Teak Oil or Varnish?

[MarkD]

Guys:

Any suggestions on whether to use teak oil/sealer on a boat box top and a swim platform? Any specific benefits to either? Any thoughts are appreciated. Thanks,

[CaptPatrick]

Mark,

While varnished teak looks nice when freshly done, I find it to a maintenance nightmare... Your step box is going to get high traffic which drastically shortens the maintenance period between revarnishing. The swim platform is going to get soaked on a regular basis, leading to pealing & cracked varnish in a flash. When wet, varnish is slick, not a surface you want to trust your footing to.

Only answer is oil...

Br,

Patrick

[MarkD]

Thanks Capt!

[Dug]

Mark,

Trust me, the Captain is right completely.

And there is a rumor I have teak somewhere...

Dug

[Mack]

Started with varnish on my swim platform. A maintenance nightmare as it constantly gets wet and is then subject to the hot sun. Went to sikkens and was optimistic about the results after one season. Did a "maintenance" coat at the beginning of the second season and it looked like crap after only two months in the water. Even worse by the end of last season. Next week I am getting out the sander to take it back down to bare teak. Going with the oil/cleaning rountine this season, which I know will still require some maintenance. Should be much easier and faster than any other option. If the wife and kids didn't enjoy swimming off the back of the boat so much, I would probably just remove the platform all together.

[Rawleigh]

I've had good luck using Deks Olje. Use 3-4 coats of the gloss and bronze wool it to make it dull. When it does inevitably need refinishing it can be lightly sanded and touched up.