Removing wood window trim from door

[curt]

OK...I give up....how does one remove the wood window trim from the cabin door on the EC21 so it can be refinished at leisure in a nice warm garage????

 

[RProffer]

I was wondering that myself, but then figured it just might be better to tape the glass and gel coat real well.

 

[abcandjrc]

I'm with both of you on this. I sent a PM to Andrew just yesterday to see if he could help. I suspect it is held on with an adhesive, and depending on what was used, it may or may not be removable without heroic efforts.

The problem with masking comes in when the problem is beyond a light sanding and recoating. Our varnish has broken down at the lower left corner, where water tends to collect a bit, to the point that the unit needs total stripping. Not only the strippers but also any of the more potent teak cleaners can damage the fibreglass.

Keeping on top of varnish is the real solution. One has to be sure not to let it break down to the point of requiring stripping. Here in the south, 3 or 4 coats of varnish on exterior teak will break down to bare wood on the more exposed surfaces in well under a year. That means a light sanding once or twice a year and new layer of varnish. On our last two boats, which had teak in abundance, we switched to Marine Cetol. It is not as pretty as a good varnish job and is softer so it does not take wear as well. But once you have 4 or 5 coats built up, if you don't walk on or drag lines across an area repeatedly, it lasts a year without breaking down. Then a light sanding and recoat buys you another.

Of course, the other option is "ocean gray" but especially in fresh water that tends to be "lake black". The wood also gets grainy and repeated attempts to clean it will wear it away significantly over several years.

Teak is gorgeous stuff, but just as work is the bane of the drinking class, teak is the bane of the recreational sailor.

 

[Stella Maris]

Many many many years ago..... When Maureen and I bought our Catalina 25, I attempted to keep the varnish nice and bristol. Well after a year of the Sacramento sunshine broiling the teak, I started looking for something else. I did not want to use teak oil as it collects dirt and turns your teak dark. A sailing friend introduced me to a product called Deks Olje. It is a product that is made in Norway. You can buy a mat finish or a gloss. Application is easy. On "naked" teak, you simply wash the teak off to remove any dust. Once it is dry, apply with a foam brush. You continue to apply coats until the wood no longer soaks the product in. Then simply wipe it off any product left standing on the surface of the wood. The upkeep is simple from that point, every couple of months, give it another coat.

If the wood has already been varnished, you will need to strip it down to bare wood. You should never sand teak! When you use sandpaper, you create friction. When you create friction you create heat. This heat softens the area of the teak in between the harder areas. This is what causes the "rutting" on teak. You should only use bronze wool and water. The water will keep the teak cool while the bronze wool will remove the old varnish. The reason for bronze wool as opposed to steel wool is rust. Steel wool left on the deck or wherever will rust. Bronze will not.

This product is so simple to use once you have applied the initial coats, I reapplied while BBQ'ing Salmon Patty's one night in the Gulf Islands. When we took delivery of Karma, we got her with naked doors in the cockpit. I removed them the first time and applied Deks Olje. After that, it is as simple as putting another coat on while making dinner.

You can use Deks Olje inside or out. All of the interior teak was done with Deks Olje on Solitude.

You can find it here: https://www.whitworths.com.au/main_item ... olutePage=

 

[tuggertoy]

OK...I give up....how does one remove the wood window trim from the cabin door on the EC21 so it can be refinished at leisure in a nice warm garage????

You just need a bigger hammer for this job.... 😱

Sorry, I could not help myself. Probably just an L-tryptophan overdose from all of the turkey I ate yesterday. 😉

Eric

 

[RProffer]

David,
Thanks for the info. I have been looking for a good finish for teak. Most of the consensus on the internet suggests Cetol. I tried Cetol a few years back on my other boat and did not really care for it. I hate sanding. So much teak requires hand sanding in, out, and around all the surfaces. And I do not want to refinish my teak every few years.

I did some research on Deks Olje. Your link pointed to a site in Australia and said Deks Olje was made by Flood. I tried to find a retailer in the United States and found the Flood manufacture in the U.S. discontinued Deks Olje and all their marine products in 2008. Flood appears to continue to make Deks Olje in Australia, although they have not answered my email to confirm this.

I have since discovered another Deks Olje D1 and D2 made by Owatrol and distributed here in the U.S. and many other countries, although the label appears to be written in Norwegian. I found two links for it in the U.S.
http://store.hamiltonmarine.com/browse.cfm/deks-olje-1-2.5-liter-satin-114183/4,5048.html and
http://www.chicagolandcanoebase.com/RepairandRestorationMaterials.html

All of the reviews I read of Deks Olje D1 and D2 praised it (and no sanding). This will be a good winter project for me. Thanks again.

 

[Stella Maris]

Rick,
The last time I purchased it was at a West Marine in San Diego. I would assume they have it available for order.

You will love it once you use it. Touch up is so easy! The doors in the cockpit of Karma look as good as the day we took delivery. I would never use anything else. I too tried the Cetol and did not care for it.

 

[abcandjrc]

Anybody?...... Anybody?...... Can this really be that hard to answer, even if the answer is only "You can't possibly remove it without destroying it".

Surely someone has either tried to remove it and failed (but will know why) or has removed it successfully and is keeping the secret close to his vest to extort the rest of us as our door trim looks crappier and crappier by the month. I keep expecting a PM saying "Put 20 used $100 bills with random serial numbers in a ....."

So far, tuggertoy's answer has been as good as any. (Totally useless, but as good as any...... 😀)

 

[RProffer]

It appears the wood trim is glued in place and cannot be easily removed without causing damage. If you really cannot wait to refinish your teak, you might consider removing the door to take the whole door to your garage. It appears the door can be easily removed by removing the lower trim piece - just a few screws. I have not tried it. You will still have the difficulties you mentioned earlier, but at least you will be warm in your garage. I wish I had a garage. My wife gets upset when I do that kind of work in the den in the winter time.

 

[abcandjrc]

"It appears the wood trim is glued in place and cannot be easily removed without causing damage."
That is my current opinion too. It appears there may be small patches of adhesive, looking almost like double-faced tape, and I was hoping someone might know if cutting those would free it.

"If you really cannot wait to refinish your teak, you might consider removing the door....."
That is my fall-back position but I think if I do that I will wait for warmer weather, put the door face down on a pair of horses, and work so any runoff will fall to the ground (or, unfortunately, me) instead of running down the fibreglass or the window.

Thanks for weighing-in.

 

[RProffer]

I thought I saw adhesive all the way around the wood trim on my door forming a seal. Upon closer inspection, it appears to be clear silicon. Why don't you give Andrew a call to find out how it is assembled. If the trim is attached with double sided tape and sealed with silicon, then it may be easy to remove.

 

[Jeff Messmer]

Andrew is out of the office this week setting up the Seattle Boat Show. I checked with the guys in the shop. They recommend refinishing the teak around the window in place. There is a high probability that the teak will break into pieces if you try to remove it. There is also a chance the glass will break. They were talking from experience.

Ranger Jeff

 

[RProffer]

Thanks Jeff. I guess that answers the question.

 

[abcandjrc]

Yes, indeed, thanks Jeff.

 

[curt]

I think I got it thanks to all..in a few weeks when the chance of rain diminishes, the bottom strip under the door comes off, the whole door comes to the garage, and a careful, yet warm, refinishing begins. I am using Deks Olje for the first time and according to the instructions, it will take a few days to do this. Meanwhile "TUGGER" stays in her berth with an open cabin, yet good neighbors.