Index

Sikkens Cetol Marine Preparation Guide.

Ever since I was introduced to Sikkens Cetol Marine in 1995 I've been so impressed with it that I've recoated virtually all the bright work I have.  The only reason why I haven't changed it all is because there aren't 36 hours in a day!  In 1999 I coated my tiller as an experiment.  I scraped it down to bare wood and applied four coats.  Two years later and the finish is still perfect with absolutely no sign of peeling or wear.  In 2002 I finally applied the first maintenance coat which I now do annually as a matter of principle.  An ounce of prevention being worth a pound of cure and all that.  

The real beauty of this product is that it: 

• Sheds liquids like water off a duck's back.

• Passes vapour one way only, OUT, just like Gortex.  (This breathing property guarantees that all water vapour passes out of the wood core into the atmosphere.  This maintains the residual moisture content of the wood at its optimum.  It's the expanding vapour in the hot sun that lifts varnish and other solid coatings off the surface).

• Four coats is a 100% UV block.

• It wears very well under foot.  (there is a version for vertical surfaces and another for horizontal).

• Requires an annual maintenance coat depending on the climate or severity of service it is exposed to.

• NO sanding between coats, only washing with soap to make sure the surface is clean for good adhesion.

• Cetol Marine is 100% compatible with Sika-Flex adhesives.  This is perfect for bright work installed on a deck to ensure that no water creeps under it to soak into the wood.  However, all wood should still be installed on top of a thin plastic spacer to keep it high and dry off the deck.  It is quite OK to apply a fillet of Sikaflex to hide the spacer. 

• If you want to make a non-skid top coat for areas that are exposed to water spray, sprinkle some fine dry mason's sand on the final coat while it is still wet.  Use a salt shaker with large holes and sprinkle lightly.  Apply another coat of Cetol Marine over the sprinkled grit to lock the sand in.  If the finish is too coarse then add more coats of Cetol Marine till it imbeds the sand to a texture you like.  The deeper the sand is imbedded, the stronger the bond to it.  This is especially important for wood steps on your boarding ladder or the companionway steps into the cabin.

This remarkable combination of properties prevents the coating from lifting off like varnish does.  But no matter how good a product is, preparation is everything.  In fact when the Canadian technical representative attended one of our sail club meetings, more than three quarters of the discussion time was focused on wood  preparation.  So click on the preparation guide pages listed below to learn more about it.

• Prep Guide Page 1 - Preparation Procedures.

• Prep Guide Page 2 - Preparation Procedures, Cont'd.

• Prep Guide Page 3 - Areas of use & Maintenance Procedures.

• Prep Guide Page 4 - Application Procedures.

NOTE 1 - I have not been able to find the original Sikkens Marine Cetol finish that I was introduced to in 1995.  What is available today has a milky colour that I don't like.  The milky stuff must be stirred every 5 minutes as you apply it.  I did find two cans of the original stuff and treat them like gold.

NOTE 2 - Sikkens Cetol Marine is one of those products that is available at select qualified retailers only.  From what the factory representative told me, a retailer must pass an authorized painting course to be qualified to sell Cetol Marine.  Akzo Nobel is the parent company.  You can find them on the web at Sikkens. 
 

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