# Can I use teak oil on painted wood and gold leaf?



## lswain (Apr 9, 2018)

Hey guys I am making a boat sign out of teak. I hand carved and I have painted an out line and gold leafed the letters. The background is bare teak. Now I wanna teak oil it but is it ok to oil over paint and gold leaf? If not what process should I use? I havent gold leafed it yet so I could put a finish down first and then the gold leaf on top if that works better?? Here is a mock up I did in cedar as an example.thank you


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## shipwright (Sep 27, 2010)

Nice carving. Real gold leaf or imitation?


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## John Smith_inFL (Dec 15, 2017)

I was thinking you were asking about the sign in the photo.

you should do ALL the sealing and varnishing PRIOR to gilding.
depending on the type of gold leaf you will be using, sets the avenue
of how you will be finishing it.

there are pretty firm procedures about doing gold leafed name board for boats.
please explain in detail of how you have gotten this far with the gold.

.


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## lswain (Apr 9, 2018)

Thank you. Real gold leaf.


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## lswain (Apr 9, 2018)

The picture I posted is a cedar mock up thats just painted and finished. The sign I am working on now is in teak. I have carver and primed the letters white. From what you have said John should i paint, stain and then gold leaf? should I use a varnish instead of teak oil? then last put down the gold leaf? And even crazy questing if you were to steam bend it with a slight curve when in the process would you do that?


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## John Smith_inFL (Dec 15, 2017)

when it comes to teak, there are certain things you must do before you apply 
any kind of sealer, paint or varnish.
I wrote an article a few years ago on gilding teak boat name boards. I will try to find it for you.

question: will this sign actually be going on a boat ?? or just a wall hanger in someone's home.

.


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## lswain (Apr 9, 2018)

I used teak cleaner and teak brightener before I primed the letters. Its for the back of a 30ft sail boat and will need to be steam bent a little to fit on the stern. I dont know what step in the process to bend it either??


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## John Smith_inFL (Dec 15, 2017)

Iswain - surface gilding is an artform. if you are considering doing gold leaf projects
on a regular basis, I strongly suggest you purchase some books tailored just for the sign makers.
surface gilding is an acquired skill and takes practice and you must use the proper techniques 
and products if you are wanting to produce a gilded product that will last for years, there are steps 
you must go through for certain woods as well as using certain products in a certain order.
there are dozens of videos on YouTube made by professionals and amateurs that demonstrate
the basic procedures but don't really emphasize the process from start to finish for exterior projects.
use any books and view any videos with caution and experiment on scrap materials prior to
advancing to your real projects. (it can save you tons of time and money in the long run).
a very good periodical to subscribe to is SignCraft magazine. written by signmakers - for signmakers.
https://www.signcraft.com/ 
the signmakers forum that I normally suggest is falling into disrepair as the two owner/operators
have passed away and the new owners have shifted over to FaceBook. which is not nearly as helpful. https://www.facebook.com/groups/949772998427199/?fref=nf
gold leaf supplies: https://www.letterheadsignsupply.com/

now - a quick tutorial for your teak name board:
carve and steam bend first ~ then sand smooth.
the incised letters must be sanded down to glass smooth.
wash with acetone and apply two coats of 50/50 mix of very high quality Spar Varnish and mineral spirits.
apply 8 coats of the same varnish over all surfaces as well as the backside. 
prime the incised letters with oil based primer
apply 2 coats of 1-Shot Primrose or Lemon yellow sign enamel - sanding between coats.
apply a thin even coat of 12 hour (slow dry) gold size.
turn the board over to prevent the size from puddling into the deep crevices.
after 12-16 hours, apply 23k-XXX loose leaf gold and clean excess gold with medical grade cotton.
after 24 hours, burnish the gold to a high luster. do not clearcoat the gold leaf with anything.
[the first 8 coats of Spar Varnish is a "process" - not just slap on 8 coats out of the can].

*some of the products used in surface gilding:*




























*Read, Understand and Follow the instructions on the label of all products you use.
Pay particular attention to the safety notes and heed the warnings accordingly.
any rags used in the prepping/painting process that have solvents, oils or paint on them, 
should be laid out in the open to completely air dry prior to discarding them*

.

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## John Smith_inFL (Dec 15, 2017)

when you steam bend the board - go about 3 inches past the point that you need and let it cool
in order to compensate for the wood wanting to spring back to its original position (flat).
there are many, many tutorial videos on YouTube about steam bending different kinds of wood.
and - the wood must return back to its original moisture content before you go any further.

.


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## woodshaver (Mar 21, 2009)

Sorry to see you were dropped after you gave this guy your knowledge and time. Wow not even a thank you! 
Your information was very detailed and informative. 
Thank you John.


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## John Smith_inFL (Dec 15, 2017)

thanks Tony !
wow - two years ago and it only feels like the other day.
time is just passing way, way too fast for me !
not receiving any gratitudes for my feedback does not bother me in the least.
I have seen it tweak some people up so tight they turn purple and pop like a balloon.
I approach feedback as a broadcast spreader of information. I am not talking to just
one person, I am talking to hundreds. just like this post here - over 1400 views.
should I expect 1400 thank yous ? of course not.
I just enjoy the camaraderie of fellow craftsmen, no matter their skill level.

I would have liked to have seen the finished transom sign on his boat, though.

I may have to go back to school if the EPA keeps nibbling away at the paint products
that it takes to produce top quality gold work. even the mahogany and teak lumber
is not the same as it was 20-30 years ago.
so with the diminishing quality of paint and wood, we may have to settle for CNC plastic
signs painted with rattle can Rust-Oleum gold paint.

all the best, Tony !! and thanks again for your kind words.

John

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## woodshaver (Mar 21, 2009)

Thank you for the reply John,

When the time is right I may have to come back here and ask you a few questions about a teak sign my son wants to put a finish on and hang on a post in his front yard. But first I have to do some searching for the right hanging bracket for him.

Have a great weekend John! 
Cheers! 
Tony


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## therealSteveN (Oct 29, 2016)

As I so often do when reading through a thread with an interesting topic, I hadn't noted the dates.

John, that was a killer Tutorial, Thanks from me to you for sharing.


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## John Smith_inFL (Dec 15, 2017)

Tony - sure thing !! when your son gets the basic sketch or shape made
for his sign, start a new thread and post some photos. I love DIY projects.
especially in the home arena and in the nautical field.
sometimes the mountinging bracket can make or break the aesthetic value of the sign.
google: "Sign Bracket Images" when the time comes.
please feel free to PM me if you have any questions.

Thanks Steve ! that means a lot to me.
although I have been retired out of the sign business for 20+ years,
I still love to dabble in it now and then. I still have some of my original
(now called "vintage") gold leaf tools. the world and its contents are
changing so fast that I can't keep up. especially in the paint world.
as the saying goes: "Either lead, follow or get out of the way" !!
so - I am slowly getting out of the way so the Millennials can have their turn.
my left eye is still giving me some minor issues from the table saw accident
that I am becoming limited in the things I used to do. but muddle through it anyway.
again, all the best to everyone !!

John

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## John Smith_inFL (Dec 15, 2017)

*a note of interest:*
the O/P, Iswain, did indeed leave me a Thank You note on my profile page.
I just now noticed it. (I do not have it set to notify me of posts to my profile).
although it was not in his public post, he was gracious enough to shake my
hand on my personal page.
to me, that speaks volumes that he took the time to slide over to my profile page
and make a personal note.



> Thank you for all the help and information!
> - lswain 04/09/2018


*Iswain; you are very welcome !!*

I hope to see your installed transom name board some day !!










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## GR8HUNTER (Jun 13, 2016)

wow John thanks for the memories i have not seen one shot paint in years LOL :<))


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## woodshaver (Mar 21, 2009)

Thank you John! Our son lives in NC when I get what I need I'll be back for your help!

That is great news about your "Thank You" John! Sometimes it take time for things come full circle! I'm happy to know I helped lead you to your well deserved gratitude. I take back what I said about Iswain's. It would be nice to see the installed sign on the transom .


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