Cheap teak shower grating

Concerto

Concerto

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In the process of fitting pressurised hot and cold water with a shower, I needed to change the plywood floor in the toilet compartment of Concerto to a grating. Whilst at the Southampton Boat Show I asked Howells for a rought price for a teak grating. I was shocked to be quoted £250 to £300. My initial though was to create a plastic graating, but I was worried by the flexing. Then I researched using wood like larch before thinking a shower board might work. Searching for one slightly larger that I could trim to size, I found one in teak. It was only £55 from Amazon. It came with a lacquer finish, but I have sanded this off.

IMG_3678 1000pix.jpg
This was the plywood floor, with a little sight of 40 years wear in the lower right hand corner.

IMG_3679 1000pix.jpg
This is the new teak grating.
 
Concerto said:
In the process of fitting pressurised hot and cold water with a shower, I needed to change the plywood floor in the toilet compartment of Concerto to a grating. Whilst at the Southampton Boat Show I asked Howells for a rought price for a teak grating. I was shocked to be quoted £250 to £300. My initial though was to create a plastic graating, but I was worried by the flexing. Then I researched using wood like larch before thinking a shower board might work. Searching for one slightly larger that I could trim to size, I found one in teak. It was only £55 from Amazon. It came with a lacquer finish, but I have sanded this off.

View attachment 134189
This was the plywood floor, with a little sight of 40 years wear in the lower right hand corner.

View attachment 134190
This is the new teak grating.
Click to expand...

Are you sure that is "Teak" wood? AT $55 I doubt it! (But it looks good anyway):D

"There is Burmese teak (genuine teak wood), Asian teak wood, Indonesian teak wood, Chinese teak wood, African teak wood, Golden teak wood, South American teak wood, Philippines teak wood, plantation teak wood, Thailand teak wood, Indian teak wood, Malaysian teak wood, African teak wood, Brazilian teak wood and so on and so forth"

13 Different Types of Teak Wood - Woodworking Trade
 
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If you have ever made a teak grating as a one off , particularly using the grade of teak that Howells will use, you will appreciate why it costs that amount. I have made 3 over the years and a great way of using up your spare time.
 
That looks like an excellent solution. Ours got a bit manky with use, so I got into the habit of putting it on edge to dry off after showering, which has helped a lot.
 
coopec said:
Are you sure that is "Teak" wood? AT $55 I doubt it! (But it looks good anyway):D

"There is Burmese teak (genuine teak wood), Asian teak wood, Indonesian teak wood, Chinese teak wood, African teak wood, Golden teak wood, South American teak wood, Philippines teak wood, plantation teak wood, Thailand teak wood, Indian teak wood, Malaysian teak wood, African teak wood, Brazilian teak wood and so on and so forth"

13 Different Types of Teak Wood - Woodworking Trade
Click to expand...
The wood is quoted as teak and when sanding the cut edges has a very similar feel to teak I have used over the years. I suspect it is plantation grown teak, certainly not Burmese teak.
 
coopec said:
You'd be interested in this?

It’s Official, No More Teak Out of Myanmar
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With the state of government there I remain a bit sceptical, but let's hope they are right. I have seen teak growing in India, but only sparsely and not loggably, but any disruption of a natural resource is to be deplored. We once rafted to an old '80s HR in Weymouth who rather smugly told us that our year 2000 plantation-teak decks weren't a patch on his forest teak decks.
 
Concerto said:
There is a shallow tray underneath and I have fitted a drain and shower pump.
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As a matter of interest what type of pump is the shower pump?

Currently I have a macerator pump (diaphragm) installed to empty the gray/shower water. When I bought the pump I was warned they are only self priming for so long and sadly that was correct advice.

I can't use a centrifugal type pump (bilge type) because body hair from showering clogs them up.

I'm now considering a vane type (Jabsco type) but they are expensive.
 
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coopec said:
As a matter of interest what type of pump is the shower pump?

Currently I have a macerator pump (diaphragm) installed to empty the gray/shower water. When I bought the pump I was warned they are only self priming for so long and sadly that was correct advice.

I can't use a centrifugal type pump (bilge type) because body hair from showering clogs them up.

I'm now considering a vane type (Jabsco type) but they are expensive.
Click to expand...
My shower pump is one of these and although it does not get used a lot it is still working well, always self primes and never been serviced in 22 years op.com/marine/pumps/sink-shower-drain-pumps/37202-2012-self-priming-diaphragm-pump-12-volt-dc.htm
Although this has the same spec for less money Whale Marine - Products

Www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk
 
coopec said:
As a matter of interest what type of pump is the shower pump?

Currently I have a macerator pump (diaphragm) installed to empty the gray/shower water. When I bought the pump I was warned they are only self priming for so long and sadly that was correct advice.

I can't use a centrifugal type pump (bilge type) because body hair from showering clogs them up.

I'm now considering a vane type (Jabsco type) but they are expensive.
Click to expand...
We have a Jabsco pump but don’t currently have access to the model. There is a substantial inline filter which deals with those who still have hairs to moult.
 
having had 2 jabsco pumps fail with little use I now have a whale gulper which can handle all sorts of waste & does a very good job of self priming & pumping. Does not need a filter like the other 2. I have a wandering hose that I can plug into the shower circuit with a hoselock adaptor, to pick up odd puddles of water under the engine & in the bilge etc & it does that well also. Even used it when I had a blocked heads pipe, to clear up some of the mess, when finished smothering myself. :rolleyes: It is very handy having a hose next to a fitting as one loosens it & showers ones self with-- Well you can guess the rest. That is why I call it my shower pump. ;)
 
coopec said:
As a matter of interest what type of pump is the shower pump?

Currently I have a macerator pump (diaphragm) installed to empty the gray/shower water. When I bought the pump I was warned they are only self priming for so long and sadly that was correct advice.

I can't use a centrifugal type pump (bilge type) because body hair from showering clogs them up.

I'm now considering a vane type (Jabsco type) but they are expensive.
Click to expand...
All of the system I am fitting has come from ASAP. They recommended using a WHALE GULPER 220 SHOWER PUMP 12V
Whale Gulper 220 Waste Water Pump 12V
 
Concerto said:
All of the system I am fitting has come from ASAP. They recommended using a WHALE GULPER 220 SHOWER PUMP 12V
Whale Gulper 220 Waste Water Pump 12V
Click to expand...
This is what I have in both showers. Five years liveaboard and 8 years light use before they are both going strong. Occasionally a small piece of debris gets caught in the one way outlet valve of the pump but now I know about it the solution only takes a few minutes
 
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