[Public-List] Cetol Natural vs oil finish for North or South climates

[crufone at comcast.net]

John and Others. 



I tried Cetol "Natural Teak" last season 2008-2009 here in SW Florida on a couple of projects for my Typhoon. Since I was in the process of redoing the three drop boards for the companionway I made a single drop board out of OSB.... Oriented Strand Board, which is the crap the building industry has substitute for plywood. 



After I sanded and cleaned the OSB I wiped it down with Acetone and applied a generous coat of West Marine's penetrating Epoxy. I kept coating until the Epoxy entered the green state. No not Vermont!! I paid special attention to the edges.  This was followed with two coats of Cetol Natural teak. I used the same process on two other projects at the same time, an Oak/Mahogany tiller and a solid teak riser block which supports the traveller fairleads and cam cleat.  I must admit that the scrap teak block I used had a minor grain defect which created a minor crack along the grain. Nonetheless this block was saturated with so called penetrating Epoxy until it would no longer accept any resin. The block was finished on all sides and then bedded with new compound. 



The boat was left in the water and exposed to the elements until I returned to her in November of 2009. I was surprised to observe that the OSB drop board was almost like it was freshly done, with the exception of the lower outside corners where the finsih was damaged by, none other than dropping it into place!!  The finish on the teak riser block had deteriorated to the point of having to be redone. The tiller faired the best because it had been removed and stored inside with no exposure to the weather. I also use a canvas cover for the tiller cover when it is on the boat. 



The Cetol Natural Teak looks the best of all of the Cetol finishes in my book. Meaning it is closest to a natural resin varnish finish in appearance. 



My observations and experience have lead me to the following. In the Northern Climates in Fresh water,i.e., the Great Lakes a teak oil or danish oil...........an oil finish with a UV inhibitor works well. Even if one has to 'touch it up' once a season or even during the season, May thru October, it provides beauty and protection close to but never matching a varnish finish like Eiphanes,sp? BUT......................the labour is one/tenth the time.  To touch-up the oil finish on the toe rails takes longer to apply the tape than to apply the finish.  Prep is a mixture of bleach/TSP/water applied with a chore boy pad. Do a thorough rinse with clean water, allow to dry, tape and apply finish with a cloth pad. Boom.......done. 



In Southern climates and salt water, oil finishes are hard to maintain.  They support mold growth and turn almost black concealing the beauty to the wood beneath. That is why I tried the Cetol Natural finish.  Florida is very tough on most anything left outside in the weather. We have homes in both northern Michigan and southern Florida.  The deterioration in Florida is twenty times the rate in Michigan.  Each climate suggests a different approach to maintaining wood finishes.  It is so true......"a stitch in time saves nine". The best way to never have to redo the finish of the wood on your boat is to permanently remove all the wood from your boat. 



Michael  #133