paul salliss
Well-known member
Has anyone had good experience of synthetic teak and would you buy it again. I am seriously considering it as an option
Synthetic teak
- Thread starter paul salliss
- Start date
PCUK
Well-known member
I love it. I have used Dek-King (from Wilks of Tollesbury} on three boats now. Two of my own and one friends. He did all the work actually,after I'd given him a few tips. On his boat we also used some real teak to trim the side of the cockpit coaming and this was right next to the Dek-King. It was impossible to tell one from the other! It is easy to fit as there are no rules apart from the basics on preparation and bonding into place. What you can do with it is limited only by your imagination. It's maintenance free, non slip and keeps its looks.
But that's just my opinion!
But that's just my opinion!
DAKA
Well-known member
I had Tekdek fitted by Motorcats of Emsworth about 5-6 years ago.
Fantastic, next to no maintenance required .
fairy liquid sponge / hose pipe rinse once every other year brings it up to look like new.
Only one petty issue, it adds weight to the stern, extra long anchor chain rectifies it.
Fantastic, next to no maintenance required .
fairy liquid sponge / hose pipe rinse once every other year brings it up to look like new.
Only one petty issue, it adds weight to the stern, extra long anchor chain rectifies it.
Firefly625
Well-known member
there are loads of folk who are very critical of Synthetic teak, but in todays world of sparse teak supplies I think if good quality it is great, I have seen (although a few years ago) some shocking synthetic teak, which was frankly just light brown rubbery plastic. However I think Daka's cockpit looks great and modern Synthetic teak made by the likes of Tek-Dek / Dek King etc etc are really hard to beat and very difficult to tell apart from real teak, although it doesn't go grey!....
paul salliss
Well-known member
Wow, looking at those pictures from DAKA, I am sold
PCUK
Well-known member
Thought I'd better add a pic' of my DIY efforts.
Last edited:
victoraspey
Member
Daka boat
Nice to see our work on Dakas boat still looks great. For a number of reasons we switched from tek dek to dek king (wilks) southern distributor an almost identical product. For reference our website is www.mcpmarine.com in emsworth and we have professional full time synthetic teak fitters. The fitting is obviously crucial to a professional job.
Nice to see our work on Dakas boat still looks great. For a number of reasons we switched from tek dek to dek king (wilks) southern distributor an almost identical product. For reference our website is www.mcpmarine.com in emsworth and we have professional full time synthetic teak fitters. The fitting is obviously crucial to a professional job.
dylanwinter
Active member
very good
I have it in the cockpit of the good ship Cloaca
very good indeed
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WO5e8xA5x9Q
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0afiWy2y-Uc
Dylan
I have it in the cockpit of the good ship Cloaca
very good indeed
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WO5e8xA5x9Q
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0afiWy2y-Uc
Dylan
gjgm
Active member
I have seen one or two products at boat shows where it looks good, but I have never seen an actual boat where it doesnt look like a grim fake.
Walk up and down any pontoon...
DAKA
Well-known member
Interesting observation, you are right they are almost invariably fakes, some fakes look better than others.
I saw a Sealine with real teak laid on top of GRP, it looked like a real wooden deck for about 5 months, then it looked like a pile of grey wood glued onto GRP with mastic.
At the side was a Tekdek look alike wooden deck on GRP that looked good after 5 years.
I think you have to look for boats that are 100 years old to find real wooden decks and they almost all look knackered and in need of Tekdek/dekking .
dylanwinter
Active member
the toupee effect
it has been said that the only toupess you ever spot are the bad ones
maybe the good fake teak looks so much like teak that it is hard to tell it from the real thing
d
it has been said that the only toupess you ever spot are the bad ones
maybe the good fake teak looks so much like teak that it is hard to tell it from the real thing
d
Jack Haines
MBY Deputy Editor
Hi Paul,
In the current issue of MBY (July 2012) Dave Marsh has written an in-depth article on the subject covering what's out there and the pros and cons versus the real thing. You may find it interesting if you fancy some further reading!
Cheers,
Jack
paul salliss
Well-known member
Hi Jack, I have that issue so will have a read.
In our house we have Amtico and everone comments on how lovely it is, none of the issues that you would get with a real wooden floor, so to be honest I would like to go the same way with the boat, what could be better than gorgeous looking decks that always look good and need little maintenance - SOLD
In our house we have Amtico and everone comments on how lovely it is, none of the issues that you would get with a real wooden floor, so to be honest I would like to go the same way with the boat, what could be better than gorgeous looking decks that always look good and need little maintenance - SOLD
Phill
Member
Victor as above did this for me on our old but lovely Princess 33.
I highly recommend the product and would definitely use him For work on my next boat.
I highly recommend the product and would definitely use him For work on my next boat.
miket
Active member
Not all good?
I recently had cause to ask advice on this from a well known builder that has fitted psuedo teak decks for some years now, as an option.
They have started to have problems with poor adhesion resulting in blistering where decking and grp deck has parted company.
I understand that they no longer offer these decks as an option.
I must agree that some, well fitted varieties look good. I have also seen others that look appalling.
Perhaps one should look at decks that have been down for 5 years+ before making a decision.
I recently had cause to ask advice on this from a well known builder that has fitted psuedo teak decks for some years now, as an option.
They have started to have problems with poor adhesion resulting in blistering where decking and grp deck has parted company.
I understand that they no longer offer these decks as an option.
I must agree that some, well fitted varieties look good. I have also seen others that look appalling.
Perhaps one should look at decks that have been down for 5 years+ before making a decision.
paultallett
Active member
Victor as above did this for me on our old but lovely Princess 33.
I highly recommend the product and would definitely use him For work on my next boat.
+1
Another satisfied customer of Victors and tek dek.
DAKA
Well-known member
Not sure what psuedo teak is but my tekdek is over 5 years old now.
It has a dovetail in the underside which prevents it lifting.
no area has shown any signs of lifting yet, including the bathing platform.
gjgm
Active member
You need a good installation whatever is fitted, or even real teak might look bad, but I guess given the cost of real teak, the fitting isnt quite such a mojor part of the bill?
Perhaps the question is also what to do if you dont want to spend the amount for real teak.. white grp? Carpet? Bamboo? Fake teak?..maybe fake teak is the better of those options, or rather it could be.
Personally, I have yet to see a good fake version that looks as good as a good installation of real thing.
DAKA
Well-known member
I think we are talking at crossed purposes, you talk about fakes and real teak.
I am saying that a real teak deck is solid wood , an art that disappeared 60 years ago.
Real teak wood laid on GRP is just as much as a fake as synthetic teak laid on GRP, isnt it ?
One looks really good for a month and then looks shabby.
one looks good for 10+ years
they are both fake decks.
kcrane
Active member
Interesting left-field view Daka!
