Help with Teak Deck
- Thread starter zaria123
- Start date
Hurricane
Well-Known Member
Get a large wood carpenters chisel - (say 1") - and very sharp.
And scrape it off with the flat of the chisel.
Don't "dig" into the teak.
Easy.
You would have to be very "heavy handed" to damage the teak this way.
Then use sandpaper to smooth it over.
Maybe an orbital sander would also help once most of the old mastic has been removed.
I used this technique for flattening the black caulking as well.
After a few years the black caulking becomes raised - you can take the caulking back yo the same level as the wood using this technique.
Comes off like black spaghetti.
Then clean the lot using a good 2 part teak cleaner - something like the Wessex cleaner and renovator.
See here Teak Twin Pack - Wessex Boat Store - Teak Cleaner and Renovator
You will be surprised how much dirt will come off the old teak.
That whole process shouldn't take longer than an hour or two.
Don't worry too much - it will come up really well and you will be very pleased.
And scrape it off with the flat of the chisel.
Don't "dig" into the teak.
Easy.
You would have to be very "heavy handed" to damage the teak this way.
Then use sandpaper to smooth it over.
Maybe an orbital sander would also help once most of the old mastic has been removed.
I used this technique for flattening the black caulking as well.
After a few years the black caulking becomes raised - you can take the caulking back yo the same level as the wood using this technique.
Comes off like black spaghetti.
Then clean the lot using a good 2 part teak cleaner - something like the Wessex cleaner and renovator.
See here Teak Twin Pack - Wessex Boat Store - Teak Cleaner and Renovator
You will be surprised how much dirt will come off the old teak.
That whole process shouldn't take longer than an hour or two.
Don't worry too much - it will come up really well and you will be very pleased.
PCUK
Well-Known Member
I would suggest a cabinet scraper would be safer than the chisel in inexperienced hands. I believe the main problem for many people would be achieving a "very sharp" chisel edge.
zaria123
New Member
Thanks for the info folks.
I had a little while today, and in the sun I was able to (very slowly) scrape a lot of the black off with my nail. So it shouldn't be as bad as I thought. I do think I have a new cabinet scraper I'll try first.
The WessexTeak Bundle sounds fantastic, unfortunately I'm in Northern Ireland, and like a lot of companies now donlt offer delivery here (or if some do charge a scandalous shipping, e.g. £30 for a 1L tin of varnish). Its bizarre as then other companies have no issue and set the postage at £5.95.
I'll see if I can track down a teak cleaner, brightener and sealer. Thankyou so much for the advice.
I had a little while today, and in the sun I was able to (very slowly) scrape a lot of the black off with my nail. So it shouldn't be as bad as I thought. I do think I have a new cabinet scraper I'll try first.
The WessexTeak Bundle sounds fantastic, unfortunately I'm in Northern Ireland, and like a lot of companies now donlt offer delivery here (or if some do charge a scandalous shipping, e.g. £30 for a 1L tin of varnish). Its bizarre as then other companies have no issue and set the postage at £5.95.
I'll see if I can track down a teak cleaner, brightener and sealer. Thankyou so much for the advice.
zaria123
New Member
Update!
Force4 Chandlery delivery for £5.95 and they stock the Wessex products!
Force4 Chandlery delivery for £5.95 and they stock the Wessex products!
Seastoke
Well-Known Member
Don’t forget before and after photos.
Clash
Well-Known Member
I wouldn't use a sander on it. Mastic will melt with heat and you could end up spreading it all over your teak via the sander. Sandpaper would be fine, you won't get it too hot. But leave it until you've scraped the majority of it off.
Elessar
Well-Known Member
Sanding teak with a power sander is a regular albeit infrequent occurrence that doesn’t cause this problem you describe.
Either you made this up or your boat has the wrong caulk.
Clash
Well-Known Member
The OP said mastic, not caulk. I have experience of sanding mastic. It does melt and stick to the sanding disc. And spreads.
Rappey
Well-Known Member
I want to know what black "mastic" is. There's silicon, acrylic, polysulphide etc but I've never even seen a tube of mastic yet more and more people are calling squirty stuff out of a tube "mastic" ?
The only stuff that could smear everywhere would be a non setting like butyl..
The only stuff that could smear everywhere would be a non setting like butyl..
Hurricane
Well-Known Member
There are several very old threads on this forum on how to use the two part teak cleaner.
Essentially, the first part is the cleaner. It softens the wood allowing the muck to come out.
Often, this first part will darken the wood - you might even think "Oh my God - I've ?uggered it"
The second part is called the restorer or brightener which brings it back to looking like new.
I always used both parts whenever I cleaned my old teak (I have synthetic teak now which is much easier to keep clean).
The process that I used is as follows:-
The cleaner:-
Wet the whole area with water using a hose.
Mix up a approximately 4 to 1 by volume (4 water to 1 of the cleaner) in a bucket.
I then used a stiff brush/broom to apply the mix - dunking the brush in the bucket and then applying it to the deck.
Don't scrub along the wood grain (that damages the wood) - instead scrub across the wood grain.
Don't leave the cleaner on too long - around half an hour whilst you are working other areas seemed ok.
Then wash off the cleaner - and be amazed at all the muck that comes off.
The restorer/brightener.
More or less the same process but you don't need to scrub so hard.
Same mix (approximately 4 to 1)
Again leave it for about half an hour but don't let it dry.
Finally wash it all off with a hose and plenty of water.
Then let the sun dry it and you will be amazes how good it looks.
EDIT
Be careful not to get these chemicals in open cuts or in your eyes - they are quite corrosive and will sting a lot.
Best to wear some wellies on your feet for the same reason.
Clash
Well-Known Member
Plenty of tubes of squirty stuff call themselves 'Mastic'. Like this:
But interestingly there is a Mastic tree from which the sap is harvested to produce a gum-like substance.
Most of the products calling themselves mastic are petroleum based (like the Bostik one above). The main characteristic is that they remain pliable for a long time.
zaria123
New Member
I used the word Mastic, as I honestly don;t know what the product actually is.
It is some sort of black rubbery adhesive, I would say the closest I have come across perhaps would be Tech7 (waterproof, adhesive sealant).
Its definitely not regular silicone. But when you try to scrape it off it doesn;t seem to 100% harden, so the bit of it that have made their way in to the top layer of grain on the teak, are still slightly soft, even thought the job was done (prior to myownership) around 7yrs ago.
It is some sort of black rubbery adhesive, I would say the closest I have come across perhaps would be Tech7 (waterproof, adhesive sealant).
Its definitely not regular silicone. But when you try to scrape it off it doesn;t seem to 100% harden, so the bit of it that have made their way in to the top layer of grain on the teak, are still slightly soft, even thought the job was done (prior to myownership) around 7yrs ago.
zaria123
New Member
Will do, thank you so much
Fire99
Well-Known Member
A good reminder and a word from me who was a bit stupid. I didn't have any waterproof gloves to hand so used workgloves with plastic bags inside. The bag split and I got the Part 1 cleaner on the tops of my fingers. One finger it burnt through all the layers of skin and I have a scar to show for it. Definitely wear marigolds or some other waterproof glove with this stuff. It works well but it also strips your fingers too.