to remove all the old varnish and redo it the same way.

First of all, what is the BEST way to remove the old varnish?? I've done a little research and it appears a combination of heat, chemicals and elbow grease are in order. But I don't know ANYTHING about wood restoration or refinishing.

Secondly, I would like to know the BEST marine quality varnish system to use when all is clean.

Any suggestions will be appreciated.

Thanks and Happy New Year!

[TROPHY SPORTFISHING]

I HAD LOTS OF VARNISH ON MY 46 EGG HARBOR WE ENDED UP PAINTING THE TOERAIL WINDOW FRAME TRIM AND THE DOOR ALONG WITH THE BRIDGE CAP RAIL. HOWEVER DID STRIP THE EYEBROW AROUND THE TOP OF THE HOUSE. A DECENT GRADE HEAT GUN AND A FLAT SCRAPPER WILL DO THE TRICK YOU CAN PICK THESE UP AT LOWES HOME DEPOT OR YOUR HARDWARE STORE. BE CAREFUL NOT TOHOLD THE HEAT GUN ON ONE SPOT TO LONG IT'LL BURN THE WOOD AND TURN IT DARK ALSO BE CAREFUL OF SURROUNDING PAINT OR GELCOAT IT WILL BUBBLE IF HEAT STAYS ON IT . HEAT A SMALL AREA AND USE THE SCRAPPER TO PEEL THE VARNISH AWAY WHEN DONE STRIPPING SAND THE WOOD SMOOTH THEN CLEAN WITH CHEES CLOTH AND SOLVENT. GOOD LUCK. JUST FOR FUTURE REFERENCE PAINTING MY VARNISH WORK REALLY MADEW THE BOAT LOOK 20 YEARS NEWER. THE VARNISH GUY AROUND HERE USES BRISTOL FINISH REALLY HARD AND DURABLE BUILDS FAST AND LAST. THIS IS THE BEST FINISH I'VE SEEN SO FAR.

[Surfergirl]

Okay this is what I know... I hope it helps..
I use to be a varnishing fool.. but It has been a while and I am sure there are much better products out on the market now...

But I use to use a good stripper that the guys at the boat yard would tell me about.. but I forgot the name... I'll get that for you.. after using the stripper I would use a heat gun to get the last film off.. a heat gun will become your best friend then sand with a rough sand paper like 80grit then finish with a 220 grit until you are to bare wood..

Teak can be varnished satisfactorily, although it has a naturally high resin content that sometimes bleeds to the surface and can prevent good varnish adhesion.* Your results may vary depending on the character of the teak involved, how weathered it is, and other factors. A suggested technique is to sand the teak surface thoroughly, wipe down with a denatured alcohol, let dry, and apply a coat of 50% thinned varnish. Let the varnish dry thoroughly before application of subsequent coats.

Varnish Tips
* Apply varnish by brush, roller, or spray, six coats minimum on new wood, two coat minimum over old varnish.
* Sand between coats with 220-320 grit sandpaper
* Don't shake or stir a varnish. It creates bubbles and froth.
* Pour varnish through a paper strainer into another clean container for use, then tightly close the varnish can.
* Store varnish can upside down to ensure a good seal.
* When applying oil-based varnishes, se a tack rag to remove static dust for the cleanest possible surface just before applying varnish. Apply in as dust free area as possible.
* Use a good brush and be sure the brush is clean. This can't be overstressed. A high-quality natural bristle brush should be used when applying oil-based varnishes and a high-quality nylon, nylon/polyester, or foam brush should be used for water-based varnish application. Foam brushes are also practical for small jobs. Use a comb to remove dust and bits of varnish from the bristles before dipping the brush into the varnish.
* If the bubbles are forming in the varnish during application, many times they can be eliminated by changing the type of brush being used.
* Always brush into the wet edge. That is, don't start a fresh brush out of varnish from the previous brush load, but rather brush into the previous brush load. That will eliminate brush marks and overlaps.
* Avoid applying varnish in direct sunlight, or late in the day if night time dew is expected.
* When brushing varnish, thin 0-5% if the varnish becomes too thick.

[blackwell50]

heat gun and sand paper.my favorite product is Bristol Finish.It is very durable and easy to use,looks great.www.bristolfinish.com

[Finesse]

heat gun and sand paper.my favorite product is Bristol Finish.It is very durable and easy to use,looks great.www.bristolfinish.com

was that used on the bayshore console ??

[blackwell50]

was that used on the bayshore console ??

yes,did you like it?

[Finesse]

yes,did you like it?

Looked real nice in the pictures as I recall...

was that a resurface coat or from bare wood ??

[flatbottom]

JD if you have 3x or 6x coats of build up to remove use a biodegradable remover here

This is not a fast one shot and done processes. Apply, wait for the remover to do its thing. Scrape and rinse. Rinse the entire work area. The remover may not discolor the surrounding areas but the dissolved varnish might. Rinse and clean work area. Best to work different sides of the boat to keep the job moving along. Time you work. This will give you an idea of how much remover to apply to an area.

Next stage is sanding. Small areas can be hand sanded. Large flat areas can be sanded with an orbital sander. Use a sander with round disks. They have Velcro on the backing and come in packs. 80 grit is aggressive. Lets the sander do the work. Do not let the sander work one area repeatedly. Keep it moving. Follow up with 120 grit in the same fashion as above. If the 120 is to sharp, sand a scrap board for a second to knock the edge off.

Next stage. This is the first of many finishes. Use a rag with alcohol to wipe the area. You are now looking for a even tone of the teak. If you like what you see continue to apply the first finish. If you do not, and all varnish is removed, you can apply a coat of stain to even the look desired. The varnish has an amber cast to it. Pick a stain to compliment. A maple color by min wax will put you in the area you are looking for. Apply with a yachtsman white bristle brush. You will find this brush at professional shops. Do not wipe. Apply and even out. Keep a rag with you to tip the brush and remove stain that is to heavy in some areas. Let dry. In cold weather this should take two to three days. Inside in warm conditions, 1 day. Let dry...

Back to the finish. This is the sealer stage. Reduce the finish and apply. The viscosity should resemble cooking oil. Let this stage dry. This stage will seal the teak and stand the wood fibers on the surface. It will feel rough in some areas. When dry sand with 220 grit paper. Dust and apply another varnish coat. Keep doing this over days until the look is what you are looking for.

Tools needed. Yachtsman chinese white bristle. 2 inch and 2 1/2 inch.

3 work buckets. One to store the brushes and 2 for alternating days of finishing.

Rags and denatured alcohol.

Clean the brush after each use in alcohol. Put in the cardboard folder it came in to preserve the sharp edge. Place in a bucket with alcohol 2 inches deep.

Gallon filters. After each coat filter the varnish back in the original container. Before each coat filter the varnish in one of the two buckets. Keep the buckets clean and filter often. Throw the filter away after each use.

[blackwell50]

Looked real nice in the pictures as I recall...

was that a resurface coat or from bare wood ??

bare wood

[JD5652]

Hey Guys-

Thanks for all the great info!

Has anyone ever heard of this product?

http://www.westernwooddoctor.com/spe...nt-remover.htm

Any opinions on the theory of how it's suppose to work. It's a little pricey, but it may be worth it since I have a lot of varnish removal to do since most of the areas that I'm looking at are at least 10 coats thick.