Cleaning Teak and then Covering it ?

[landonshaw]

So I'm cleaning the teak again and was thinking. We have a couple of boxes that have teak tops on the stern. Would it help to cover the teak to protect it from the sun when we are not on board? Or would mold start to grow on the teak due to a lack of circulation and still have a problem? Thoughts?

[Khagan1227]

Are you oiling the teak after you clean it? Or just using a "snappy teak nu" type product?

[landonshaw]

I am usiong the snappy teak nu, formula 1 & 2. It works great. And then I'm oiling it and wiping off any excess.

[Play Actor]

We like silver teak. Wash it with seawater. If it's really dirty, add a little dish washinng liquid, and use a sponge or soft brush. Two part cleaners are too harsh for frequent use, if you want to ensure long life for your teak. The clean water in Grenada is perfect for teak care. Oil will not last very long in the tropical sun, and may oxidize and make the teak look worse in a short time.

Our old Baba has lots of teak, including the decks, and it's been given the salt water treatment for 20 plus years. Teak doesn't need a finish -- that's the reason to use it. We've had it exposed to the tropical sun for many years with no adverse effects. People have warned us that it would check, or split, or weather away, but in fact, none of those things have happened. If you must have a golden color, use varnish or Cetol. Oil on outdoor teak is a waste. Our interior teak has a hand-rubbed oil finish that requires very little attention, but its out of the elements.

[landonshaw]

Do you know if the silver teak available in the Caribbean? Sounds good to clean and wash down with salt water. No end to that. We have cut down on the oil because it seems to attract dirt. Also I agree that the two part stuff is very hard on the wood. That is why they insist that you rinse to get out all of the chemicals and werar gloves. We don't have a lot of teak, but enough that it is somewhat time consuming.

[simonmd]

Silver teak is available everywhere! It's not a product, rather the colour the teak goes when left to the elements.

I concur with Bud, keep clean with a mild soap and wash down occasionaly with sea water. The salt helps to preserve the teak and allows it to swell, keeping the joints nice and tight.

[barnakiel]

Teak does not need to be oiled. It is oily by itself. Teak goes and then you replace it. But if it is thick and quality, and if you do the proper maintenance it will last well.

Creating shade helps heaps - but create shade and make sure there is unlimited ventilation - build awnings so that the teak is shaded but air can circulate freely. If you limit ventilation you will speed up mould and degradation.

b.

[zeehag]

i wash with seawater then oil it to prevent cracking.i oil one time per year and my wood is wood colored. silver is one step from cracking. i restored my teaak from cracking and grey to sweet and light brown in one application of seawater and oil. now i oil only 1ce per yr and takes me 6 hours to DO my teak. i have a formosa41 with 110 feet of caprail.

[Kristian]

Hi!
I am the Silver kind of a Guy.. Teak is fantastic, wash regulary with water , soft brush or sponge it has a very long life.
Yes you have to sand it VERY LIGHTLY from time to time to keep it level , this not to collect any dirt and making it easier to keep clean.

In the cold damp parts of the world you might need to kill algea and fungus with a treatment of Boracol once a year but othervwise I am a firm believer in that oil and other products actually shortens the life of the teak.

Remember that the oil turns the Teak darker and hence increases the timbers temp under the merciless sun..Gets much warmer and hence greater risk of movement that in its turn can generate that it warps etc.
Oil etc do also attract dirt that will be the enemy no one since it acts as sandpaper.

Enjoy the magical Teak with its natural gray protection from the elements.
Mother nature has seen to that it does not lose its oil but as any wood it do change in volume based on watercontent, This movement is far much smaller than any other wood I know of.

Teak wonder products do not come aboard my ship , Not needed , expensive and also risk of dammaging aluminium hardware.

But that is of course easy to say when you want it Silver!

Rgds

Kristian

[Khagan1227]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

Teak does not need to be oiled. It is oily by itself. Teak goes and then you replace it. But if it is thick and quality, and if you do the proper maintenance it will last well.

Creating shade helps heaps - but create shade and make sure there is unlimited ventilation - build awnings so that the teak is shaded but air can circulate freely. If you limit ventilation you will speed up mould and degradation.

b.

You are correct, it does not need to be oiled IF you want the silver/gray teak look. However, if you deside the natural or "new" look of teak, it needs to be oiled about ever six months. Oiling teak in no way extends the life of the teak, however, if left unoiled, the grain of the teak will lift as the teak turns silver, leaving a rougher finish. I also find oiled teak tends to stain less than untreated teak, thus requires less maintenance in the long run for me. If you want the "gloss" look, then you can sand and varnish it.

It really comes down to a personal preference as to what the owner desires.

[Khagan1227]

Originally Posted by landonshaw

I am usiong the snappy teak nu, formula 1 & 2. It works great. And then I'm oiling it and wiping off any excess.

In this case you can most likely eliminate the washing step if you oil the teak when you see the first streaks of silver in the wood. Untreated teak can stain once the surface (natural or applied) oils evaporate. The further south, the more often you need to oil.

[barnakiel]

Yep.

But those who cannot afford teak deck should steer clear of teak veneer decks too!

A Bavaria / Bennetau sort of deck with 5 mm (or is it 4 mm in the new line for 2011?) of teak veneer is NOT a teak deck.

Or get the real thing or stay with maintenance free and not quite so ugly gelco pattern over GRP.

b.