Maintenance of a teak deck

We will not only explain how and with which products to care for teak, but we will also explain how to protect the boat when carrying out these maintenance works. So that no carelessness ruins the maintenance and gives you an extra effort to fix it.

Qualities of natural teak for the deck of the boat:

The qualities of teak for the deck of a boat are widely known: it enhances the aesthetics of the boat, resists marine conditions, is non-slip so that slipping on board is avoided, it is insulating and waterproof, but this natural wood requires periodic maintenance so that it does not lose color or qualities.

The alternatives are synthetic teak and although it imitates natural teak very well and provides comfort when it comes to maintenance, the appearance is not the same as natural teak.

Products to maintain teak deck:

To perform the maintenance of the deck, we will not only mention the chemicals that we will use, but also the auxiliaries that will help us not to dirty or damage other parts or elements of the boat.

• Sweet water
• Suede
• Soft bristle brush
• Teak cleaner
• Microfiber cloth
• UV protection tape
• Teak polish
• Teak oil
• Brush
• Metal polish
• MAXPRO protector

Steps to maintain a teak deck:

Once we know the products we will need, we will go step by step.

First of all we must make sure to protect the elements of the boat that can be damaged by contact with the chemicals that we will use to clean the teak. We will apply UV protection tape in all teak boundaries as well as in metallic or chrome elements. In this way we will prevent the cleaner, polish or oil from damaging the gelcoat or the metals of the cover. We insist that the tape is UV to ensure that when removing it we will not leave glue residue on the surface. These tapes are prepared for outdoor work, they resist sunlight.

Then we will clean the entire surface of the boat with a hose and fresh water. We apply the cleaning product and with the soft bristle brush we rub the entire surface. Remember that the bristle of the brush must be soft to avoid wear on the wood. If the product touches any of the elements of the cover, simply remove it with a clean cloth to prevent it from acting on other surfaces.

Then we will apply the rinse aid, diluted with water in a bucket. If the wood has dried between one step and another, we must wet the surface again.

Let it act for a few minutes and we will clarify again.

The last step is to nourish the teak wood, for this we must ensure that the teak is dry. And we will apply the oil with a brush that helps us avoid excesses and distribute it in the most uniform way possible.

It is recommended to apply a second layer of oil to ensure nutrition treatment.

After finishing the conservation treatment of the teak deck, we will take advantage to maintain the metal elements of the boat.

This time, we will protect teak from the products that we will use with the MAXPRO protector, the only one indicated to put on teak, even after having worked on it, since its breathability allows the wood to breathe while working on the deck. It also adheres without the need to apply adhesives and is non-slip.

In the joining areas, we will apply the UV protection tape, this time on teak. This will prevent the polish from adhering to the wood.

Once we have protected the surface to work, we will proceed to apply the IS POLISH special polish for nautical metals on previously cleaned metals.

If you want specific information about how to clean the metals on the boat, visit this post.