Cockpit Teak Grating---what finish?

[Alfie168]

I've just jet washed my rather sad looking teak ( or similar) cockpit grating. It had been varnished by previous owner, but now looks a lot better with the varnish blasted off. Thing is, do I leave it bare wood or do I treat it with teak oil or similar to give it a bit of colour. I don't really want to go the ' varnish paint' route because of all the corners and nooks and crannies and because it deteriorates so quickly. I don't want anything 'sticky' that transfers onto the boat fibreglass and leaves a mess (and what a mess..been there done that).

On the Endeavour the teak decks were just scrubbed cross grain with sea water every day. Is that my best bet?

Ideas please folks.

Tim

 

[Tranona]

Yes, just leave it bare and treat it with Patio Magic or Boracol each year to keep mould at bay. You could put some quality teak oil on it but it will disappear fairly quickly. However if it is good quality teak well glued it will come to no harm left bare.

 

[Alfie168]

Its far from pristine, otherwise I would not have gone anywhere near it with a jet washer. There was dark brown varnish in all the nooks and crannies...yeuk! When its dried out for a few days there is a bit of reglueing needed...again, long term damage, so I'l repair it as best I can and leave it as is, and see how it goes. I can always do other stuff later if I feel the need.

Ta for that. Yes I think some Boracol (no not Benacol_ could be the answer too for its annual 'swish'

Tim

Its never going to look like the ones you see in the teak-grate adverts, but it can still look good enough I reckon

 

[Malish]

worth doing a good repair... a replacement will cause some serious eye watering

 

[MM5AHO]

Our 40 year old teak grating is bare. Gets a pressure wash every few years, and when cleaning out the cockpit, thrown into the sea for a while (rope tied on!). It looks OK, and functions well. Its screwed joints, not glued.

 

[Robin]

I scraped and did the gratings on our w33 back in the dark ages with Sikkens Cetol waterpoof wood dye, it lasted 8 years on that boat and even then looked good enough the new owner kept it. We use the latest version of it (Interlux/International bought them out I think) on our boat now, albeit this time it has a base coat or 3 followed by a top coat for ultimate UV protection. We use it on Westerly toe and hand rails too the beauty being any bits that get chafed only need a quick rub down plus a local touch up followed by one full coat overall.

one caveat. we used 'pine' colour on teak not 'teak' which makes it way too dark, nowadays we justget 'light' but that is in the USA..

http://www.iboats.com/Sikkens-Cetol...B6U36AdKjzKEdTYxabdVQ7WY3rtxBJHgsshoCAdHw_wcB

 

[peteK]

Cleaned my teak grating with a pressure washer and used decking stain.

 

[Momac]

Wessex two part cleaner and Semco sealer

 

[KAL]

We did ours using Deks Olje. After sanding to true colour, masses of wet on wet coats of D1, then permit to dry for 24-48 hours, then a topcoat of D2 every day for 3-5 days. It has just withstood the entire winter in place, without a hint of deterioration. Looks amazing too.