Making Teak Swim Platform Not Slippery

[Lean Wolf]

I'm about to refinish the teak swim platform on my F44. I'm concerned about how slippery it will be for my kids with 8 to 10 coats of varnish on it. Does anyone have any words of wisdom on either using sand in the final coat or another product that will make it not so slippery? I have two kids that are on and off the back of that platform all day long every day we are on the water and have already seen people slip and fall on other wet varnished platforms. I hate the thought of using sand after Putting so much time into making the platform look good. Any words of wisdom for me?

[Away On Busine$$]

With 8 to 10 coats of varnish, you really don't have much choice. Get them water shoes!

[captainmaniac]

Varnish should not be used on a swim platform (or any deck surface or ladder steps that people will be walking on for that matter) because it gets too slippery when wet. I would recommend you use something like Cetol instead (but not Cetol Gloss - it gets slippery when wet too).

[jimbo36]

Varnish should not be used on a swim platform (or any deck surface or ladder steps that people will be walking on for that matter) because it gets too slippery when wet. I would recommend you use something like Cetol instead (but not Cetol Gloss - it gets slippery when wet too).

+1 with the Cetol. Used it through the years with kids on several teak platforms. Looks good and is not slick.

[Lean Wolf]

Has anyone tried the Awlgrip Griptex product added to varnish?

[Away On Busine$$]

Re-did mine last year, planed it down 1/8" top and 1/16" bottom, then sanded with 80, 120 and 180 coated with 4 coats of cetol natural, probably should have stopped at 120.

[Lean Wolf]

Does the Cetol have any sheen or shine to it?

[Lean Wolf]

Does the Cetol have any sheen or shine to it?

[Away On Busine$$]

If you use the natural, it has a good sheen.

[captainmaniac]

Here are links to my 'wood finishes' gallery:
Wood Finish examples (part 1)
https://www.trojanboats.net/wforum/view ... f=1&t=3206

Wood Finish examples (part 2)
https://www.trojanboats.net/wforum/view ... =1&t=12738

The platform shots aren't the greatest, but this might give a bit of an idea. I used 'regular' Cetol Marine. There is also Cetol Light that has less pigment to it so you see more of the natural wood colour (but you also see all the flaws... with 'regular' colour variations in the wood kind of blend in), and Cetol Natural Teak. I have never used the Natural Teak.

Cetol Gloss is a top coat that you can apply over one of the other Cetol products (see my bow pulpit for an example - this is Cetol Gloss over top of 3 coats of Cetol Light), but it is slippery when wet.

Here is some info on the Cetol product line:
http://www.yachtpaint.com/usa/diy/produ ... earch.aspx

[LandVF36]

Interlux makes a non-skid surface that you "sprinkle on" just after applying your last topcoat and while its still VERY wet. You dust it on with an old fashioned flour sifter. The material is actually tiny little rubber shapes that look like footballs. They stick into the surface and provde a tration surface, that maically still looks glossy. I've had the best results by providing 2 top coats with the non skid this way.

You can also mix it into the varnish, but ive had no luck spreading it evenly. It just clumps up on the brush so I favor the flour sifter.

[Lean Wolf]

I had not heard of that product, thank you. Can you see the non skid in the surface of the platform from a distance or up close? Does is change much in the appearance of that varnish work?

[K4282]

i just finished my ladder steps with 4 coats cetol natural and cetol gloss, after 4 coats of the natural i applied one coat clear, then sprinkled the non skid polymere from interlux over it, i wasnt happy with it, it was too much even through a tiny tiny hole of a salt shaker, i toned it down some with another coat of clear gloss, if i had to do it again id mix it in with the clear, the salesmen recomended this but I wne by cetols directions

[Scorpion07]

Sikkens says right on the can that they too have a nonslip additive. They also state that re-coate will be more frequent. Probably true with all additives, as they prob magnify the UV exposure.