Lacquer removal on teak help
 

Has anyone ever removed lacquer off a teak swim platform? My friend has a 2001 Super Air Nautique he just bought and someone sealed the platform with lacquer... Slippery is an understatement when its wet! Whats the best way to get that stuff off? I know about the products to clean teak that are a 2 part chemical base, but I wonder if that will even work in this case?

haha he put so much damn lacquer on that thing it was just an accident waiting to happen ( Meet the Parents ) hahaha I have no idea, maybe sand it off?

I bought a boat once from the original owner and he's done nothing for 15 years but apply heavy coats of teak oil and just let it dry so it had heavy layers and drip of dried up teak oil. I had to take the whole thing apart and sand each piece of teak and do it right. What a pain!

+1 on sanding, gonna be a long process.

I'm going to be embarking on the exact same project on my 2001 Air Nautique next weekend. Some of my preliminary research has found the best thing to be sanding with 100 or 150 grit sand paper and a lot of it. Apparently the lacquer/sealer clogs up the sand paper real quick so changing it out helps. The problem is that the Nautique platforms are glued together so getting in the nooks and crannies takes some time. I did a google search, something like "removing lacquer from teak" and a couple good threads came up from the Malibu and Master Craft forums. Definitely do some research before you start because if you sand too much down you're screwed. Also, I have not found too much on using chemical varnish strippers but I just started looking.

I'd invest in some sandpaper, maybe an electric sander too or your arm/shoulder will be shot! There are a ton of threads on how to restore a teak platform on here. I do mine every summer before the boat gets wet. I start off with some 500 grit to remove the top layer of dirt and whatever has accumulated. Then work my way finer until it is smooth enough to run my hand across comfortably. After that I give it a few generous coats of teak oil (as much as it wants to absorb). Looks like a new platform every summer! For you guys, step 1 would be to go smack whoever sealed up the teak. The purpose of using teak over any other wood is its ability to "breathe" and not rot.

If it's lacquer it can be be removed with lacquer thinner. You won't need any other kind of stripper. It may not be lacquer.
Use a course sandpaper or bronze wool to open the pores in the teak after the lacquer is taken off. I personally think that 100 grit is too fine.
Soak lots of oil into the teak when it's prepared. It can take a couple of days putting oil on heavily, then wiping off the excess after most has soaked in.
Apply more oil next year, or half way through the season.

"For you guys, step 1 would be to go smack whoever sealed up the teak."

I agree. I would follow Art's advice on the lacquer thinner.

After I finished, I would go back and smack the guy again.