Bright work finishing

[ebs001]

Has anybody used a product called "Tea Qua" to refinish the exposed teak on their boat? I would like to know anyones experience with this product, specifically how it looks in comparison to varnish and how it stands up to the elements, mainly u/v. Thanks

[Goodnewsboy]

Never heard of it, but I have heard of Te-Ka, a wood cleaner and restorer that does not simulate varnish in any way. It is sort of a wood bleach. Others may know more.

[Zanshin]

I just used the 2-part Te-Ka for my outside teakwork. It took a while to put one layer of tape on the fiberglass on the edges of all the teak but that was actually most of the work. The "A" part is the nasty stuff (Sodium Hydroxide, if I remember correctly) and I applied it with a brush and let soak in for about 4 minutes. Then light brushing with a scotch pad and fnially application of the "B" neutralizer and a bit more brushing before washing down with a lot of water and removing the tape. It worked like a charm, removing a lot of dirt and other contaminants and leaving the teak looking rejuvenated.

[ebs001]

I am a little surprised that no one has heard of this product. It is worth checking out at: http://www.teaqua.com/home.htm It appears that it will provide a finish to teak that will last for years with minimal maintenance. I am going to try it on my teak which my wife just sanded down and if I don't want a divorce I had better come up with a finish for the teak that won't require that process again. After it's finished I will give an update and then I'll report back after it's been exposed to the elements for a year.

[foxglove]

Two years ago, I tried a product called Teak Guard. It looked great until winter. Much of it peeled.

Now, I'm looking at sanding it all over again because it is so difficult to remove. The standard removal products don't work. I just let it go for a season hopping the finish would fall off.

I don't know of the product that you have discovered, but I would recommend against any product that has not stood the test of time.

Although I don't like the look of Cetol, I'll probably use that next time.

[ebs001]

We first heard about Tea Qua 3 years ago. So they have been around for a while - longer than varnish or Cetol will last. It's unfortunate that we can only rely on Tea Qua's web site for testimonials on the product because if what they claim is true, this product blows any other finishng out of the water (pun intended) From reading the label and product information on their web site it sounds like it acts more like a stain, penetrating the wood, rather than a paint or varnish which sits on the surface.
I agree with the FOX, I do not like the look of Cetol and refuse, for now, to use it and if Tea Qua works like they say it does, I won't ever have to use it.
Fox, check out the website and if you want wait a year for my report on my experience. My boat will be in the Southern U.S. - Fl & Ga - for that time, so it will be a fairly good test.

[docketone]

I used Teakqua and I did not like it. The product, in my opinion was closer to paint than any other coating. It turned the teak much darker than I liked and I opted to sand it off the day I applied it. I have used, and still use, Teakguard which is a fantastic product but it not a miracle fix either. I use Teakguard on my cockpit seats which are exposed to the harsh Gulf Coast, Texas weather. It will fail after about a year despite the manufacturers statement to the contrary. When it fails it is pretty easy to sand off and redo. I like the fact that it is waterbased so when applying Teakguard you can wipe up any spills.

[ebs001]

Thanks Dock. After your post I'm going to first try TeaQua on the cockpit foor boards to see how I like it (or don't) and then I'll proceed accordingly from there.

[ebs001]

We applied the Tea Qua to the floor boards today and liked the look so we continued on with other areas of exposed teak. Tea Qua gives a dark almost rosewood look to the teak with a texture very similiar to the raw wood. We will probably put on a second coat but could probably getaway with only one. Contrary to Docketone's experience that it looked like paint, I would say it looks more like a stain, soaking into the wood and showing the natural grain of the wood. My wife is very pleased with the look. Now we'll see what happens after the summer sun gets a chance to work on it.

[h20ski]

leaving teak to weather naturally is not a bad alternative either, once you get used to the silver color. No fuss, no work and the natural teak is not harmed by cleaners and brushing. Leaves more time for actual sailing.