Interior Varnish Colors and Sheens

  • November 02, 2013 4:46 PM
    Message # 1426703
    Deleted user
    My factory finished W32 interior has only been oiled and never varnished.
    The oil is old, dry and dark but in nice shape. I will be varnishing soon and am seeking some suggestions of what sheens and colors seem to work well on our boats.
    Bulkheads satin and everything else high gloss?
    Colors?
    Varnish brand name suggestions?
    Sikkens Cetol is said to be too orangy for interior work. True? False?

    Thanks,
    Carl


  • November 02, 2013 9:35 PM
    Reply # 1426769 on 1426703
    Deleted user

    We started stripping our oiled interior with Teka two part teak cleaner when we bought her twenty years ago.  We found oil to be dirty and if our hair were damp it would stick to the bulk head.   We used Interlux Gold 60 flat on the panels and Crystal gloss on the trim. Crystal has gotten to expensive and hard to get so we now use Epifanes for gloss inside and out. Each winter we would pick a section and complete it. The V-berth to the main salon bulk head was almost 1000 man hours.  It took years to complete the entire boat.  We applied 12 coats on everything but the ceiling which only got ten coats.  Other than the floor and the ladder we haven't touched the interior and it still looks great. In the main salon we changed over to wet sanding to keep the dust down. Also at the very end we started to apply two coats of West systems as it fills the grain faster and provides a good solid base. Everything we could take off and do in the shop at home we did.  Other than areas that get bumped or heavy use like handholds we'll never have to varnish again. We wouldn't use anything but a good grade varnish but I admit we're biased as we can't stand Cetol. 

     

    Photo

     

    Photo

    Photo

     

     

     

  • November 02, 2013 10:43 PM
    Reply # 1426789 on 1426703
    Deleted user
    Jim,
    That was a great post to read and the pictures are inspiring.
    After removing the oil did you stain some areas/panels before varnishing?
    I kind of like the deep oil color of my wood and was thinking of evening it out where needed or lightening the oil color some before varnishing.
    Did you put any varnish on the drawer interiors?


  • November 03, 2013 9:16 AM
    Reply # 1426922 on 1426703
    Deleted user

    Carl. We didn't stain any wood or varnish interiors of the draws, cabinets or cabinet doors.  Wood tends to darken when varnished without stain. We not only used Tek-A but also used TSP to bleach the wood as much as possible, but it sill darkened when varnished.  I wanted to paint the ceiling (ash planking) and bulkheads white, but that idea got vetoed.

    Jim

     

  • November 04, 2013 3:14 AM
    Reply # 1427357 on 1426703
    Deleted user
    Carl,

    It's been my experience that oiled teak will turn fairly dark with the application of varnish that contains UV protection additives. The color of previously oiled teak is best preserved by using a clear polyurethane to suit your taste i.e. gloss, semi-gloss or satin. UV protection on the interior is not necessary except maybe around the companionway trim. I had both varnished and oiled areas on the interior of Rhapsody and my technique, after some experimentation, was using a mixture of ACE brand gloss polyurethane and Old English furniture oil wiped on with a soft rag. The result is a very smooth nearly glossy finish, very pleasing at least to my old eyes. I would suggest removing a couple of the oiled ceiling strips and experimenting for yourself. Using a wipe-on process, you can get the interior done over a relatively short period of time. 

    Werner
    Last modified: November 04, 2013 3:16 AM | Deleted user
Powered by Wild Apricot Membership Software