[Vedrfolnir]

The back of my cabin is covered with strips of veneer with varnish over them. Over the years water has gotten into the seams and the veneer has expanded the varnish is peeling away. Anyone have any good ideas to restore this? My latest idea is to sand it down and use an epoxy coat to harden the damaged edges of the veneer and re-varnish over it. Does this make sense? I've never used an epoxy coat under varnish.

 

[christian.hess]

dremel and bevel out the seam...clean dry, insert nice cherry or mahogany trim bedded in epoxy...sand and varnish over

OR

clean out, dry, caulk like a deck

or..clean out fill with thickened epoxy and varnish over

thats what I have done in the past with the exception of adding the wood trim...but have seen it done nicely

peace

 

[RedHorizon]

Looking at the pictures it's tough to tell...but are you sure it's veneer? I might think about removing the wood and replacing with new, especially if you want to remove the old instruments. If it is veneer, then piecing in a new piece of wood or sanding the damaged veneer out and filling with epoxy might be a fairly good fix.

 

[christian.hess]

I was going to say looks like nice cabin top wood...not veneer...

 

[Gladrags1]

I'm thinking that it looks like plywood and the top layer is peeling away at the edges. I think you want to explore options to repair this carefully to restore it properly and maintain the looks of a wood doghouse. I'd ask professional woodworkers to see what they would do. Search woodworking forums and ask them.

Tod


Mandolin, Bayfield 36 out of Rock Creek, Chesapeake Bay.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Classic30]

Doesn't look like veneer to me either... but your plan sounds about right:

1. Remove instruments and fittings.
2. Remove ALL the old varnish with a heat gun and scraper (or chemical stripper if you don't feel comfortable with using a heat gun).
3. Light sand with 80 grit and then a coat of CPES to seal the bare timber.
4. Re-coat with fresh varnish.

It's a weekend job and not hard to do. Have fun.

 

[Omatako]

If you're going to use 80 grit paper, be sure to only sand along the grain or use a random orbital machine. Even a moderate angle will leave scratches that will be there forever. I would use something lighter than 80 grit.

I must say, that doesn't look like veneer and I don't think many boat builders would use veneer on an external bulkhead such as this. I reckon it's solid planking.

 

[TomMaine]

Looking at the pictures it's tough to tell...but are you sure it's veneer? .

It looks like a typical wooden cabin construction. Sometimes full width planks were found(old growth forest days), but as often, the back were built up of two or several planks. They were usually joined with a tongue in groove joint. As wood contracts and expands, compression sets in at the joint, and you get an open seam. Once varnish fails(that's your seal against moisture), the joint quickly deteriorates.

Usually(and it may be the case here), a new spline is added to fill the crack. If it's irregular, it may be routed oversized a bit. You may have to do that for a tight joint or you maybe able to just pull the old spline out. Clean the pocket, and fit new.

It's an easy process if you have some experience. Make the spline a bit fat, and sand or hand plane a slight bevel-epoxy-tap in. Once dry, carefully plane it near flush-sand.

I've had to do that in several areas of my wooden cabin. Over 10 years ago, I 'wooded' the back(your's needs that done). If you look closely, you can see the one joint just above the bridgedeck. I had to add a 1/4"x1/4" spline which is epoxied in.

Then if you build the varnish back up(8-10 coats), add maintenance coat once a year(in New England), you're cabin back will be good for 10 to 15 years.

 

[christian.hess]

op think of a teak and holly sole...you can emulate that on your cabin side wood

like tom maine says make a thick spline that you can press into...dont woryy if its oversize or to tall...you will shave it down and sand it smooth...

then just varnish over...

I like to seal the wood if bare first...you can also stain it...

then if you can and WANT to some 8 or so coats of varnish

jajaja thats the hard part really

 

[TomMaine]

then if you can and WANT to some 8 or so coats of varnish

jajaja thats the hard part really

Oh no, my friend. This is the BEST part, if you enjoy brightwork.

You're right though on coats, 8 minimum. I'm now 12 years(egads, I'm wearing a watch!), on this cabin back varnish with a single coat each spring.

It looks like it will be several years before I have to do it all again.

That is,...if I can wait that long.

 

[hellosailor]

At a certain point it is tempting to say "strip it, sand it, paint it" and be done with it.

Repairing the veneer, cutting out all the bad stuff, inlaying new, matching...a lot of work that still may never look right, depending on practice and your skills. I think it would be easier to strip & fill, then apply a totally NEW layer of veneer (wide veneer strips) over the whole thing, so there's less piecework to do. Not as cheap, but way faster and cleaner.

 

[christian.hess]

Oh no, my friend. This is the BEST part, if you enjoy brightwork.

You're right though on coats, 8 minimum. I'm now 12 years(egads, I'm wearing a watch!), on this cabin back varnish with a single coat each spring.

It looks like it will be several years before I have to do it all again.

That is,...if I can wait that long.

nice!

see I like doing it too...on my old h28...took a lot of pride doing it...loved it!

"want" depends on the user! jajjaja