John McAlister
Well-known member
Can anyone tell me the proper glue to use for some teak outdoor furniture.
Any tips on using teak would be appreciated. John McAlister
Any tips on using teak would be appreciated. John McAlister
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Glue for outdoor furniture
- Thread starter John McAlister
- Start date
John,
From my boatbuilding previous life, not outdoor furniture:
Teak is saturated with an oil that makes it hard to get glue to bond. When glueing, we have had good luckby wiping down the surface a few times with a clean acetone soaked rag to clear away the oil . I recommend West epoxy for gluing. Having joints fitted to tight as dry before gluing squeezes out the glue line and actually hurts the strength of the joint.
Karl
From my boatbuilding previous life, not outdoor furniture:
Teak is saturated with an oil that makes it hard to get glue to bond. When glueing, we have had good luckby wiping down the surface a few times with a clean acetone soaked rag to clear away the oil . I recommend West epoxy for gluing. Having joints fitted to tight as dry before gluing squeezes out the glue line and actually hurts the strength of the joint.
Karl
dkeller_nc
Well-known member
John - Epoxy is probably the longest-lasting outdoor glue. However, I've made a couple of cypress tables for outdoor use in the last few years that used Titebond III, and they're holding up well (no glue failures).
The only other experience I had with Titebond III in an outdoor application was a dovetailed box that was used as a planter. This one was also made of cypress, but the dovetail corner joints failed after a season. I suspect this was because these joints were constantly wet (and it does note on the bottle that Titebond III is not suitable for constant water immersion).
The only other experience I had with Titebond III in an outdoor application was a dovetailed box that was used as a planter. This one was also made of cypress, but the dovetail corner joints failed after a season. I suspect this was because these joints were constantly wet (and it does note on the bottle that Titebond III is not suitable for constant water immersion).
John- At the Winterthur forum last winter there was a lecture on Henry Dupont's teak garden furniture, still in use since the teens and 20's. If it were me I would avoid glueing if possible. Glue is the weak link, not the teak. For tabletops you might just screw the boards to a batten.-Al
John McAlister
Well-known member
Thanks for all your posts on this question. I have another question about using teak.
I'm making a small table for our church that will go outdoors in a memorial garden. They have specified teak to match a couple benches already there. I had a time finding the teak. I didn't need much. Irion steered me to Hearn Wood and I paid through the nose for 3 boards!
I understand that you put no finish of any kind on teak; and the benches there look like the've had nothing on them.
It sort of hurts to think of paying too much for the teak; then putting several hours into the piece; and then setting it out in the rain!
Any comments?
I'm making a small table for our church that will go outdoors in a memorial garden. They have specified teak to match a couple benches already there. I had a time finding the teak. I didn't need much. Irion steered me to Hearn Wood and I paid through the nose for 3 boards!
I understand that you put no finish of any kind on teak; and the benches there look like the've had nothing on them.
It sort of hurts to think of paying too much for the teak; then putting several hours into the piece; and then setting it out in the rain!
Any comments?
dkeller_nc
Well-known member
John - Whomever said that "teak is not finished with anything" never did any woodwork on a boat; teak was (and is) still the preferred wood for trim on higher-end sailboats and other pleasure craft. The vast majority of teak on boats is indeed finished - usually with marine spar varnish. All mixtures labeled "spar varnish" really aren't, since there's no regulation on the labe applied by the manufacturer. Generally speaking, you can't get the real stuff at Home Depot or Lowes - you need to find Epifanes or a similar quality brand at either a dedicated paint and finish store, or preferably a marine fitments supplier.
As for teak, you can get it from two stores that are a bit closer to you than Hearne's - Capital City Lumber and Klingspor's Woodworking Store in Raleigh carries it. Expect to pay in the $25-$30 a b.f. range, depending on quality and geographic origin.
My guess is that there would be a similar supplier in the Charlotte area where you live.
As for teak, you can get it from two stores that are a bit closer to you than Hearne's - Capital City Lumber and Klingspor's Woodworking Store in Raleigh carries it. Expect to pay in the $25-$30 a b.f. range, depending on quality and geographic origin.
My guess is that there would be a similar supplier in the Charlotte area where you live.
There are two alternative ways to finish teak that is to be left exposed to weather, and both were used on high end yachts of old.
The most simple was to leave the wood "bare", although that is a misnoimer as it requires frequent washing and cleaning and rejuvination by adding oil finishes which may be called "teak oil" but the work teak refers to the wood being treated, not the contents of the oil. This was the preferred treatment for laid teak decks. Teak treated this way and ex[osed to weather tends to get to a whiteish grey and fairly grainy appearance over time, and the wood so finidshed was best quarter sawn so no face grain was showing.
A much more attractive finish is achieved with very high quality marine varnishes availkable widely at places like West Marine chain stores and local marine supply stores. This was used for deck "furniture"; coamings, hatches, winch bases, cap rails, toe rails, etc and could include face grain material. However do not undertake this finish lightly as it is expensive and time consuming. On a typical yacht, as many as seven coats were used for the original finish, starting with thinned material. In addition, is was customary to sand and recoat with two coats at midseason, and again before putting the vessel away in the fall. I happen to use just this material on indoor furniture tops that are likely to be treated "normally" such as dining room tables, coffee tables, etc.
A whole bunch of proprietary finishes have come and gone over the years which promised to do away with the hard work, but the best vessels still seem to stick to the traditional finishes.
Karl
The most simple was to leave the wood "bare", although that is a misnoimer as it requires frequent washing and cleaning and rejuvination by adding oil finishes which may be called "teak oil" but the work teak refers to the wood being treated, not the contents of the oil. This was the preferred treatment for laid teak decks. Teak treated this way and ex[osed to weather tends to get to a whiteish grey and fairly grainy appearance over time, and the wood so finidshed was best quarter sawn so no face grain was showing.
A much more attractive finish is achieved with very high quality marine varnishes availkable widely at places like West Marine chain stores and local marine supply stores. This was used for deck "furniture"; coamings, hatches, winch bases, cap rails, toe rails, etc and could include face grain material. However do not undertake this finish lightly as it is expensive and time consuming. On a typical yacht, as many as seven coats were used for the original finish, starting with thinned material. In addition, is was customary to sand and recoat with two coats at midseason, and again before putting the vessel away in the fall. I happen to use just this material on indoor furniture tops that are likely to be treated "normally" such as dining room tables, coffee tables, etc.
A whole bunch of proprietary finishes have come and gone over the years which promised to do away with the hard work, but the best vessels still seem to stick to the traditional finishes.
Karl
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