Refinishing Mahogany Wood Parts

[K wester]

[Based on advice from some unspecified article on the continuousWave website] I plan to refinish the neglected mahogany interior [of an unspecified year, model, and length of Boston Whaler boat] as follows:

• apply epoxy
• apply varnish over the cured epoxy to provide protection against ultraviolet light

I have also read [again in some unspecified source] that the mahogany wood should be be refinished as follows:

• sand with 220-grit abrasive,
• apply nine coats of varnish, and
• each year apply two more coats of varnish.

[Implied request] Please give me your advice on how to refinish and preserve mahogany wood parts on my boat.

[Moderator's note: when seeking advice about a particular Boston Whaler boat, please mention the model year of the Boston Whaler boat, the model designator of the Boston Whaler boat, and the length of the Boston Whaler boat. Providing readers with this information will help readers to provide you with better-informed information.

When citing information you have read on the continuousWave website, giving the URL to the article is also a good plan. ]

[jimh]

Advice on proper care for wood is given in an article in the REFERENCE section. See

Wood Care and the Boston Whaler Boat
https://continuouswave.com/whaler/refer ... rWood.html

More advice on using epoxy and varnish can be located with a search. For example, this search URL returns many articles on those subjects:

https://www.google.com/search?q=epoxy+v ... ave.com%2F

Reading all the articles cited in the search results will give you plenty of opinions and advice regarding using epoxy and varnish to refinish wood.

Regarding use of an epoxy resin as a finishing coat for mahogany wood parts, the epoxy resin used should be an epoxy resin that cures with a clear finish, often a special type of epoxy resin distinct from the normal epoxy resin used as a very strong adhesive. Most epoxy resins are susceptible to turning yellow from exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light, so adding additional top coats of a varnish which has UV protection will prevent the underlying epoxy from changing color.

I have used the epoxy-plus-varnish technique on some small parts on my boat. The outcome is the wood tends to lose its elasticity, and it becomes very rigid, almost like a piece of plastic. I recommend you experiment with the epoxy and varnish method on a smaller piece, and then you can determine if you like the result.

The most important criterion when top coating any wood with varnish is to be sure to completely seal the wood from ingress of water. Any water that can get into the wood will result in a tendency for the varnish top coat finish to lift off the wood. All sides and edges of the wood must be coated to prevent water getting into the wood. In that regard, being sure the wood is thoroughly dry before beginning any top coatings is a good plan.

[dtmackey]

I've used epoxy under varnish, but it changes the color of the wood (darkens), in the future I'm using a 2 part varnish from Awlgrip. I've also used Epifanes (many coats) and then topped with an automotive urethane clear coat with great results, and you can spray multiple coats in a day.

If you do go the epoxy route, I've found that West has the 207 (clear) hardener, which cures bubble free and also looks "lighter" in color to other epoxies or even the 205 and 206 West hardeners. The 207 also has UV inhibitors in the harder, which is a good thing, but I'd still coat with epoxy [perhaps meant varnish].

As Jim said, sealing the wood is very important, but I also feel that many coats of a finish protects for years and also provide wet resistance.

D-