Teak and Oil

[John D]

As one with limited experience in these matters, I have a question about teak and oil. On my previous boat, I used boiled linseed oil to preserve the exterior teak. I was pleased with the results, as the wood looked good all season long with only occasional touching up. On my current boat, I decided to go with “marine grade teak oil”. I was not pleased at all. The wood turned gray in a short time, the oil almost visibly rinsed off in the rain, and it left, in some places, a white film that was harder to remove than it was to restore the teak’s color. After much additional elbow grease, I’ve gone back to linseed oil. I am committed to oil finishes because, well, I just like them better than varnish. I was wondering if any one else has had any experience like this. Thank you, John

[Tom M.]

Marine varnish contains UV inhibitors that prevent wood from turning grey. Rubbing oils don't.

For water resistance, "teak oil" usually requires that several coats be applied. Like 6. Did you do that?

I don't know what that white film could be. Did it appear before, or after you began sanding? If before, then I don't know. If after, then that's just what happens when varnish is sanded. Teak oil usually has varnish in it.

[Mike Vogdes]

Varnish in teak oil? I don't think so...
Usually marine grade teak oil is tung and lemon oil.

John, I don't know what happened with your teak oil application, I have allways had good results with scrubbing against the grain with soapy water and a soft brush, then rinse really well befor letting dry throughly, then in the afternoon when its warm, apply the teak oil. This usually does the trick however, after a week or so the teak deck starts to get dirty due to dirt, polin, dust, and whatever else is floating in the air sticking to the oiled surface. So, for the teak decks I usually forgo the oil and just keep them clean and let them grey. I never tried boiled linseed oil, does it leave a oily film?

[John D]

Tom, I applied at least six coats of oil. The white film showed up some months after multiple applications of teak oil to raw clean freshly sanded wood.
Mike, boiled linseed oil dries faster than unboiled but it still takes a day or two. It does not leave a film in my experiance. I would be interested to hear thaughts about the pros and cons of letting all the teak go gray, as I have been tempted... Thanks for the responses, John

[Tom M.]

Mike: The "teak oil" I have definitely contains varnish, but now I remember about the formula you describe, and its probably more common.

The stuff I have is Daly's. Its an oil/varnish blend. I wish it said "oil/varnish blend" instead of "teak oil". When I read "teak oil", I think of teak as an oily wood.

John: You could let it go gray, but it'll probably check and rot after a few years from the UV and water intrusion, depending on the quality of the teak. From your post, it sounds like Linseed oil has as least some UV inhibiting properties. This makes sense to me in the back of my brain. I think there's still some remnants of chemistry class in there. I'm not even close to being able to explain it though.

[Mike Field]

.
All the "teak oils," bar one, that I've ever tried have been very light and not worth bothering about. The "one" is Norglass Weathershield Marine Teak Oil, which is a local brand here and possibly not available where you are. (Even that needs at least three coats to provide good protection.)

I myself would use raw linseed rather than boiled because of its better penetration properties (and I'd cut the first coat with turps too.)

A long-time marketing slogan out here -- roughly equivalent to, "If it's not broken don't fix it" -- is, "When you're on a good thing, stick to it." If you're happy with the boiled oil, why change?
.

[Bob Smalser]

Only downside is that often linseed turns black from age and UV....on my linseed-tar finished work boats, you can't tell where the linseed stops and the tar begins after a year or so of weather.

Otherwise, boiled linseed-turps, a little Japan Drier, a dab of roofing tar and a chunk of beeswax applied hot from a double boiler is a pretty utilitarian finish if done once a year...and dirt cheap.

But on expensive teak on a fine yacht, I'd use polymerized Tung...doesn't turn black and the (soft varnish) finish can be built up a bit. All the mixtures of linseed and poly or alkyd varnish are merely to replicate the more-expensive polymerized Tung.

Raw linseed never dries...and while useful in small quantities to rejuvenate old, dry wood that's lost it's natural oils, can actually rot the wood in joints where that gummy, wet linseed doesn't get air.....repair some century-old gunstocks some time and you'll see....you'll also never successfully glue that wood again if it breaks and you need to w/o getting that oil outa there with a whiting/mineral spirits slurry and heat....often have to cut that fine walnut a good ways back to find sound wood for gluing so as to make a permanent repair.

[ 10-03-2003, 02:23 PM: Message edited by: Bob Smalser ]

[John of Phoenix]

I've had very good success with Watco Teak Oil Exterior/Marine. A friend recommended the linseed/turp mix as a cheap treatment. In three months it had gone from teak to gray to black. As Bob says, pitch black. A day with a power washer got things back to teak and with an annual recoat of Watco, the teak has looked great since.

[ 10-03-2003, 12:58 PM: Message edited by: John Teetsel ]

[Mike Field]

.
Yes, I've heard other reports from the US about linseed going black with age. But I've never seen it happen here. Different material? Different climate? Different air-borne pollutants? Interesting.

However, if you're near where that's likely to happen, I suppose you shouldn't use it. (Or perhaps, as an alternativre, come to Oz....?)
.

[Bob Smalser]

Mike,

This walnut stock on the '03 Springfield dates from 1910....complete with the original linseed finish that must have took months to complete.

I can't explain what this smith did to prevent darkening....but he took his secret to the grave with him. A shame.

They didn't have much alkyd varnish back then...old finishes were often home-brewed using linseed, cut shellac and/or a touch of lacquer.

Touching them up can be one of the great sporting events of chemistry when trying for a compatible product....letsee...acetone melts lacquer quickly, shellac a tad less quickly....alkyd varnish very slowly....poly not at all....and epoxy has to be sanded off. Alcohol melts shellac quickly....

http://pic3.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/2080858/25707025.jpg

[ 10-05-2003, 02:32 PM: Message edited by: Bob Smalser ]

[Mike Field]

.
Nice bit of artistry there, Bob. Looks like it'd be a delight to handle.

Some of these old buggers were pretty inconsiderate, weren't they?
.

[ 10-05-2003, 01:39 PM: Message edited by: Mike Field ]