TEAK VERSUS IROKO DECKING

[bob26]

I have to replace some cockpit wooden seat slats. They are varnished teak at present (I know, I know...it wasn't me). I propose to replace them with laid decking style panels - 6mm strips epoxied to marine ply - and to leave them untreated.

Iroko is cheaper than teak. I have used it for coamings and rubbing strakes but only strips of teak seems to be offered for this purpose. Has anyone tried iroko decking instead of teak?

 

[Graham_Wright]

Good with splinters are you?
Very interlocked grain.
How about Tek-Dek. I know nothing about it except its claims but I'm sure somebody will correct that.

 

[tcm]

Iroko has a more open grain, and because it's cheaper is now offered (it seems) when not fully aged of anyway with a greater tendency these days (rather than 10 years ago) as they seem to get hold of stuff too new - When i used some in quantity it had a tendency to warp. If you can, i wd get hold of reclaimed teak and get it sawn/planed down if that's cheaper. Haporth of tar and all that.

 

[bob_tyler]

Hi Bob,

I am going to have to do the same soon. Anyone no a good supplier of teak slats in a small quantity for seats? Internet preferable unless in sunny Cornwall. (7hrs in Falmouth today /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif)

How's the Trident coming along?

Bob

 

[jerryat]

Hi Bob,

My few experiences with UNTREATED iroko is that it tends to go blackish fairly soon, despite being a 'bastard' form of teak. Varnished/coated it retains it's looks well. Perhaps I've just had bad timber. As Graham implies, it can be the very devil to work with and you need to keep your tools extremely sharp to avoid 'tearing' the wood.
FWIW I bought my new teak decking panels recently from K Howells (see many mentions in recent posts) which, while not cheap, are beautifully made and millimetre accurate to my templates. I am today, just plucking up enough courage to go down to the boat and fit the first of them - wish me luck!!

Cheers Jerry

 

[daveyjones]

Back in 1989 I laid an entire deck (on top of plywood)in Iroko on a 27ft gaffer I was restoring. The wood remained untreated and took on a beautiful silver-gray colour. I had no problems with blackening , splinters or anything else! The boat is still in commission. I found Iroko reaonably easy to cut and plane, but the dust is an irritant so you need a mask, as with any other wood. Perhaps the problems described are down to the quality of the individual wood. All timber needs to be properly seasoned of course - it's always better to buy it months before use, unless you have a specific need for green timber.

Personally I can't live with teak due to a strong dislike of it's smell, so I would always choose Iroko.