TEAK LESSONS

Dear Tammy,

You know all those lessons we learned while refinishing the toe rails? You think you'll remember them, don't you. Trust me. I know you well enough to know that you'll forget them. So I'm doing us both this favor of writing it down here where it won't get lost.

Thinking of you always,
Tammy

--don't waste my money on teak cleaner. a mixture of part bleach, part laundry detergent and some TSP works just as well, if not better
--don't EVER, EVER use a pressure washer on teak
--use 40-grit on the first pass. as john bayliss says, "it lets the teak know you're serious."
--save yourself some grief. refinish before the wood starts deteriorating.
--don't skip grits. going from 40 to 80 is too far and makes more work.
--leave the perfectionism in the cabin. the outside will take some wear and tear. it doesn't have to be perfect.
--gloves for varnishing and cleaning up. saves a lot of annoyance.
--100ml does a whole lap on isabella
--keep it thin so you won't get brushstrokes.
--don't overload the brush so you won't get drips.

Use this order:
1. clean with bleach solution and brush. rinse and brush.
2. tape fiberglass
3. sand with 40
4. sand with 60
5. sand with 80
6. sand with 100
7. sand with 120
8. clean and wipe with mineral spirits
9. check tape and add tape to hardware
10. seal with half varnish/half thinner
11. sand with 140
12. clean, wipe
13. varnish 85/15
14. sand with 160+
15. clean, wipe
16. varnish full strength
17. retape
18. keep going as long as you can stand. use scotch brite pad instead of sandpaper once it reaches the right smoothness.

TODAY:
--sanded with 320 and put on third coat. it's starting to shine
--3 things listed on Ebay
--took pictures of more stuff for Ebay