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Author Topic:   Removing Varnish-like Finish From Wood

mylittlewhaler posted 09-27-2009 02:48 PM ET (US)
Hello. I am trying to refinish the mahogany wood on my son's c.1992 11-footer. Hmmmm, more than I expected. I took all the wood off the boat. I was told it is mahogany and not teak. I am not sure it is mahogany because "the boat guy" wasn't exactly convincing, but let us go with it. The wood has been refinished previously, at least most of it. I know it was refinished because some of the wood is a reddish color, which I prefer, but most of it is a little orange. I assume the orange stuff is varnish and the red is an oil, which is probably the original finish.
"The boat guy" sold me STAR 10 stripper. I liberally applied the stripper with a brush and let it sit for about 10 minutes. I started scraping, and the varnish and oil came off. I have a brand new scraper and I had to scrape pretty hard.
After the scraping, the orange areas are still a little orange, the reddish areas are still a little reddish, and the areas that were very worn (from the sun and elements) are another color. I don't think I am all the way down to the wood. Comments and advice are greatly appreciated. Thanks in Advance.
Greg
TransAm posted 09-27-2009 05:18 PM ET (US)
Random orbit sander. Start with 80 grit and finish with 150 or 220 max.
dfmcintyre posted 09-27-2009 06:17 PM ET (US)
Fastest and easiest way is to locate a friend who's a woodworker and ask if they've got a stationary planer and if they would plane the boards down. Smaller boards could be done with a portable powered hand planer. That will give you a very nice flat surface to work with.
Don
mylittlewhaler posted 09-27-2009 09:00 PM ET (US)
Thank you Gentlemen
jimh posted 09-27-2009 10:50 PM ET (US)
A very popular finish for marine wood trim is CETOL, which has a very orange tint. That may be what you are removing. It is similar to a varnish but has a orange color and is more opaque.
BobL posted 09-29-2009 10:55 PM ET (US)
The wood on an 11 footer is mahogany. The variation in color of the wood finish could be caused by a number of things. Failing varnish turns an orange color. As UV light breaks down the old varnish, it bleaches the varnish and the wood below to a color lighter than natural mahogany. The red color could be well-protected natural mahogany under good varnish, it could be oil, Cetol, or stain under refinished wood.
Using varnish stripper is not a single step. You have to keep applying it, let it loosen the finish and scrape. Avoid gouging the wood. Let the chemicals do their work. It might take 4-5 applications to remove thick layers of varnish.
You have to get down to bare wood before you can begin to get the color of the wood evened out. I just recently stripped the wood on my 15 Super Sport. The stripping process is a chore but I’m putting on the new varnish now and it is very rewarding to see the results. Good luck, you and your son will enjoy the refinished mahogany.
New 2 Whalers posted 09-30-2009 10:35 AM ET (US)
Try Soy Strip. Works great and is eco-friendly.
http://www.greenboatstuff.com/frsoystmacor1.html
md_sailor posted 10-06-2009 08:14 AM ET (US)
Is the wood on a 1989 Outrage 18 Mahogony or teak? I'm referring to the cooler chocks, extinguisher trim and console doors? the rod holders are some sort of Laminate or Marine Ply? Its time to strip and refinish them and I'd love sme input on best practices... thanks in advance!
Dave Sutton posted 10-07-2009 11:06 AM ET (US)
Heat Gun and Scraper. A GOOD scraper. Trust me on this: I have acres of brightwork on the 42 Grand Banks that I live on, and this is the fastest and easiest way to strip any of this stuff off.

Dave
.

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Author	Topic: Removing Varnish-like Finish From Wood
mylittlewhaler	posted 09-27-2009 02:48 PM ET (US) Hello. I am trying to refinish the mahogany wood on my son's c.1992 11-footer. Hmmmm, more than I expected. I took all the wood off the boat. I was told it is mahogany and not teak. I am not sure it is mahogany because "the boat guy" wasn't exactly convincing, but let us go with it. The wood has been refinished previously, at least most of it. I know it was refinished because some of the wood is a reddish color, which I prefer, but most of it is a little orange. I assume the orange stuff is varnish and the red is an oil, which is probably the original finish. "The boat guy" sold me STAR 10 stripper. I liberally applied the stripper with a brush and let it sit for about 10 minutes. I started scraping, and the varnish and oil came off. I have a brand new scraper and I had to scrape pretty hard. After the scraping, the orange areas are still a little orange, the reddish areas are still a little reddish, and the areas that were very worn (from the sun and elements) are another color. I don't think I am all the way down to the wood. Comments and advice are greatly appreciated. Thanks in Advance. Greg
TransAm	posted 09-27-2009 05:18 PM ET (US) Random orbit sander. Start with 80 grit and finish with 150 or 220 max.
dfmcintyre	posted 09-27-2009 06:17 PM ET (US) Fastest and easiest way is to locate a friend who's a woodworker and ask if they've got a stationary planer and if they would plane the boards down. Smaller boards could be done with a portable powered hand planer. That will give you a very nice flat surface to work with. Don
mylittlewhaler	posted 09-27-2009 09:00 PM ET (US) Thank you Gentlemen
jimh	posted 09-27-2009 10:50 PM ET (US) A very popular finish for marine wood trim is CETOL, which has a very orange tint. That may be what you are removing. It is similar to a varnish but has a orange color and is more opaque.
BobL	posted 09-29-2009 10:55 PM ET (US) The wood on an 11 footer is mahogany. The variation in color of the wood finish could be caused by a number of things. Failing varnish turns an orange color. As UV light breaks down the old varnish, it bleaches the varnish and the wood below to a color lighter than natural mahogany. The red color could be well-protected natural mahogany under good varnish, it could be oil, Cetol, or stain under refinished wood. Using varnish stripper is not a single step. You have to keep applying it, let it loosen the finish and scrape. Avoid gouging the wood. Let the chemicals do their work. It might take 4-5 applications to remove thick layers of varnish. You have to get down to bare wood before you can begin to get the color of the wood evened out. I just recently stripped the wood on my 15 Super Sport. The stripping process is a chore but I’m putting on the new varnish now and it is very rewarding to see the results. Good luck, you and your son will enjoy the refinished mahogany.
New 2 Whalers	posted 09-30-2009 10:35 AM ET (US) Try Soy Strip. Works great and is eco-friendly. http://www.greenboatstuff.com/frsoystmacor1.html
md_sailor	posted 10-06-2009 08:14 AM ET (US) Is the wood on a 1989 Outrage 18 Mahogony or teak? I'm referring to the cooler chocks, extinguisher trim and console doors? the rod holders are some sort of Laminate or Marine Ply? Its time to strip and refinish them and I'd love sme input on best practices... thanks in advance!
Dave Sutton	posted 10-07-2009 11:06 AM ET (US) Heat Gun and Scraper. A GOOD scraper. Trust me on this: I have acres of brightwork on the 42 Grand Banks that I live on, and this is the fastest and easiest way to strip any of this stuff off. Dave .