What products do you use on your timber work. Oil, sealer or varnish. Please explain why you use that method how long it lasts and what brand you use.

If it is above deck, seal it with Everdure or Wattyl Timber Preserver (2 pack thinned epoxy resin), then paint it with opaque (not clear) UV stabilised paint.

It might not look a sexy as varnish work but it will give you less grief and less work.

Below deck I use Wattyl Instant Estapol Satin with a lick or two of linseed oil mixed in. This makes the varnish take a bit longer to dry or cure but puts a lovely gloss into the paint.

The makers put directions on the back of the tin and because they made it I generally trust them.

When you have done enough painting you will pick up some little secrets and really the only way to pick them up is to do enough painting.

I am not a big fan of two pack paints and find that I get really good service out of good quality oil based paints. Once you have learnt how to use it you can get a finish that looks like glass using a brush.

Yachts are always getting knocked around and the beauty of oil based paint is that it can be spot repaired.

My cabin top rails (teak) and Companionway (no idea what timber) were done with Feast & Watson. So far, they have lasted 12 months in Pittwater.

About to do the toe rails, which are teak as well, but currently very grey!

Michael

Feast watson exterior High Gloss single pack, polyurethane varnish is available via Bunnings.

I'm hooked on the stuff. The gloss you get with even just a single coat is amazing.
It does 'coat' the timber though, and gives a very plastic sealed finish.

Once the gloss dulls (around 12 months)I give it a light sand and try to ensure that it 's not being built up too much with old varnish, and recoat.

Watch the smell, although it is noticably less pungent then it used to be, I think the formula has changed.

On brushes I actually use a 2.5 " long dark red handle brush found again at Bunnings. They are around $2.70, in the bulk bins and the quality does not seem to match up to the price if that makes sense. You get 1 or 2 bristles drop off, after that, it's all good.

wheni built my schooner 12 years ago I varnished some wood and ply scraps and nailed them to a fence, a yearbefore the varnishing began. best 2 were danish oil ( most expensive)and crommelins exterior varnish(the cheapest). both had best finish , crommelins made in WA and they do a marine grade too. It was also the nicest to work with

For those inclined to use Water-based paints in the INTERIOR (maybe health reasons, easy cleanup, easy recoat), I have used the following:

1) Cabots CFP Estapol - transparent coat with matt finish; usually used on timber floors (few odours, quick drying, quite hard - meant for foot traffic but I use it on any timber surface I want to inside the cabin).

2) Best water-based paint product I have come across is "Kingcoat" gloss enamel, made by Phoenix Paints in Western Australia for the mining industry.

A form of self cross-linking apparently makes hardness double after a few days. I've used it in the bilge and head areas. They also make a paint-over-rust water-based paint that I have tried on hand trolleys, gates etc. and am now quite keen on - once again easy to apply and recoat. I do not believe these paints will outperform 2-pack or good quality oil based products, but if, for whatever reason, you lean towards water-based paints, I am very satisfied with my results so far (one year and counting).