Coating and bonding oily woods such as teak.

Teak, like many tropical woods, is oily, and it is difficult to form a strong bond to teak with epoxy coatings or adhesives. 

• Coating:  Generally not recommended.  Teak weathers well by itself and an epoxy coating offers little benefit. The coating will typically peel in a short period of time in the weather.  If color retention or modification is desired, penetrating and non-film-forming finishes, like teak oil that are specifically designed for teak wood should be used instead. 
• Bonding:  For bonding teak with epoxy adhesives, first sand the wood with coarse sandpaper, 60-80 grit. Then wipe with a strong solvent such as lacquer thinner or xylene to remove surface oil and allow to dry.  Finally, apply the adhesive within about 60 minutes and clamp the pieces.