Sorry, Sorry, Sorry It's Teak AGAIN

[martinwoolwich]

Sorry, Sorry, Sorry It\'s Teak AGAIN

I'm sure this has been done to death. PLEASE STOP READING IF YOU ARE SICK OF THE SUBJECT BUT........

Newbie - and Broom 38 with teak decks all round including cockpit and bathing platform.

1st season. Never been treated except for water and scubbing with broom - (the other type with bristles).

New season about to start. I've heard somany stories about what to do with the decks - Suggestions based on previous experience would be really appreciated.

What?, How? When? Where from? how difficult?

I would love to make sure that I'm treating this lovely deck in the best possible way and am terrified of making a costly and dreadful mistake.

Please can anyone help me - even if it's use the services of a professional company like ????

 

[duke]

Re: Sorry, Sorry, Sorry It\'s Teak AGAIN

from reading previous messages on different occassions and forums (fora/e ?)the consensus
seems to be "to let well enough alone" except for an occassional brush across the
grain.

 

[philip_stevens]

Re: Sorry, Sorry, Sorry It\'s Teak AGAIN

If it's a bathing platform, it obviously gets wet with sea water. There is no better preservative than salt sea water. Boats rot from the top down or the inside out. It is usually from fresh rain water that causes rot. So if your teak gets sea water wet, that is treatment enough.

As for the rest of the teak decks, do as I do - give them a pressure wash before launching, and a couple of buckets of sea water over them after launching.

My old 1956 clinker built rowing boat had rotting gun'ls and sternboard from being left upside down during the winter. There was not a touch of rot in the bottom - or inside as the boat was always sunk for a day after launching to take up any winter-dry gaps in the lands.

regards,
Philip

 

[longjohnsilver]

Re: Sorry, Sorry, Sorry It\'s Teak AGAIN

Philip, logic would say that a quick going over with a pressure washer would be sensible, but seem to recall reading more than once that this can take some of the softer grain out and leave the teak feeling rough and therefore more susceptible to wear.

Any thoughts on this?

 

[ccscott49]

Re: Sorry, Sorry, Sorry It\'s Teak AGAIN

Don't use a pressure waqsher, it does clean the decks, but takes out the soft pulpy material between the grain and leaves grooves to catch all the muck, plus it wears them away! A light scrubbing with a proprietry teak cleaner, (I mix my own) and then a going over with oxalic acid, or a proprietry teak brightener and it will be fine, wash and swab down with salt water over the season and you shpould be ok. A little tip, when laying up in the winter, spray the teak decks with a garden fence/furniture moss killer, it stops the green stuff growing on your decks, use lots! I have done so for years, even with overhanging trees, I never get green decks!

 

[jfkal]

Re: Sorry, Sorry, Sorry It\'s Teak AGAIN

Leave it alone. In a moment of complete stupidity I got some areas varnished. 4 layers. They "evaporated" within 5 month (in the tropics). There is nothing on the market which withstands the increasing UV exposure (. Enjoy the natural grey, and just wash with saltwater. No pressure washers!

 

[drawp]

Re: Sorry, Sorry, Sorry It\'s Teak AGAIN

My teak decks are 15 years old. All I ever do is scrub across the grain using water. Don't use a pressure washer. That just digs out the grain. It might take 2 or 3 vigorous scrubs but the teak will come up as good as new. Teak is used for decking for its non slip properties. Don't lose that by 'treating' the deck with some fancy coating.

 

[Guest]

Re: Sorry, Sorry, Sorry It\'s Teak AGAIN

Martin did you find suitable marina

 

[philip_stevens]

Re: Sorry, Sorry, Sorry It\'s Teak AGAIN

Point taken. Scrub only and wash with salt sea water.

regards,
Philip