KevinV
Well-known member
Advertising costs going up? The whole thread is just a bad infomercial (gone worse).
Add to that that badmouthing the competition is never a good look.
Important Consideration: Synthetic Teak Decking Warranties
- Thread starter hobiecat
- Start date
Add to that that badmouthing the competition is never a good look.
jfm
Well-known member
PaulRainbow
Well-known member
Sales down, needed some cheap advertising ?
PaulRainbow
Well-known member
Chris_d
Well-known member
The only thing I have got from this thread is that Hobicat thinks some boaters are really thick.
hobiecat
Member
I appreciate the feedback. The intention of this thread was to discuss clarity in marketing and consumer expectations, not to criticise competitors or abuse others. It’s a complex industry, and the lines between material supply, fabrication, and installation can often blur—raising awareness of that was my aim. Yes, I’m in the industry as I said on line 1, and like everyone else, I use social media to promote my business. It could be seen as an infomercial—fair enough. 
—but is that a problem if it’s offering transparency for all?
—but is that a problem if it’s offering transparency for all?ylop
Well-known member
I don’t really see how there can be much confusion. A better analogy than sails or paint is probably vinyl tile flooring, the big U.K. brands being Amtico and Karndean, but now there are many copy cats.
I have a choice - buy the panels and install myself, buy the panels and pay a random fitter to install or pay for a Karndean/Amtico approved/certified fitter to supply and fit. The latter will be most expensive but should offer me reassurance of least risk of problems AND if there are problems will get them all fixed. I’m under no illusions that if I don’t use their installer the first excuse will be “must have been installed badly” and even when I win that argument I will get “here’s some replacement panels”. Of course, some brands may chose to go beyond that (I had an Ikea kitchen worktop installed by my own joiner, and when it developed a fault Ikea not only replaced the worktop but paid my joiner to fit it and promised if he damaged the glass splashabcks in the process they would cover them too - I was under no illusion that was about customer service / reputation / goodwill rather than obligation).
Boat owners, especially boat owners able to afford flake teak decks are not stupid. In many cases they aren’t looking for the warranty as a financial safeguard but rather as sign of the company’s confidence in the product.
hobiecat
Member
Amtico and Karndean provide clear transparency—they show their products, list retailers, and state they don’t handle installation, leaving that to the retailer. Their product menus focus on tiles, not finished floors. In contrast, many decking websites showcase fully installed decks without clarifying who is responsible for fabrication and fitting, which can lead to confusion.
As for your deck, it’s Tek-Dek, which is apparently Trakmark as mentioned in this thread. Who is the material guarantee with? Is it the installer, the fabricator, or the material supplier
As for your deck, it’s Tek-Dek, which is apparently Trakmark as mentioned in this thread. Who is the material guarantee with? Is it the installer, the fabricator, or the material supplier
Grubble
Well-known member
Post Christmas stir crazy January has set in I see.
Can anyone tell me what is the best anchor to use with this type of decking?
Can anyone tell me what is the best anchor to use with this type of decking?
Tranona
Well-known member
This really does not seem to be supported by what is on their websites amtico.com/collections/amtico-signature/ Every single photo is of complete floors. It is only when you get to resellers/installers that you see samples of the individual tiles Amtico Archives - Best of Flooring.
This is the warranty on the Tek-Dek site tek-dek.com/images/Warranty-update.pdf Seems pretty clear to me.
It seems to me that it is you that sees confusion which is why it would be useful if you explained the dispute that presumably illustrated the points you are trying to make.
ylop
Well-known member
Do your products fail often enough within the 6 years and first owner that this is a problem?
benjenbav
Well-known member
Thread drift, but I was surprised to read that Tek-Dek recommend maintenance with 40 grit sandpaper. Might this be a typo for 400?
PaulRainbow
Well-known member
I had a demo at the Tek-Dek stand at SIBS a few years ago, was shown a piece of light brown plastic, which was then sanded with 40 grit and it looked like plastic Teak. So sanding with 400 grit would make it smooth and just look like a lump of brown plastic.
hobiecat
Member
Thank you for pointing that out about Amtico. The key difference is that Amtico clearly states their role is supplying the product, while design and installation are managed by retailers. This level of transparency avoids confusion. I also have to disagree about Amtico being unclear about their product—their Signature Collection is clearly showcased here: Premium LVT Flooring Products - Amtico Flooring
In contrast, some decking brands feature marketing that focuses on completed decks without clarifying who is responsible for fabrication or installation. While their warranties may specify material coverage, this lack of clarity can lead customers to assume that all aspects are covered under a single warranty.
For example, the Tek-Dek warranty document you shared outlines material coverage but specifies that the distributor, FMD, handles the warranty rather than Tek-Dek directly. This highlights the importance of clear communication, as end users may not always understand who provides guarantees or resolves issues when multiple parties (brands, distributors, and installers) are involved.
Such transparency is necessary for setting realistic expectations and ensuring a positive customer experience.
P.S. The answer to a previous question is no, but please don’t ask me questions about my company on here. This is intended as a general discussion, and doing so could result in me being hung, drawn, and quartered by forum members.
In contrast, some decking brands feature marketing that focuses on completed decks without clarifying who is responsible for fabrication or installation. While their warranties may specify material coverage, this lack of clarity can lead customers to assume that all aspects are covered under a single warranty.
For example, the Tek-Dek warranty document you shared outlines material coverage but specifies that the distributor, FMD, handles the warranty rather than Tek-Dek directly. This highlights the importance of clear communication, as end users may not always understand who provides guarantees or resolves issues when multiple parties (brands, distributors, and installers) are involved.
Such transparency is necessary for setting realistic expectations and ensuring a positive customer experience.
P.S. The answer to a previous question is no, but please don’t ask me questions about my company on here. This is intended as a general discussion, and doing so could result in me being hung, drawn, and quartered by forum members.
jfm
Well-known member
That is so disingenuous - it's nowhere near a fair description of your postings. You yourself wrote in post #1
boatowners should ensure that their warranty covers not only the raw material but also the finished product when it’s fabricated into panels and installed on the boat.
yet you yourself provide for your decking a very limited warranty commiting exactly that sin.
Then in post #11 you wrote:
If the warranty only covers the material but images show finished decks, it could mislead consumers into thinking installation is covered too
yet you yourself commit exactly that sin by having finished deck pictures on your website which misleads (on your analysis) your own customers into thinking installation is covered by your warranty, when in fact your warranty is full of exclusions including a specific exclusion for installation.
***************
It's rare to see such blatant disingenuousness and weirdness. The only thing I take away from this thread is don't ever deal with beautiful marine floors/Deckfab/Victor Aspey boat businesses. I don't know about your products close up but your warranty sure ain't beautiful. I bought 3 new boats worth of Flexiteek in 2024, am loving it and highly recommend it, and nothing here is making me think for one second of switching to Deckfab. Anyways I hope you're enjoying the free advertising, such as it is
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KevinV
Well-known member
hobiecat
Member
The purpose of this thread was to discuss marketing transparency across the industry, not to single out or misrepresent any specific brand, including my own. I believe customers deserve clarity about what is covered under warranties—be it materials, fabrication, or installation—and how responsibilities are divided among suppliers, fabricators, and installers.
Regarding my own business: yes, I use images of completed decks to demonstrate what can be achieved with the materials we supply. This is consistent with how other brands showcase their products. However, I’ve always aimed to be clear that we focus on supplying materials, and installation is typically handled by third parties or the customer’s chosen installer.
As for the warranty: like many suppliers, our coverage pertains to the materials. If there are areas where I could improve in aligning marketing and warranties, I’m open to addressing those to ensure transparency and customer satisfaction.
I respect your choice and I’m glad you’ve had a positive experience with it. Competition in this industry benefits all of us by pushing for better products and services
Regarding my own business: yes, I use images of completed decks to demonstrate what can be achieved with the materials we supply. This is consistent with how other brands showcase their products. However, I’ve always aimed to be clear that we focus on supplying materials, and installation is typically handled by third parties or the customer’s chosen installer.
As for the warranty: like many suppliers, our coverage pertains to the materials. If there are areas where I could improve in aligning marketing and warranties, I’m open to addressing those to ensure transparency and customer satisfaction.
I respect your choice and I’m glad you’ve had a positive experience with it. Competition in this industry benefits all of us by pushing for better products and services
Tranona
Well-known member
Suggest you read the opening sentence of your original post. It was you that raised the dispute as an entry into what you say is intended to be a discussion on "transparency" in your industry.P.S. The answer to a previous question is no, but please don’t ask me questions about my company on here. This is intended as a general discussion, and doing so could result in me being hung, drawn, and quartered by forum members.
If a customer buying your product ends up in a dispute with you then there may be something wrong with the way your offering was presented to him/her.
As you can see many of us do not recognise the problem you claim as it is not supported by any concrete evidence, only your assertion that your competitors do not play fair - even though on the face of it they present t to potential buyers in much the same way as your company does.
jfm
Well-known member
You are quite something. Whatever you now say was the purpose of this thread, all the responses you don't like are simply calling you out (with full analysis) where you have criticised your competition for committing the very same sins that you yourself are guilty of. That needs calling out. But I think we're done there - good luck.
If you want some advice, very much fwiw, and of course fell free to ignore:
- The link in your signature seems broken
- "beautiful decks" is a suboptimal name from a SEO point of view
- If you want to make money, never commence a business (i) in a crowded space where your offering isn't truly superior (ii) where brand matters yet marketing isn't cheap (iii) with low barriers to entry. I think you're breaching all 3 of those golden rules, but good luck anyways.
hobiecat
Member
Well I will try again to promote a discussion
Transparency in Product Marketing:
My company clearly distinguishes between material supply, fabrication, and installation. We are transparent in specifying who is accountable for each step in the process. Images of completed decks are shown as part of the marketing, but we clearly state that installation is handled separately, which means that consumers should understand that our warranty only covers the deck, not installation. Fitters check the deck before installation and hi res pictures are sent to the customer.
A Customer Dispute Scenario:
In cases where a customer reports a branded deck material that wasn’t made or installed by an authorised agent, the issue of accountability becomes apparent. If something goes wrong, it’s often unclear who is responsible for the warranty—material supplier, deckmaker, or installer—because some brands don't make all this clear.
Consumer Protection Law:
Under consumer protection law, I believe that the warranty and product images/websites should align to avoid misleading customers. A customer who sees completed decks on a website but later finds out that fabrication/installation is not covered could feel misled. This lack of clarity I understand could be considered a potential breach of consumer rights.
I believe a clear explanation of who is responsible for each part of the process, from material to installation, is necessary for all companies in this industry. Transparency can help avoid confusion and better manage customer expectations. Does that help?
Transparency in Product Marketing:
My company clearly distinguishes between material supply, fabrication, and installation. We are transparent in specifying who is accountable for each step in the process. Images of completed decks are shown as part of the marketing, but we clearly state that installation is handled separately, which means that consumers should understand that our warranty only covers the deck, not installation. Fitters check the deck before installation and hi res pictures are sent to the customer.
A Customer Dispute Scenario:
In cases where a customer reports a branded deck material that wasn’t made or installed by an authorised agent, the issue of accountability becomes apparent. If something goes wrong, it’s often unclear who is responsible for the warranty—material supplier, deckmaker, or installer—because some brands don't make all this clear.
Consumer Protection Law:
Under consumer protection law, I believe that the warranty and product images/websites should align to avoid misleading customers. A customer who sees completed decks on a website but later finds out that fabrication/installation is not covered could feel misled. This lack of clarity I understand could be considered a potential breach of consumer rights.
I believe a clear explanation of who is responsible for each part of the process, from material to installation, is necessary for all companies in this industry. Transparency can help avoid confusion and better manage customer expectations. Does that help?