Teak Plywood

[endoftheroad]

Why is it that sometimes teak plywood will show what appears to be a moist water logged area at the bottom of the boards near cabin soles?

Thanks

[svHyLyte]

Originally Posted by endoftheroad

Why is it that sometimes teak plywood will show what appears to be a moist water logged area at the bottom of the boards near cabin soles?

Thanks

Commonly because the end-grain of the panel was not sealed. With that, any water/moisture on the deck can be picked up by "wicking" or capillary action in the wood grain and, of course, when wet, the wood discolors and with a surface finish, the moisture cannot escape. If the panel is non-structural, and you can get access to the concealed side, you can drill som small holes in the reverse face at a 45º angle into (but of course not through) the wood that may, over time, allow the moisture to evaporate so long as it is not replenished. Note, however, that wood containing much iron discolors by the iron oxidizing which, of course, darkens it as well. That can, sometimes, be solved if the finish can be removed from the panel, by painint the sdiscolored surface with a mild acid solution, not bleach (considering that bleach is an oxidizer and can exacerbate rather than cure the problem).

FWIW...