Waterlox Marine Finishes for boaters


1925 Dodge Runabout finished with Waterlox Marine Finish

Using tung oil on boats is nothing new. In fact, one of the first recorded uses of tung oil was by Chinese merchants who used tung oil back in the 14th century to waterproof and protect wooden ships.  Tung oil has amazing waterproofing properties; however, tung oil alone doesn’t form a film and will therefore water spot, not stand up to foot traffic, take quite some time to dry, and need to be reapplied often.   

Our products are different than those that consist of 100% tung oil. Waterlox’s exclusive process takes tung oil, resin, mineral spirits, and other ingredients, to produce a complete wood finish that gives you the look and feel of a naturally-oiled wood, with the additional benefit of forming a surface that is waterproof  (also beer, salsa, and merlot proof!).  Waterlox stands up to heavy use and won’t chip, crack, peel, or water spot.  Waterlox is easy to apply, repair, and re-coat when necessary.  Above or below decks, there is a Waterlox product for the job.

                             Many of us at Waterlox are boaters, so we can speak from experience: 
                                "We’d use Waterlox on our boats even if we DIDN’T get it for free!"

                                         above decks: Waterlox marine finish  

Why is Waterlox Marine Finish superior to other products?  If you have a boat that has wood that is exposed to the elements, you’ve probably used one or more of the following:

Teak Oil: Usually made of a blend of linseed, tung, and other oils, teak oil looks beautiful and is easy to apply but does not form a film, will water spot, does not prevent stains, and needs to be reapplied often.

Polyurethane Varnish: Gives a hard surface but looks like a coating of plastic.  Poly gets brittle and  can chip and crack with UV exposure.  When polyurethane does fail, it is difficult to remove and needs to be sanded to bare wood to re-coat.

Translucent Coatings: Some popular teak finishes contain iron oxide pigments, almost like paint, which help shield the wood against UV rays, but they give the surface an  orange hue and hide the natural beauty of the wood. 



Waterlox marine finish is made from tung oil and a special resin that provides a high gloss that stands up to marine and exterior exposure, yet never gets brittle.  Easy to repair/recoat.  Performs very well on oily tropical woods like teak and  mahogany. When the gloss level begins to fade from sun/UV exposure, simply apply more Waterlox! Sanding down to bare wood is not necessary.

Click here for More information and finishing directions


                                           
                                                   Below Decks: Waterlox interior finishes



            Waterlox Original Sealer/Finish   Waterlox Original Satin Finish 
                                      Waterlox original High gloss finish

For many of us, the finest woodwork that we own is not in our homes but  on our boats.  Below decks, the challenge is not so much UV but instead moisture and wide temperature swings.  In the summer, a closed boat can be a veritable steam bath, with 100% humidity and temperatures reaching 150 degrees.  In the off-season, the same boat turns into an icebox, with below-zero temperatures.   Our interior tung oil finishes are the perfect solution.  Like all of our products, our unique blend of tung oil and resin seal penetrates and finishes the wood to a beautiful furniture-like finish.  

As far as water and moisture goes,  nothing is more moisture resistant than Waterlox. (As the name implies, Waterlox   "lox out water"!)  Our products can be applied over previously oiled surfaces.  Surfaces previously finished with polyurethane should be abraded (see finishing directions below).

Waterlox performs very well on tropical woods like teak, ipe, and mahogany, which can be a difficult woods to finish since they are oily. Many customers who have had peeling problems using urethanes have switched to Waterlox with excellent results...add to that performance the fact that our finishes look more natural than the "liquid plastic" look of urethanes.  The only real decision is to pick the sheen level of your choice:

 

 Original Sealer Finish
55-degree sheen level provides a “medium” or “semi-gloss" finish. We recommend this product as the first coat for ANY finishing job.  You can also apply additional coats, to  give most wood surfaces a shiny but not “glaring” appearance. It must look pretty good, as it is by far our most popular wood finish.





Original Satin Finish
25-degree sheen level offers a  “subdued” level of gloss.  There is a sheen but very little reflection. Newly formulated for those who are looking for a matte look.






Original Gloss Finish
85-degree sheen level gives you our shiniest wood finish. When you desire a very reflective “glass” or  “gym floor” appearance, this is the sheen level for you. 

 Click here for More information and finishing directions




                                                                                                                         Photo by Peter U