Varnish Exposure Test

20 different brands are brushed on teak panels and put out to weather in the sun, rain and snow. Here’s a 6-month report.

Some of the varnishes tested. In all, there ûwere 20 products, one of which, West Marine ûWood Pro, is not a varnish but rather a teak ûtreatment similar to Cetol and Armada. Such ûhighly pigmented stains usually last longer ûthan varnish, though their appearance is less glossy and somewhat muddy. We included ûWood Pro for comparison purposes.

In recent years we have forsaken the testing of traditional varnishes for what might generically be called “teak treatments”—mostly oils, urethanes like Honey Teak, and pigmented stains such as Cetol and Armada, and some hybrids such as Smith & Co. Five Year Clear™ epoxy and urethane treatment. These reports have appeared annually in the March issue’s special section on spring maintenance. The reasons for passing over varnish were mainly the strong perception that three coats of Cetol will last a full sailing season, whereas three coats of varnish might disappear by August 1.…