Cabin sole treatment
QThe cabin floor on my 1989 Westerly Konsort Duo consists of two panels of ‘teak’ veneered plywood with light wood stripes. The surface has suffered from wear and water damage over the years and there are grey patches of discoloured veneer. i’m planning to sand off the current surface and the stained areas and then re-paint. The question is what should i use? The interior of the boat in general was beautifully constructed by Westerly and is either solid ‘teak’ or teak-veneered plywood. it still has its original finish, which could be a semi-matt varnish or oil treatment. i’d like to obtain a matching appearance when i varnish the floor panels. also, some of the woodwork has become stained and discoloured and the same question arises here. What product should i use to obtain a matching finish? Richard Toll by email Richard Jerram replies:
The cabin sole will first need sanding with a 280- or 320grit abrasive. On completion make sure you remove all sanding debris with very thorough vacuuming and wiping down. You’ll require a reasonably hard coating so I would recommend you use a single component satin varnish. You’ll probably need to apply at least two coats to achieve the finish you require.
With regard to stains sand back as much as you dare, then use a good quality marine wood stain to match the original colour –plenty are available. I would also suggest you do some small test patches first to achieve the exact colour you require.