Teak or Iroko?

[burgundyben]

Evening all!

Teak or Iroko?

I am going to make new engine hatches for my Huntsman this winter.

They are in the cockpit, covered most of the time, only open to sun when we are using the boat and rarely exposed to rain.

Roughly speaking the engine hatches will be plywood, with a mahogany supporting frame underneath, I'll glue and pin around the edges a strip of timber, then plank the surface in strips glued down, epoxy, caulked with some black stuff. So it'll look like a nice teak deck.

The fwd and aft cockpit areas are done in teak, would Iroko look very different?

I've been wanting to do this for 8 years, I'm bloody well going to do it this winter.

 

[sailorman]

Evening all!

Teak or Iroko?

I am going to make new engine hatches for my Huntsman this winter.

They are in the cockpit, covered most of the time, only open to sun when we are using the boat and rarely exposed to rain.

Roughly speaking the engine hatches will be plywood, with a mahogany supporting frame underneath, I'll glue and pin around the edges a strip of timber, then plank the surface in strips glued down, epoxy, caulked with some black stuff. So it'll look like a nice teak deck.

The fwd and aft cockpit areas are done in teak, would Iroko look very different?

I've been wanting to do this for 8 years, I'm bloody well going to do it this winter.

only one option imho & that is teak

 

[burgundyben]

only one option imho & that is teak

I know where your coming from, I was hoping to save a few quid! Squeek squeek squeek as he walks away.....

 

[npf1]

I've used iroko for an external job on the boat earlier this year. The iroko is butted up to the teak and it's not easy to see a difference. The boat's in Swanwick marina at the the mo, so you're welcome to come over and judge for yourself.

 

[fergie_mac66]

afromosia

if you cannot get teak, have a look for afromosia , iroko is a good sub' tho hard to work

 

[joliette]

Iroko doesn't look any different to teak when everything is greyed off by some weathering! However, if you're going to keep it covered up then that will not happen. If your engine hatch isn't going to be in close proximity to any existing teak then I would use iroko - unless I could find some teak at the same price! - and treat it with teak oil, which will help to improve the colour of it (making it look more like teak).

 

[Seanick]

All that extra weight tut tut....gonna cost ya quarter of a knot tut tut....

 

[Tranona]

As there is minimal wear on the hatches I would go for 2.5mm teak veneer, cut into strips, glued down and caulked with either Sika or coloured epoxy mix.

I have just done a locker top in this manner to blend in with the stripy cabin sole in my Bavaria. Glued the strips on with Polyurethane glue and caulked the stripes with epoxy thickened with wood fibres and pigmented cream with gel coat pigment. Teak veneer is less than £40 sqm from either Robbins or Howells.

Next job is to do the companionway steps on the Bavaria. Then next year doing the whole deck and coachroof on my Eventide. The cockpit of the Eventide was done this way (from the Gougeon Brothers book) over 20 years ago and still looks perfect.

 

[Captain Coochie]

Ben if you want solid timber speak to Kevin at Surrey timbers

http://www.surreytimbers.co.uk/#

He has iroko in stock and at good prices . I wouldnt use teak if it wasnt needed . It doesnt grow on trees you know !

 

[sailorman]

Ben if you want solid timber speak to Kevin at Surrey timbers

http://www.surreytimbers.co.uk/#

He has iroko in stock and at good prices . I wouldnt use teak if it wasnt needed . It doesnt grow on trees you know !

Sailorman has some Teak in stock too & very reasonable prices

 

[burgundyben]

All that extra weight tut tut....gonna cost ya quarter of a knot tut tut....

Funnily enough, I'll be saving a load of weight, the old ones have steel frames and are really really heavy.

As there is minimal wear on the hatches I would go for 2.5mm teak veneer, cut into strips, glued down and caulked with either Sika or coloured epoxy mix.

I have just done a locker top in this manner to blend in with the stripy cabin sole in my Bavaria. Glued the strips on with Polyurethane glue and caulked the stripes with epoxy thickened with wood fibres and pigmented cream with gel coat pigment. Teak veneer is less than £40 sqm from either Robbins or Howells.

Next job is to do the companionway steps on the Bavaria. Then next year doing the whole deck and coachroof on my Eventide. The cockpit of the Eventide was done this way (from the Gougeon Brothers book) over 20 years ago and still looks perfect.

Thanks, sounds like a plan, I like the £40 sq mtr!

It doesnt grow on trees you know !

No wonder I'm struggling, I've been using chopped up trees!

 

[Sequoiah1]

Evening all!

Teak or Iroko?

I am going to make new engine hatches for my Huntsman this winter.

They are in the cockpit, covered most of the time, only open to sun when we are using the boat and rarely exposed to rain.

Roughly speaking the engine hatches will be plywood, with a mahogany supporting frame underneath, I'll glue and pin around the edges a strip of timber, then plank the surface in strips glued down, epoxy, caulked with some black stuff. So it'll look like a nice teak deck.

The fwd and aft cockpit areas are done in teak, would Iroko look very different?

I've been wanting to do this for 8 years, I'm bloody well going to do it this winter.

We used laid teak plywood from Robbins I think for the engine hatch covers then varnished mahogany frames, looked very nice

 

[ccscott49]

4mm teak strips, epoxied to the ply, leaving gaps to be filled with sikaflex, works very well, JB did just that on his Riva cockpit. 2.5mm teak a bit thin IMHO, but seen it done.

 

[Tranona]

4mm teak strips, epoxied to the ply, leaving gaps to be filled with sikaflex, works very well, JB did just that on his Riva cockpit. 2.5mm teak a bit thin IMHO, but seen it done.

I thought it was until I used it - as I said my cockpit seats are now 20 years old and no signs of wear, but I have a cockpit cover so they rarely get wet or dirty. The strips in the cockpit (sole and seats) on my Bavaria are not much thicker and are still there after 10 years, 7 of them as a charter boat. The teak veneer on Teak and Holly ply sole boards is thinner - guess around 2mm and I have two floor areas in my house - bathroom and just inside the back door cover with it - 15 years and looks like new.

 

[burgundyben]

Thanks everyone, some useful comment, I reckon the 2.5 mm might be the way forward.

I'll post some pics when its all underway.

 

[Boo2]

I've used iroko for an external job on the boat earlier this year. The iroko is butted up to the teak and it's not easy to see a difference.

Iroko will look as good as teak the day the job is done but just wait 5 years then you will regret not spending the extra. Here's some photos of a Carter 33 I went to look at once, the first 2 are ones the owner took back around 2004 when the work was done, the second 2 are ones I took 5 years later. Guess which set accompanied the recent eBay auction for the boat

These 2 dated 2004 :

 

[Boo2]

I've used iroko for an external job on the boat earlier this year. The iroko is butted up to the teak and it's not easy to see a difference.

These 2 dated 2009 :

Basically I would never use Iroko in any capacity on a boat : it writhes around like a bunch of snakes and you will for sure have to do it all again in 5 years or so.

 

[burgundyben]

I got a very good deal on some teak, 11mm thick, I'm looking at option to saw it down the middle and use it 4mm thick, but failing that I'll use it as it is, I bought enough to do it either way.

Couple of questions.

What glue? I had thought epoxy, but is there a more cost effective option? Something I can use in an unheated shed this time of year? Something polyurethane?

Second, I want to put a teak border around the edge of the ply base, how to fasten the beads on? glue of course, but I feel a few pins or screws. Bronze pins? Copper pins? Screws?

 

[al.carpenter]

teak or iroko...

seing the pictures of the carter 33 five years apart does not make your point about teak versus iroko (use the zoom on these pictures and notice the veins of the wood, the end grain, the number and dimensions of the fittings and plugs per plank, not a good job, not by a professional, even by someone to whom materials were imposed on... not a good example)... I'd say 90 per cent of the end result on a job is done even before picking up your saw or plane... it is the choice of wood, not the essence or the color or the thickness but the FIBRE and where it comes from on the log and the way it is cut... Go for the iroko, it is just as good as teak (unless it is good old burmese but that's long gone...) but choose it carefuly... you will not see the difference, your wallet will say "thankyou" and your lungs "c..t here comes this bleeding dust" and your planes and chisels will run away but that's another story... good luck and regards. Al

 

[Tranona]

I got a very good deal on some teak, 11mm thick, I'm looking at option to saw it down the middle and use it 4mm thick, but failing that I'll use it as it is, I bought enough to do it either way.

Couple of questions.

What glue? I had thought epoxy, but is there a more cost effective option? Something I can use in an unheated shed this time of year? Something polyurethane?

Second, I want to put a teak border around the edge of the ply base, how to fasten the beads on? glue of course, but I feel a few pins or screws. Bronze pins? Copper pins? Screws?

I used polyurethane on my last job and payed the seams with thickened epoxy. To match the interior floor I used an off white pigment. Looks great, but you can just as easily use sika for the seams - it is mostly cosmetic, but you want to seal so that water does not get under your strips. For edging (it was a locker top) I used a half round teak moulding from Howells and used temporary screws while the glue cured then removed the screws and bored out the holes for matching plugs.