new cetol

[fishboyneil]

Does anyone out there have any experience with the new color of Cetol, "Natural Teak" that was released this year. I dislike the color of the orignal and have been able to live with the "light." I'm hoping the "natural" is closer to the color of oiled teak. Just thought I would check before spending $35 on a can. Thanks!

[camaraderie]

Yes...it is better. I helped a friend put it on. Take teak down bare and but a couple of coats on...then cover with a couple of coats of cetol gloss for a better look and easier maintenance with no further color build up year to year.
Color is more "woody" and less orange tint.

[lbdavis]

I agree with Cam. I just redid my washboards, retainers, and other random pieces of teak from around the cockpit with this stuff. The color is very natural and the grain shows through wonderfully. I'm planning on doing my toerail and handrails later this summer with Cetol natural teak.

I know, I know, there's nothing like real varnish. Real varnish rules the world. Everything else is a cheap, inferior, imitation. Only losers would use something other than varnish. Varnish, varnish, varnish. Well, this looks pretty friggin' good to me and it took about 15% of the time of varnish. Personally, I like to spend my free time sailing.

I used two coats of the Cetol Teak and three coats of the Cetol gloss, LIGHTLY sanding in between coats. I am very pleased with the product, , I just wish I could not get bubbles in my gloss!

Time will tell how it will hold up, but I'm hoping for a light sanding and additional gloss coat once a year. (I have very little teak to maintain.)

I'll post some pictures after I get back to the boat.

Cheers!

[LarryandSusanMacDonald]

Yeah, used it on a customer's boat. I think Cetol finally got it right.

IB said:

I know, I know, there's nothing like real varnish. Real varnish rules the world. Everything else is a cheap, inferior, imitation. Only losers would use something other than varnish. Varnish, varnish, varnish. Well, this looks pretty friggin' good to me and it took about 15% of the time of varnish. Personally, I like to spend my free time sailing.

I tend to agree that varnish looks better - and is more work. However, the varnish snobs might change their minds once their boats get a little older. When the bedding under your teak starts to give up - but before it leaks down below and must be rebedded - the teak just won't hold the varnish. It starts to lift along the edges sometimes in just a few weeks. Cetol won't do that - unless you use the gloss over it. Then it will act much like varnish. This is particularly true of toe-rails where water lays there because for some inexplicable reason the deck scupper is not at the lowest part of the deck. It will also happen on the 'eyebrows' on the raised deckhouse of a sailboat. Again, for some inexplicable reason, the manufacturers make them so that water just lays there.

In either case, a small bead of caulk can help it last for awhile longer. After you finish your varnish, tape it out at the deck/teak seam leaving about 3/16" showing (more or less - just stay consistent) and run a bead of caulk (the sikaflex 295 (UV) works pretty well - pick your favorite - stay away from silicon). Form it with your finger (wet finger helps - gloves and sap help, too) and pull the tape as soon as you've got the caulk formed. Otherwise it will come up with the tape. Clean up any errant globules immediately. Easier now than later.

[T37Chef]

Please NO, don't let this thread wander to the great debate again over varnish vs. cetol or whatever!!!!

I am just refinishing all my exterior teak with the Cetol "Natural" and am very pleased so far, although I don't find it to much lighter than the Cetol "light", but then most of my teak is 25+ years old

I sanded everything down to bare teak, applied 3 coats of "Natural" and two coats of "Gloss". She looks great IMO. I wouldn't even think of using any of the others again, even the light.

From now on I am a Cetol Natural & Gloss man all the way, or no teak at all.

[djodenda]

God, I hate the orange color of Cetol.

I was at Butchart Gardens in Victoria BC a couple of weekends ago and the teak benches in the gardens were all finished with thick coats of the stuff.. Gaack!!!

Time to scrape the Cetol applied by the P.O. and try the new stuff.

If I don't like it, it's ALL YOUR FAULT!

If I do like it, you will have my eternal thanks and rep points!

[KindOfBlue]

Now you tell me about Natural. I just did 1 coat of the starboard toe rail with Light and haven't had the weather/time to do the 2nd and 3rd coats. Hmm.. I guess 1 coat may sand off easier than the build up I scraped off with a carbide scraper.

It's been like 3 weeks sinse I put that first coat on. If I do decide to stay with the Light, will I be ok? I assume so.

[fishboyneil]

Thank you all for your opinions. I've got a couple scraps of teak laying around. Over the weekend I'll try the light on half of one and the natural on the other. With any luck I can post the results next week.

[sailingdog]

You might want to talk to TrueBlue... he's a big fan of Cetol IIRC.

[T37Chef]

Originally Posted by KindOfBlue

Now you tell me about Natural.

Its usually right next to the light & original in the store LOL