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John Polgar writes:

We have done a lot of teak over the years.  Different clients
have different perceptions and expectations.  You have the
rustic teak, people expect it to take on that grayish
weathered look.  Nothing more is needed than deck cleaner
to clean it up, sanding, and penetrating oil finish of your
choice that is formulated for exterior use. (some people like
this in their home too.)  Long drying process between coats,
usually two to three required with a steel wool rub between
coats.  Flow it on, let it soak a while, wipe off the excess. 
Wait a few days ;-) sand and repeat.

Then there is the "hand rubbed oil" satin finish look on
today's "Danish modern".  A thin sheet of veneer on P-board
most of these are.  You aren't going to be hand rubbing a
smooth satin finish on this and neither are the factories.  They
USED to do it that way long ago.  Most of the time an
amber tone stain is applied, thinned seal coat, thinned
catalyzed top coat satin, stuhr rubbing machine and a grey
"scrubbie".  Gives you the look they desire on this and that is
how the factories are doing it too.

Next is the client that expects the vibrant teak colors to last
and shine with a real finish film on it.  This is fairly difficult
because Teak is naturally "oily".  Resins continually seep to
the surface.  Once sanded, wash with acetone, stain and seal
within the hour.  Otherwise the oils will rise through the stain
and your seal coat will generally make it look splotchy.  I
usually use a sanding sealer designed for use with the top
coat I will use.  Usually I am using a catalyzed top coat.  So
the seal coat flows on unthinned (heated for viscosity) in 3-4
mil wet coats.  I may add a retarder/flow enhancer from the
finish mfr. To help it stay wet and flow.  Heating finish can
have the effect of a faster flash rate.  I don't worry about
orange peel or perfection in this coat.  It's just a heave coat
to seal the grain and it will get sanded.  Then I dynabrade it
with 220 & 320 then once by hand with the 220 with the
grain.  Stepping up then back like this allows much faster
sanding times with the air sander and swirls reduced in the
2nd step and eliminated in the scuff sand 3rd step by hand. 
It sounds like a lot but it's about half an hour for the top and
sides of a credenza, desk or server.  Wipe with naphtha and
shoot a wet coat of catalyzed top coat str8 with maybe
heating or use of the mfrs. Retarder.  If it looks good, I'm
done.  For higher gloss, smoother hand or thicker film, I'll
repeat the sand steps and recoat with a reduced and
retarded top coat to "top it off".  If needed, you can sand
and hit with the stuhr for a smooth satin rubbed look.  Most
of my customers that want this look want the "shiney".

I've attached some photo's of one of the tables we did for a
hotel restaurant and a teak chair we made.  The shiny spot
looks horrible but it really is only the lousy light and camera
flash. :-)





Above is a before and after table of teak table refinished.



We custom made the above copper top table with a teak
veneered drum base for another customer.





The chairs below were repaired and refinished for a hotel.

The hotel needed more chairs that wouldn't break all the
time.  These had a design flaw causing them to break
constantly.  We finally went through all their chairs and
reinforced the "weak links" best as possible.  We still get a
repair every other month or so from them.  But I redesigned
the chair and built them about a dozen new ones.  It's been
over two years now.  Not one of ours has broken or needed
any repairs.  We have fixed at least 12 of their other chairs
and some of them twice in the same time frame.

Below is the chair we made for the hotel but also sell to
customers.  It's solid teak, no glue up blocks.  Top rail is
from 3x3 solid stock and front legs are from 3x6 solid
stock.  All manner of joinery was used.  Mortise and tenon
mostly.  Interlocking or overlapping joints, screwed and
glued.  Also some decorative brass brackets are utilized in a
couple key spots for additional strength.  Seat and back are
shaped and though built like a tank, sit quite comfortably.




Thanks!

John Polgar
Clearwater, FL






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