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Soaking teak platform in Oil


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I could not belive how badly my teak platform turned black in one year, I actually had to look at pictures from the day we got the boat to believe that this can happen.

Yes, the boat is in the water and sun for 6 months, I did oil it once a month, but still.

I will try and make a cover for it for next year, but until then I was wondering if anyone has ever tried putting the platform inside a flat bath full of teak oil for the winter.

I have sanded it down, it it looks MUCH better. I am now waiting for Amazon's teak prep to arrive in the mail to start the oiling process. Then it hit me, if some members of this forum oiled each side 20 times, it might be a lot less work to leave the platform in oil for the winter.

Any ideas ?

Anyone tried something similar?

BB

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I could not belive how badly my teak platform turned black in one year, I actually had to look at pictures from the day we got the boat to believe that this can happen.

Yes, the boat is in the water and sun for 6 months, I did oil it once a month, but still.

I will try and make a cover for it for next year, but until then I was wondering if anyone has ever tried putting the platform inside a flat bath full of teak oil for the winter.

I have sanded it down, it it looks MUCH better. I am now waiting for Amazon's teak prep to arrive in the mail to start the oiling process. Then it hit me, if some members of this forum oiled each side 20 times, it might be a lot less work to leave the platform in oil for the winter.

Any ideas ?

Anyone tried something similar?

BB

Wouldn't that be rather expensive? Interesting idea ... I think for the whole winter would be too much and you really thing the idea it to let it dry between coats.

Edited by MalibuNation
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I have had a malibu since 1988. My current boat is a 99 and the platform looks as good as new. The secret is to not use TEAK Oil!!!! There I said it and you die hard guys can blast if you like.

You need to use TUNG OIL and i don't mean Formby's. Pure Tung Oil!!!!! Not water based formula, i haven't tried that. Over the winter i sand my platform and apply Tung oil. Don't let it get on the fiber glass. Apply it very heavy and what ever the platform doesn't absorb in 5 minutes wipe off. Let this dry and sand it again. Apply anopther coat in the same manner. Then while you are patting yopurself on the back - Apply one more lite coat.

You must do all sides of the wood. I have had excellent success. A whole quart only costs about $8.00. Every once in a while i have to do a second coat in the summer.

I do not leave my boat in all summer however i use it all the time in fresh water.

Now you can make a sunbrella cover with elastic corners like a bed sheet.

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Yes if the sun is on it it will dry and turn gray. It does not matter if its in the water or not. You need to do more then teak oil if you don't expect it to get the graying. You will need to do a sealer. and that will change how you need to prep it each year. Or you can do a teak wash and oil two or three times a year.

If not you will need to keep the sun from backing it all day. (IMHO)

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My teak was sealed with some sort of varnish when I bought the boat. It was great. Looked new for 3 years, then it was just worn where scuffed. I may try to do it that way myself.

I tried the teak oil/sealer routine. It didn't hold up for half a summer.

I wish my platform came off easy, I would use the tung oil. Unfortunately my platfform is held on by 12 screws (into the teak). I'm afraid of stripping the holes.

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If you just pour teak oil on it and use a brush to smooth it out a little bit, it will dry to a very thick coating that will last a long time.

I did this two years ago thinking it would provide a long lasting coat. not.... The oil just cured into a think layer of laquer, and it was extremely slippery when wet.

Your best bet is to sand it smooth and lightly oil it once or twice a month.

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If you just pour teak oil on it and use a brush to smooth it out a little bit, it will dry to a very thick coating that will last a long time.

I did this two years ago thinking it would provide a long lasting coat. not.... The oil just cured into a think layer of laquer, and it was extremely slippery when wet.

Your best bet is to sand it smooth and lightly oil it once or twice a month.

Woody.

Thanks a lot for your answer.

I was debating how good of an idea this was, and was looking for some input.

Thanks for sharing, and saving me from one hell of a slip.

BB

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TeakGuard is the only way to go. I cleaned my teak and applied teak guard several years ago and never looked back. Great product, goes on easy, last a long time, I'll never apply oil again.

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Will try to post some pics from my teak swim platform from my 2003 bu. I've got about 10 hours into it, bust out the music, Corona's and some limes. It's like waxing your boat, "labor of love". This is with 6 coats of TeakGuard and also pictured is my spotter.

post-371-1225383050_thumb.jpg

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Another pic.

Thumbup.gif Looks good, so how much do I need to get to do three or four coats. Does it smell bad or can I do it in the basement over the winter?

I have been using teak oil two or three times a year.

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Another pic.

Thumbup.gif Looks good, so how much do I need to get to do three or four coats. Does it smell bad or can I do it in the basement over the winter?

I have been using teak oil two or three times a year.

For just the platform their small cantainer (I think it's like 12 or 16oz) is more than enough. I usually put on about 6 coats in the spring and touch it up once in a while. Teak guard had almost no odor at all and can easily be done inside without and fear.

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Another pic.

Thumbup.gif Looks good, so how much do I need to get to do three or four coats. Does it smell bad or can I do it in the basement over the winter?

I have been using teak oil two or three times a year.

SB, it's really wierd (sp) stuff, no odor, goes on like water and has a little bit of purple-ish tint to it when you apply it. Aint cheap ... if you weren't on the other side of the state I'd let you uses what I have.

Edited by MalibuNation
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+1 for Tung oil Clap.gif

I've seen other post praising Tung Oil, how my coats do you use and does it last all season? TeakGuard last all season for me and my swim platform is in the sun most of the day in the summer. Thanks

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I used tung oil on a brand new platform. The process I chose was very time intensive--to the tune of twenty-something coats. I believe it did hold up better and longer than commercial teak oil, but was not the 'all season' solution I was looking for. The results were not worth the amount of time I spent on it.

I will continue to use tung oil, first thinned with Naphtha then straight. However, I will spend only a fraction of the time pre-season and then expect to hit it a few times in the summer.

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My platform had been varnished or polyurthaned or similar by previous owner so I used stripper and sanded all that oof. Then applied one coat of a primer tung oil then one coat of normal tung oil. Since then about once every 4 month it gets a coat wiped on wiht a rag, left 10 minutes then wiped off wiht clean rag. Done, easy as ! Note it lives in a garage when not in use.

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Used to be several coats a season for me....

.... now it's just one.

My boat sits at the dock, in the sun, for July & August.

Had a local canvas guy make a cover (velcro attached in 60 seconds) for about $100 in the off-season.

Like my platform is wearing UV sunglasses.

post-114-1225587073_thumb.jpg

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Used to be several coats a season for me....

.... now it's just one.

My boat sits at the dock, in the sun, for July & August.

Had a local canvas guy make a cover (velcro attached in 60 seconds) for about $100 in the off-season.

Like my platform is wearing UV sunglasses.

DH, looks nice. A friend of mine owned a business that involved sowing and tried to get him to start making these ... soon after he ended up selling the business for several million and retired ... the bum.

Is it Canvas, Sunbrella (sp), breathable? Just wondering if would trap water under it after using the boat or waves or rain, though I think water wouldn't bother TeakGuard. Wind ever rip it off? My boat sits on a lift. Thanks

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Material is Sunbrella.

Before I installed, I worried about water getting trapped underneath.... and causing either a mold problem, or trapping hot air and "baking" the wood. I considered placing several of those plastic practice golf balls with the holes in them between the cover and the platform, to raise the Sunbrella off the wood, and providing some extra air space.

Not needed. None of my worries happened. Why?

As the boat sits in the water, as it rises and drops with normal wave action, on its downward movement, air that is trapped under the platform rises up through the cracks in the teak, and "fluffs" the cover. As a result, there is (on a normal day) constant air circulation. As for sitting on your lift, you wouldn't get the same wave motion..... but there is still ability for the air to come up through the platform cracks.

Wind never caused a problem for me. It fits fairly tightly. (naturally, I wouldn't trailer with it on..... and have never driven the boat away with it on either.) Although I'm on an inland lake, we often get a few storms..... never had it ripped off.

A few more pics showing more detail.

post-114-1225645245_thumb.jpg

post-114-1225645266_thumb.jpg

post-114-1225645284_thumb.jpg

Edited by doughickey
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