wood grain vails

I am looking into using this type of product, in my molded boats as toe rails and transoms,, a company called air teak shows them well fitted on the web and some products are called chromaveil, and Phantom veil,,
kindly help if you have done this kind of work, thanks Bo

 

The problem with veils are they have a step and repeat pattern which becomes obvious on large surfaces, if wood grain. On a rail, with it's relatively low height, you can hide this patterning, but on a transom it's quite visible and looks like wall paper. It's easy to apply, conforms very well, but only suitable for small or narrow items.

 

When cut up in "planks" there is no problem with repeating patterns.

I only know of 2 sources, which both are in India. We buy them regularly for some pultrusion customers. (polyester type, as glass type will be torn to pieces). For hand laminating use the glass type.

Other uses are "do not step" logos, exit logos, etc.

The colour of the resin behind it is critical to achieve the maximum result. Pigment the resin in the desired colour, and do some tests. You can even go artistic, and use (slightly) different colours.

 

Thank you both, if you go to www.airteak.com and take a look in the gallary and then see toe rails you will see what I am trying to accomplish, I know you will agree it looks sharp and in that type of install is what I am looking for, Thanks again

 

Check out the advances

Hi Guys,
The pattern challenges are a thing of the past. AirTeak uses highly trained graphic artists on each installation to ensure a natural perfect finish - even on very large surfaces. Check out the new transom jobs on www.airteak.com

 

This post was a little old but I went to that AirTeak.com site and it looks amazing. Price seems to be about the same or a little less than teak wood. But no Maintenance? I'm driving over to NPB Marina to see Viking they did. If anyone's interested I will post what I find in person.

 

Sure, always interested. Take a camera!

 

These highly trained artists, haven't a clue about which grains patterns a wood crafter will employ in a first class instalation.



The very first picture on the "Airteak" site, shows precisely this - flat grain, next to rift grain next to quarter sawn. No reasonably marine finish wood worker, would employ these combinations, but the highly trained artists don't know this so . . . to the average person this is a great presentation, but to a wood crafter, with any skills, it's looks like crap.

 

WOW, thanks PAR for the input. I guess when one sells wooden boat kits, a good composite product like this would be pretty frightening. Now, I admit, I'm not a master woodworker and I even doubt that one has ever been on my boat; but as an average guy here's what I do know:
The quote to re-do my teak transom was over 10K less with Airteak than with wood again. ($10,000 covers a lot of fishing)
Airteak quoted 7 to 10 days to do the install - the wood was 14 to 18. Twice the time out of water?
The airteak is a fraction the weight of "real" teak and that means fuel savings.
The airteak is waterproof so bill and gaff holes do not need to be addressed immediately, again, more time fishing.
I don't know anyone who enjoys the endless sanding and varnishing to keep the dang teak looking good and watertight (sadly. I cannot afford a crew to do it for me).
When I saw the two, airteak looked the same to me except the airteak was bright and looked perfectly polished next to the faded wood.
Look, I agree that "real" teak has it's place; I just don't think that place is on my boat.

 

The picture of the transom you show has a big *** knot on the port side and no self respecting wood worker, will incorporate this level of indiscretion on a transom (or anywhere else for that matter), regardless of how well a novice might think it looks. I'm glad your fake wood pleases you, but the "highly trained artists" would be best served with some instruction on acceptable grain patterns, rather than accurately portrayed wooden defects and imperfections, that would never been seen on a professionally done teak transom.

 

LOL OK, but how do you really feel? Its obvious you're a wood-man. No prob. Tell you what, if I ever put my boat into Lake Eustis, I'll stop by with a beer and help you varnish your teak. Happy boating.

 

It's not as matter of being a wood man, it's a matter of professionalism. I too can paint dead bang wood grain, but mine looks like what is appropriate for the piece. If you want a barn side, there'll be plenty of flat sawn grain and knots, if you want Chippendale, it'll be clear, straight and rift.

 

I suspect UV will damage the fake teak look. Repairs will be impossible. Artists will have to be flown in to repair it.

4mm teak veneer over a plywood transom is prefered.

With Real teak the shipyard strips the varnish and UV damage, then refinishes back to new .

Modern 2 component wet on wet varnishes over real wood veneer are much cheaper to apply than the traditional, 10 x sand between coats, labour intensive budget breaker.

That fake wood might have applications on the interior...dashboard panels or toilet seats for instance.

For high visibility pieces like a transom , it produces the classic cheesy Las Vegas look.

Your neighbors at the club may take issue with this imported Vegas style and ask you to move your boat way down to the end of the row to keep the neighborhood from going downhill.

 

Agreed Michael, most long time boat owners know the difference between faux teak and the real stuff, especially when obvious defects and grain selection aren't what the finish suggest it is. In other words, perfectly finished and flawless gloss, across barn siding grain patterns, will be a dead give away. Lastly, I suspect Michael is right in that the polyester (or whatever) resin employed with the faux finish, will eventually face the same thing any clear finish does - UV degradation. Just like varnished surfaces, if you catch it early enough, maybe you can touch it up (good luck with that), but let it get away from you and - well we all know this story.