teak deck rejuevenation

[jwaldin]

I have purchased a Falmouth Pilot sloop with teak decks. Over the years they have been sanded and scraped many times. I don't want to sand or scrap them any more but they are weathered and dry looking and I think they need something applied to them to help them. Any suggestions?

[Gary Bergman]

Start with a vigorous scrubbing of seawater with a very stiff brush. This will remove all dirt in the gain and should bring back a little reddish color. After that, it's your guess, I'm kind of natural about my teak, no sealers or anything. Mebbee a little vinegar with the salt and a good rinse. Good luck,Gary

[thechemist]

The commercially-available teak-oil products will make the surface fibers more transparent, and throw in some color of their own. It won't last forever, but it is relaively inexpensive and will give you something other that grey, weathered wood at which to look. Eventually, though, the cracks and rot will dictate replacement.

[Scott Rosen]

Make a solution of TSP (trisodium phosphate) and water and apply it to your deck with a soft bristled brush or mop. Give it a few minutes to work and you'll see amazing amounts of crud come off of your deck. Rinse very well with fresh water and your deck will look beautiful.

TSP is a heavy duty cleaner and is available from most paint stores in granule form.

[Concordia..41]

I second Scott - sorry Gary - stiff brushes IMHO only dig the grain out worse. The deeper the grain, the more areas to trap water and dirt.

Two cavaets about TSP -

Frist, it works even better with warm water - hard to come by in the boat yard - but it's worth it to fill a bucket in the bath house or put a tea pot or coffee pot on if you're so equiped.

Second, as with any strong cleaner be aware at all times where your runnoff (and splashing) is going. I usually wet the topsides first and then periodically lean over and spray them down - esp. the sunny side. When I have sculpers that really channel the runnoff down the sides or the transom I keep a Y-valve and a 15 foot hose handy and set the the short hose running a slow stream of water through the sculpers. That goes along way towards carrying off the cleaner and all the muck and murk coming off the deck.

Two other teak deck cleaning favorites, Teak Wonder and Lemon Joy.

Have fun!

[Gary Bergman]

Do what you like, that's the advantage of freedom. Not a speck of rot in my vessel mam. yours?

[David Tabor (sailordave)]

<<Eventually, though, the cracks and rot will dictate replacement. >>

Chemist oh chemist: Not to dispute your fair words but rot in teak??? Now I'm not saying that it has never happened, BUT I've never seen teak that had rotted. gouged, ripped, dinged, dented, scraped, worn down, but never rot...

Perhaps you know more in your years than I oh great one.... Please advise.

[thechemist]

Old-growth dense-grain teak, Burmese and similar, is fairly rot-resistant, due to its low porosity and narrow summer growth rings.....similar to many woods.

Modern plantation-grown teak with its widely-spaced growth rings has amazing porosity and rots much more readily. They make lawn furniture out of it, and it finds its way onto boats made in the last few decades.

Southeast Asia is not miles deep in fallen teak trees, yet those kind of trees have been growing there for thousands of years. Eventually fungi and insects eat them all.

[Jerry Sousa]

Oh yes, teak can rot, especially in a tropical type environment. It just takes a lot longer for it to happen than with other woods. Makes one think about the claims of 'rot-proof' hulls!

[David Tabor (sailordave)]

Well I'll not dispute all that, esp the newer growth wood, but *I've* never seen teak in a boat that rotted. I've no doubt in a steam box jungle or in a boat that has been totally neglected it would happen but under normal use?