Well-finished brightwork makes a boat look great, and it protects the timber from sun and salt water. Fortified Oceanic in Newport, Sydney stocks the full Awlwood system from Awlgrip, along with trusted varnishes and timber coatings for boats across Australia. This guide takes you from bare timber to a lasting high-gloss finish.
1. Why choose Awlwood
Awlwood is a clear system from Awlgrip for exterior marine timber. It's designed to stay flexible as the wood moves, hold its gloss under harsh UV, and be easy to touch up. Because it's simple to maintain, it's a popular choice for teak and mahogany rails, cappings, hatches and trim.
2. Prepare the timber
Remove the old coating back to sound, bare wood, then sand to an even finish. Oily timbers like teak should be wiped down to remove surface oils just before priming. Clean off all dust, and mask the edges with 3M masking tape. Good prep is the biggest factor in how long your finish lasts.
3. Prime with Awlwood Primer
Apply Awlwood Primer to the bare timber. It soaks into the grain, bonds to the wood and gives a warm amber tone. Build the number of coats shown on the technical data sheet, with light sanding between coats where it's recommended.
4. Build the gloss with Awlwood Top Coat
Apply Awlwood Top Coat over the primer for a deep, high-gloss finish with strong UV protection. Use a quality brush such as the Rokset Flat Varnish Brush or UNi-PRO Varnish Brush. Several thin coats give a better result than a few heavy ones. Avoid painting in direct sun, high humidity, or late in the day when dew may settle.
5. Thinning and clean-up
Use Awlwood Cleaners and Reducers to adjust flow in hot or cold conditions and to clean brushes and equipment. Only use the reducer recommended for the system.
6. Maintenance
Wash the timber regularly with fresh water. When the gloss starts to fade, give it a light sand and add a fresh top coat before the finish breaks down. Topping up early saves you stripping back to bare wood later.
7. Other timber finishes we stock
Traditional varnishes: Epifanes Clear Varnish Extra UV-Filter, International Goldspar Original Gloss, Altex Timbercote Exterior Varnish and, for interiors, Goldspar Satin.
Two-pack varnish: Epifanes PP Varnish Extra for a harder, more abrasion-resistant finish.
Sealers and epoxy: Altex Everseal and International Everdure penetrate and seal timber, and can help consolidate weathered wood.
Low-maintenance teak finish: Sikkens Cetol Marine Natural Teak gives a satin, natural look that's easy to recoat.
Teak decks: for re-caulking seams, use Fixtech Fix 1DC Teak Deck Caulking.
Always follow the manufacturer's technical and safety data sheets. Not sure which finish suits your timber? Contact the Fortified Oceanic team in Newport for advice and trade pricing.