Re finishing swim platform

[marklo154]

I was thinking about removing and re finishing my swim plat form on my Tri Cabin. I am looking for any tips or suggestions with the process and products to use.

[captainmaniac]

I redid mine a few years ago and went with Cetol (regular, not Lite). If your platform is the same design as mine, it can be a bugger to take apart (board by board), and get them all back in place again. Doing so makes it a lot easier to strip and sand each plank, and refinish them all before reassembly, but a LOT of screws and hidden screws to deal with. Whatever you decide to use, don't use anything slippery... varnish is a bad idea, as is Cetol Gloss.

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[Away On Busine$$]

Mark, I have a 76 F32, removed the original teak platform last fall. Brought it home and had it planed down on a 30" planner at a furniture factory. At 1/16" per side, 1 pass bottom 3 passes top, equals 1/4". Results are real good but still had some rough spots ( hey it's 37 years old ) proceeded to sand top and bottom working my way through 60, 120 and 180 grit. Now were smooth and clean, just waiting for warmer weather for my 5 coats of finish. I removed the platform with a simple pair of plyers. I did not remove the support brackets, mine our chrome and in good shape. Hope this helps.

[Paul]

I redid mine a few years ago and went with Cetol (regular, not Lite). If your platform is the same design as mine, it can be a bugger to take apart (board by board), and get them all back in place again. Doing so makes it a lot easier to strip and sand each plank, and refinish them all before reassembly, but a LOT of screws and hidden screws to deal with. Whatever you decide to use, don't use anything slippery... varnish is a bad idea, as is Cetol Gloss.

+1 and nice rail as well there Captain. That's a clean looking boat.

I did my platform the same way and it was allot of work but well worth the results. The aluminum castings on mine were looking a little dull and didn't do the refinished wood any justice. To remedy that I had them powder coated white.



I'm happy with the way it turned out.

[rickalan35]

That powder coating looks good, Paul. Like Paul and the Captain, I used "Regular" Cetol. Not "Gloss" and not "Light". I removed the swim platform and sanded the top surface with varying grits of sandpaper. I did not disassemble the individual teak strips. There wasn't any real build-up of any previous finish in-between my strips and so I simply applied the cetol and it worked out to my satisfaction. I have not have good results with Cetol when I used a foam or sub-standard brush. I always buy a new horsehide brush each spring.
After sanding, I applied four coats of cetol and that seemed to be enough. Over the past seven years, I have applied one new coat of Cetol every spring and this process has seemed to work well with no apparent need to re-sand the platform due to wear or sun fading. Hope this helps.

[rickalan35]

Excuse me, that would be a horsehair brush and not horsehide. LOL

[marklo154]

I finally took the swim platform and ladder off and have begun to sand, sand and sand some more it is turning out great. I will be starting to put the Sikkens Cetol on in the next day or so and was wondering how much Cetol has i taken to do the swim platform for you guys that have done it.

[Away On Busine$$]

Had mine planned down, the sanded 80, 120 and 180 grit. I would suggest you stop at 120 grit. Can get slippery. I refinished mine with 4 coats. Will scuff with 220 grit each spring and apply 1 coat. Can't beat it!

[jhalb]

How much time between coats of Cetol?

[rickalan35]

Hi - Similar to "Away On Business", I add one new coat of regular Cetol to the swim platform on my tricabin each spring.

What I do is "clean" the platform with an SOS pad and soapy water, then rinse with clean water and then wipe it down with a microfibre cloth. When perfectly dry, I put on the cetol with a "new" high end brush. Then I throw the brush away. Some guys can clean cetol brushes and use them again. Somehow, with cetol I've had bad results trying to do this, probably just me.

When I originally sanded down the swim platform, I applied six coats of regular cetol. I'd previously learned my lesson when I put down just two coats of cetol on the sole when I had sanded it down a few years earlier. It didn't make it though the season before showing wear from traffic and sun.

One quart of regular cetol should do the trick for at least four coats on a swim platform. imo

My platform is not slippery.

Good luck and send us some photos when you're finished.

[rickalan35]

I don't put down 2 coats of cetol on the same day. Just me probably, but I want it to dry thoroughly.

[Scorpion07]

I'm just finishing up my swim platform now. Took it off Monday scraped the old finish and sanded to clean wood with 80 grit. I recommend using 100 - 120 grit final sand. I didn't, and the first two coats were tough to apply. The third coat looks great. I think I'm sticking with 3 coats. I refinished the rails last year with 3 and they withstood the elements pretty good. Very lightly sanded those down with 120 grit and applied another coat when I was working the swim platform. Looks like glass. Very excited to get everything installed now. I used half of the quart for all the above plus the ladder steps.
I will say though, painting the swim platform is a bear. Getting between the slats is time consuming.
Pics when I get a chance....

[marklo154]

I bought a Gallon so looks like I will have plenty, and there is lots more wood to refinish anyhow.

[larryeddington]

Just curious why not use teak oil only. I had beacon rebuild mine as it has POs backup damage on it. They said originally was teak oil so that is what it has now. I guess I will have to wipe it down once a year with the oil, I do know it looks good now and is being installed with engines etc.

Wonder if the oil type finish will be very slippery?

[The Dog House]

Just curious why not use teak oil only. I had beacon rebuild mine as it has POs backup damage on it. They said originally was teak oil so that is what it has now. I guess I will have to wipe it down once a year with the oil, I do know it looks good now and is being installed with engines etc.

Wonder if the oil type finish will be very slippery?

I use teak oil on my swim platform. Boating magazine had an article on non-slip surfaces and wet teak had the highest coefficient of friction (even more than dry teak). When the teak gets wet the grain of the wood rises above the rest of the wood creating little ridges. Using teak oil to maintain the teak swim platform allows this effect to happen while products like Cetol prevent this from happening. The Cetol definitely looks better IMHO, but I've always sided with function over aesthetics.