# teak guard



## berwick1 (Jun 8, 2006)

Has anyone used teak guard http://www.allguardproducts.com/
and if so what were the results?

Thanks, Richard


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## rweiland (Nov 10, 2007)

I wish there were answers to this question as I'm interested in the product, too. The information I have from another Westsailor is that he's been using it for two years on external teak and he found it to work well and be easily recoated on bow platform, grab rails and boom gallows, but he removed it from his cap rails and went with Cetol. Sounds like areas subject to wear work okay but areas with no wear don't. I'm a bit puzzled but am trying to find out more, especially about its removal if you don't like the results.


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## sander06 (Sep 18, 2003)

I'm probably in the minority, but I don't use anything but a high quality varnish just because it's part of the history of wind power. Kind of like sextants and mermaids!! But then, no one has ever called me very practical, either.


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## TxLnghrn (Apr 22, 2008)

Rweiland,
Welcome to Sailnet. I haven't used teak guard yet, but I have a kit sitting here waiting for it to hit the top of my project list. It had gotten close but the fuel system just took priority. (When you read on this forum to change fuel filters and bleed it for the first time at the dock so you don't have to try under sail believe it). I didn't and had an interesting last outing.  If you wait a couple of weeks I'll be glad to post my review with before and after pics.

Michael


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## Wanasail (Feb 12, 2006)

I began using Teakguard in a comparison test against Armada (Cetol-like teak treatment) last season. Result: I like Teakguard overall and will continue to use it on my boat's teak exterior trim this year. My boat is kept on a mooring in the Northern Chesapeake Bay region during season, and is kept on the hard in off-season.

Background: In May 2008, I bought a small supply of Teakguard to "trial" it on my sailboat's cockpit teak floorboards. Application was easy, fast-drying and extremely easy to clean up afterwards. I wanted to see how it looked on the floorboards before applying it to the teak combing and toe-rail. After 3-4 coats I and my friend Mike checked it out. Mike said that the finish looked a little "plastic-y", like it had a plastic, unnatural looking coating on the wood. And in fact I agreed with him, it did have a kind of plastic sheen to it, even though the teak wood appeared to be well protected. Mike had just refinished the teak on his Alberg and offered me a can of "Armada Wood Finish Water Clear" that he had on hand from that job. He said that it would probably give a more natural looking finish to the teak. I took him up on his offer and applied four coats (which took a lot longer than Teakguard) to all of the remaining teak with the exception of the floor boards, which I decided would retain as Teakguard. By the way, I first sanded and cleaned the teak wood before applying the Armada.

By July, the first signs of bleaching and wear started showing up on the teak finished with Armada but not with the floorboard treated with Teakguard. In fact that plastic-y look actually faded and the wood looked more natural than immediately after initial application. But the most important result is that not a single spot of Teakguard wore away, while the Armada did. As an added test, I sanded off the Armada on one of the teak tread pads on the top of the cockpit coaming and applied just three coats of Teakguard. As of March 2009, the surfaces (floor board & tread pad) treated with Teakguard are a little faded and dirty, but the Armada is entirely faded and flaking off. My decision is to use Teakguard on all exterior teak surfaces. Less maintainance will hopefully translate into more leisure time on the water. I do not have a "classic" boat, nor do I aspire to follow brightwork traditions for tradition sake, but I do like to have a safe, clean and attractive sailing vessel. I'd recommend Teakguard.

Teakguard Pros
Fast application with sponge brush
Liquid consistency gets into grain of wood
Excellent coverage
Fast drying time - 20 mins between coats on a dry day
Soap and water clean-up
No flaking of finish, has uniform wear.

Teakguard cons
Not a high gloss finish like varnish
Slightly unnatural looking finish (plastic look eventually dulls down)


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## foxglove (Dec 27, 2002)

*Teak guard failure*

I used teakguard in 2004. I not only followed reccomendations but called the mfgr several time to be sure to get it right. By spring of 2005, most of the finish was gone and it's hell trying to get the rest off.

My boat has looked like crap for the past three seasons while I waited for the stuff to fall off. Mfgr reccomendation for removal was high pressure spray at low angle so you don't remove the wood.

Never again.


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## MJBrown (Apr 1, 2009)

I've been using it for over 7 years and just applied it to our new boat. Wanasail nailed it pretty well. Easy to apply, no need to tape the gel coat as it wipes off with a damp rag, it's a water based product. Goes on easily with a foam brush. Leaves a natural golden color, deepens with more coats. Yes you may see a slight sheen to it the first few weeks but it does fade but the color stays. It doesn't turn black like teak oils do. Next season just scrub the teak and clean with either their product or an oxcylic cleaner. I've used TLSEA and Bartenders Keeper with good results. The finish will wear away during the course of the year but any flakiness washes right off. I've never had the problems foxglove spoke of. It's not slippery when wet either. I have nothing but good things to say about it and will continue to use it.
Mike


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## eolon (Feb 5, 2008)

I used it on the shower grate in the head. It looks nice, but it is too much work. It's also expensive.

Best Regards,

e

.::.


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## wsteeves (Dec 5, 2008)

I have exact same experience as Wanasail. Its very good stuff and makes it all very easy. Beware: there are 2 Teak Guard products from 2 different manufacturers. Foxgloves experience sounds a lot like the reviews for the "other" product. I believe allguard is the correct stuff and is TeakGuard without a space or dash. The other stuff which rated poorly, held up poorly and tended to flake off is Teak-Guard.


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## noreault (May 14, 2008)

I just got the kit from TeakGuard. I have only used a bit of the cleaner so far to test it. But, the cleaner is simply amazing. Tested it on the arm of an 8 year old teak bench and the results were incredible.


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## kuriouskats (Feb 2, 2009)

We purchased Teak Guard from MarineStore, not the other teak-guard product that has received poor reviews. There is a difference, make sure you check out the correct product.
Two projects at once, outside railing and the inside door trim of the shower. Sanded both down. 
We used a pigment varnish and then Cetol Light and Gloss on the railings, time consuming considering the number of coats and dry time between coats. It looks good and is nice and shiny though. 
We used the Teak Guard on the shower trim and quite impressed with it. It was easy to use, you simply use the cleaner, only needed to use this one time though it says you should clean again if your wood is looking uneven in color. Then, applied a coat of the Teak Guard and another after 30 minutes. Next day, used a bronze wool pad to brush it (didn't really need much of this) and applied another 2 coats 1 hour apart. 
I am happy with results of both, much happier with the process using the Teak Guard. I am considering other projects with the Teak Guard. It looks great, not plastic looking and some shine but not high glossy. It is easy to get off the fiberglass if you overshoot while applying (oops). I personally won't be using it on the railings, doors and such where I prefer the high gloss. Even though I know I will have more maintenance, I simply prefer the high gloss look in some areas. But the areas that I want low maintenance and protection and a great look - Teak Guard all the way.


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## windship60 (Oct 24, 2011)

Wanasail said:


> I began using Teakguard in a comparison test against Armada (Cetol-like teak treatment) last season. Result: I like Teakguard overall and will continue to use it on my boat's teak exterior trim this year. My boat is kept on a mooring in the Northern Chesapeake Bay region during season, and is kept on the hard in off-season.
> 
> Background: In May 2008, I bought a small supply of Teakguard to "trial" it on my sailboat's cockpit teak floorboards. Application was easy, fast-drying and extremely easy to clean up afterwards. I wanted to see how it looked on the floorboards before applying it to the teak combing and toe-rail. After 3-4 coats I and my friend Mike checked it out. Mike said that the finish looked a little "plastic-y", like it had a plastic, unnatural looking coating on the wood. And in fact I agreed with him, it did have a kind of plastic sheen to it, even though the teak wood appeared to be well protected. Mike had just refinished the teak on his Alberg and offered me a can of "Armada Wood Finish Water Clear" that he had on hand from that job. He said that it would probably give a more natural looking finish to the teak. I took him up on his offer and applied four coats (which took a lot longer than Teakguard) to all of the remaining teak with the exception of the floor boards, which I decided would retain as Teakguard. By the way, I first sanded and cleaned the teak wood before applying the Armada.
> 
> ...


I was wondering how the TeakGuard has stood up over time. Thoughts and opinions welcome.


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## wsteeves (Dec 5, 2008)

*Teak guard results*

I have the same results. You can avoid the plastic look by putting on fewer coats but it fades fast and the finish lasts longer so I opt to apply coats until I get that look. 1 caveat though. If you apply it in too much heat or direct sunlight, it tends to dry too fast not allowing sufficient time to soak into the wood grain and get a deep seal. It still lasts longer than the other options but won't last as long especially on horizontal surfaces if applied that way. Otherwise do make sure you get the stuff from Ohio, not Australia. They are not the same nor are they in any way related and the Australian stuff (I think its Australia) is getting very poor ratings.


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## bchaps (Mar 30, 2010)

After discussing proper application of TeakGuard with Martin at AllGuard Products, my wife and I began the task of removing the remaining Cetol from our teak. Fortunately, the sun had done an excellent job of starting the job and we just had to finish it. We used the "Super Cleaner" after sanding and scraping all Cetol remnants. This is the step that Martin emphasized which will make the difference between a great or a disappointing finish. So, we scrubbed the teak with a plastic brush, removing gobs of black mildew while flushing it with water until it runs clear.. Another warning from Martin...do not wait long after cleaning the teak before applying the first two coats We were normally able to clean in the morning and apply two coats before evening...but next day is OK.

We have now been working 4 - 5 hours every day and it is nearing completion with 8 coats on most surfaces. After sitting in a "crunched" position for several hours today, my wife dragged herself into the salon and plopped on the settee. 15 minutes later as the sun was setting, I called her out to the docks...her understandable response.."WHAT!" "Come here" I said...with the setting sun at our backs and standing at an angle to the boat, I turned her toward the boat and said "look!". What was black ugly teak is now a golden brown satin finish on lots of teak. We now have a 12 year old boat that looks factory-new. Restoring the teak adds amazingly to the beauty of a boat. 

TeakGuard Pros: 
1. No taping! Martin was adamant on this point. Do NOT tape!
2. Apply TeakGuard with a foam brush. We've used a dozen, but they're cheap.
3. Drips on gel coat wipe off. BUT, don't miss a drip or a Magic Eraser is needed to get it off.
4. Apply two coats a day with minimal or no sanding between coats. Martin recommended using bronze wool very lightly after two coats to knock off the standing fuzz.
5. Has a light "golden" appearance.
6. TeakGuard is water thin, so no thinning needed for a perfectly level finish. No sags or runs to mar the beauty.

TeakGuard Cons:
1. Don't miss a drip on the gelcoat or it will be difficult to remove.
2. After fourth coat, it becomes difficult to see your freshly applied finish. Use plugs or stanchions as markers to note current work area.
3. TeakGuard is very thin and will seep under any tape. So, be prepared to wipe gelcoat where teak joins gelcoat in a tight corner.

Personal unknown:
Although we are absolutely delighted with current results, we do not have any historical experience: how will it hold up after one year, two years, or more. I have depended on the earlier comments in this thread for choosing TeakGuard. In six months or a year I will update my experience.

No affiliation with TeakGuard...just a happy current user.

Bill & Judy
s/v Charbonneau


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## P23 004 (Jan 3, 2013)

So, Bchaps, how has your experince been regarding TeakGuard? I think I'm going to use it for both the interior and exterior teak. Thank you for the first post - just last night I purchased a roll of 2 inch masking tape that will now be kept in a drawer for a future project. Your comments will be appreciated. 

Mike.


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## dgasmd (Mar 31, 2011)

Any before and after pictures???


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## bchaps (Mar 30, 2010)

One area of teak located in the cockpit and sheltered by canvas still looks great. But the remaining coverage of Teak Guard has simply failed to adhere. And this was after adding two additional coats in April 2012. So, with about 8 coats of Teak Guard, it is flaking off within 1 1/2 years. Obviously, we're disappointed with the results.

The good thing is that it comes off easily! We're switching to Epifanes.
Bill


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## P23 004 (Jan 3, 2013)

Thank you, Bchaps, for your helpful response.


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## Sabreman (Sep 23, 2006)

Sounds like Teakguard is just another coating....clean and prep the wood, apply finish soon after cleaning, apply 8 (!!!) coats, reapply yearly. I'm staying with Cetol Natural - sand lightly, apply 3 initial coats, and reapply yearly. I don't have any peeling sections and the finish is easy to renew.

Bottom line - there is no magic teak finish. Gloss varnish is beautiful but finicky to apply and maintain. Cetol is IMO, a nice balance but not perfect either, some don't like the look. Easiest is to do nothing and let it go gray... but that's not maintenance free either. Mold does grow if absolutely nothing is done for maintenance. 

I suppose this is why many modern boats have minimal or no teak... there is no easy answer, only degrees of maintenance.


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## lancelot9898 (Dec 30, 2008)

Sabreman, I too use the cetrol natural but found that the clear cetrol overcoat provides better UV protection so consequently I use the clear coat for the annual maintenance.


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## thorn3686 (Apr 14, 2014)

*TeakGuard*

It's unfortunate that there are apparently two different products with very similar names. I had all these same questions. I went with TeakGuard from MarineStore and was pleased with all aspects. I ruled out varnish early on because sooner or later it has to be removed (very painstaking) and redone. With TeakGuard it was super easy to apply and a little goes an incredibly long way. One thing I particularly wanted to point out is that when I placed the order, TeakGuard also had cheap foam brushes listed. I almost didn't order one because I have several assorted brushes including foam. But I thought what the heck, it's cheap so I ordered one. That was an important decision. When I received the product and got going, I started with one of my own foam brushes. Right away the grain was grabbing the foam and eating it up. Within minutes, that brush was shot. Then I picked up the foam brush from TeakGuard. It has what looks to be a piece of thin leather wrapped around the foam. At first I thought it might need to be removed, but it doesn't come off. So, I went back to work with this new foam brush. Wow, that sucker lasted to the end of the job. I cleaned it up and will still be able to use it again.
Spend a few extra pennies and buy their brush. I promise you'll be glad you did. 
After the initial coat, the additional coats go on super quick and easy. 
Since there's not a permanent solution to have nice looking (not gray) teak, I opted for this product that doesn't create a huge future problem of having to remove it. No regrets


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## malyea (Aug 12, 2009)

*Re: TeakGuard*



thorn3686 said:


> It's unfortunate that there are apparently two different products with very similar names.
> 
> Since there's not a permanent solution to have nice looking (not gray) teak, I opted for this product that doesn't create a huge future problem of having to remove it. No regrets


I see it's a bit early yet, but how's it holding up so far? I'm going to do either Cetol Natural or TeakGuard (the right one I hope...).


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## windship60 (Oct 24, 2011)

Unfortunately, the TeakGuard just didn't hold up to any walking on the deck. We have a large dog and it just couldn't withstand the wear and tear. Even hosing the deck off would strip it off.

We cleaned it off and are currently trying Semcoe. Hopefully it holds up better.


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## Tsawwassen (Nov 6, 2016)

I used Teak Guard on the teak cap rails of my Saturna 33. I followed all instructions carefully including sanding the teak down completely.
After about a week and the first rainfall (I am on the West coast of Canada), the Teak Guard simply started washing off leaving brown spots on my hull. It kept doing this all summer, fall until it was almost gone. The product simply washed right off. Fortunately the spots on the hull came off fairly easily. So much for the $80.00 I spent on the kit plus days and days of work down the drain. The Teak Guard on my companion way teak has held up fine but is is not weather exposed at all. 

I spoke to the owner of Teak Guard, I believe his name is Bob, who told me that local pollution could be the cause. Really Bob ...show me a place in North America where there is not some type of pollution. 

I removed all the Teak Guard and went back to Cetol. In my experience Teak Guard is completely unsuitable for outside weather exposed teak and an expensive product to boot.

Teak is an ongoing labor of love. In the 15 years I have done and redone and redone my teak, the only way is to maintain it, do a bit every year and do not let it go. There are no magic products or potions. Teak Guard is certainly not one of them in my experience. Stick with proved products such as Cetol etc.


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## Capt Len (Oct 9, 2011)

No experience with TG but over 200 square feet of fir cabintop and 80 ft of caprail (apitong) with lots of dancing girls for 30 years of Cetol's got my vote


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