Removing teak decks

[Cigatoo]

Jay
Do you have a pic / url of the hot knife that you purchased?

 

[jleonard]

Jay
Do you have a pic / url of the hot knife that you purchased?

If you look at the picture in my post on page 1 you'll see the knife. I don't have another picture.
I also just looked in Defender online and it is no longer listed.

 

[Cigatoo]

If you look at the picture in my post on page 1 you'll see the knife. I don't have another picture.
I also just looked in Defender online and it is no longer listed.

Thanks Jay. I’ll see what I can find. I had checked Defender beforehand and couldn’t find anything.

 

[Comodave]

This is what I used to remove the caulk. Got it at Jamestown Distributers.

Fein Starlock Plus Teak Blades for Boat Deck Repair

 

[Cigatoo]

This is what I used to remove the caulk. Got it at Jamestown Distributers.

Fein Starlock Plus Teak Blades for Boat Deck Repair

Thanks Dave. I’ll have a look.

 

[garbler]

As I mentioned before I had a shop with a caulking crew so we learned what worked and didnt. In the beginning we did smaller jobs all done with hand reefing tools and sanding seam boards. Everything was on your knees and when hot it was very hot. The best hand made reefing tools are made from old files where the tang is bent and ground to seam size. Files are tempered and will therefore hold sharp edges where screw drivers won’t. A good sharp reefing tool will easily cut clean sharp edges and a clean bottom of the rabbet seam. But you have to be careful to read to grain to prevent tearing up the plank edges.

Dull tools and out of shape hands and forearms generally yield buggered up or split out seam edges that when caulked look like spills as they are not straight. If you’re paying for this work you don’t want to see stuff like slaughtered seams. Now I have to ask with a hot knife tool doesn’t that melt the polysulphide and thus smear it onto the planking seam sides ? And aren’t the seams supposed to be clean bright wood then primed ? Just asking. Heating up cured thiokol or polysulphide just makes it gummy again and you don’t want that cause it’s messy and smeary. Cold seams are easier to reef in fact we occasionally used CO2 fire extinguishers to freeze the caulking for easier removal where are saw wouldn’t work.

Here is one of my shop’s seam saws that has a seam runner wheel and carbide tipped cutterhead with different sizes for different seams We built it and nothing faster, cleaner or better. Of course with nibbed covering boards or king planks you still need to reef and prep tight spots by hand. I don’t miss cauliking decks really. Of course you guys can’t get into tooling like this but just sharing here

Rick

 

[jleonard]

Now I have to ask with a hot knife tool doesn’t that melt the polysulphide and thus smear it onto the planking seam sides ? And aren’t the seams supposed to be clean bright wood then primed ? Just asking. Heating up cured thiokol or polysulphide just makes it gummy again and you don’t want that cause it’s messy and smeary.

No it doesn't smear the caulk. It is a "U" shaped cutting edge, that gets to the bottom of the seam, but doesn't get the sides. Plus, the tool is moving to fast to do any melting other than what it's cutting.
What's left is a thin edge of caulk on each side and in the bottom of the grooves. The 1/4-inch flat screwdrivers that I bent and ground a back relief in fit the grooves just right to pull the remaining caulk out without much effort.
I know files are hardened, but I chose screwdrivers because they were the correct width, and they already have a handle, so they were not uncomfortable to use. I did almost all of the boat's decks and they were still "sharp" enough to work. I made 2 screwdrivers scrapers, so they likely each did 1/2 of the boat.
Yes I buggered a few of the edges as they splintered, but all-in-all the decks came out pretty good.
I also filled the shallow grooves that were cut into the flybridge and swim platform steps, as well as the two ladder steps in the cabin. That made them non-skid.

 

[Cigatoo]

The TDS tool works pretty well. Nice sharp cutting edges. Seems to be made of good steel as it remains sharp. Also good ergonomically.

https://sailm8.com/products/teakdec...0x5jxp-FAMGY_g1127C0ZzK6xoX90C7oaApl8EALw_wcB

 

[garbler]

No it doesn't smear the caulk. It is a "U" shaped cutting edge, that gets to the bottom of the seam, but doesn't get the sides. Plus, the tool is moving to fast to do any melting other than what it's cutting.
What's left is a thin edge of caulk on each side and in the bottom of the grooves. The 1/4-inch flat screwdrivers that I bent and ground a back relief in fit the grooves just right to pull the remaining caulk out without much effort.
I know files are hardened, but I chose screwdrivers because they were the correct width, and they already have a handle, so they were not uncomfortable to use. I did almost all of the boat's decks and they were still "sharp" enough to work. I made 2 screwdrivers scrapers, so they likely each did 1/2 of the boat.
Yes I buggered a few of the edges as they splintered, but all-in-all the decks came out pretty good.
I also filled the shallow grooves that were cut into the flybridge and swim platform steps, as well as the two ladder steps in the cabin. That made them non-skid.

Good to know and after so many years of caulking I just learned something. I’m too old and creaky to even contemplate this kind of work these days. I sold all my equipment, pneumatic guns, seam saw and reefing tools and seam sanding chasers to Bay Ship & Yacht up in Alameda, CA.

Rick

 

[Rockribbed1]

I am buying a 2002 53 kha shing and thinking about removing teak from the swim platform. My other thought was to repair loose boards and cover with a custom carpet. Any thoughts.
I would love to hear more about your experiences

 

[rgano]

Not sure a carpet which would be forever wet back there is a good idea. Have never seen such. If the boards are just loose, I'd fix. I once replaced broken teak boards on my swim step with mahogany. Once it was weathered, you could not tell the difference.

 

[Comodave]

Personally I would take the teak off and repair the holes then paint with Kiwigrip. Carpet isn’t a good idea since it will always be wet.

 

[jgwinks]

Has anyone just covered over the teak.

I've seen a couple with truck bed liner over the teak, they looked ok. Trouble is if the deck core is compromised, covering it up won't fix it. If it looks so bad you want to cover it, the core's probably gone already.

 

[Comodave]

I've seen a couple with truck bed liner over the teak, they looked ok. Trouble is if the deck core is compromised, covering it up won't fix it. If it looks so bad you want to cover it, the core's probably gone already.

Yup.

 

[jgwinks]

If you're shopping for an older boat I think the best advice is if you see a teak deck, don't worry about repair cost. Instead, turn around and run away. Last time I was shopping I was about to do that when I realized it was teak colored fiberglass. I bought it.

 

[Rockribbed1]

The teak inside is gorgeous. The teak under the hard top ok only the swim platform looks sketchy

 

[Rockribbed1]

Pictures

 

[jgwinks]

And once covered, if you later decide to go back in and do it right, it's going to be a LOT more difficult.

 

[Bmarler]

There’s a lot of staining around the bungs for sure. Might not be a death sentence for the teak though. Have to explore.
I’d try to keep the teak but if it’s not in the cards, maybe pull it, do whatever repairs are needed and then cover it with that teak look foam product. It feels nice under bare feet and has good non skid properties.

 

[charles]

I am happy to relate what I did and WHY, going out of town for a few days and will get back to you. I did not remove teak for numerous reasons. Will details for you.
CCC

 

[Rockribbed1]

I appreciate any help on the teak. I actually like the idea of saving it if possible

 

[charles]

Teak deck covering

In checking the prior posts I note several questions have arisen about repairs to teak decks. I covered this extensively in an article that I wrote for PASSAGEMAKER magazine and published in 1998. It was also posted to this list.

Briefly I did not remove the outdoor teak, interior teak was not considered----it was not leaking!

Anyway, I used "pickup truck bed liner" material and it worked GREAT.

Recall that was in 1998.
Once on it is there permanently. It is used in warehouses for forklifts to drive on and such. It is tough, used on stern rollers for cables dragged by offshore oil vessels and such.
(That is how I got the idea to do it) I have seen it on the decks around swimming pools on cruise ships. It is also used in Zoo's in large wild animal enclosures.


Once on, it appears to be a deck with non-skid.
The product available then is not what is available today. Today's products are more user friendly and do not require the heavy duty compressor that was then required.


As I have answered many I would do it again.


I applied it to address teak deck LEAKS. It does fix the leaks----MY EXPERIENCE.



In the article, it is in this sites archives , I am sure as it was discussed for months with virtually every criticism that could be conjured up!


One must address the water in the plywood under the deck fiberglass, again I go into DETAIL on how to address that. It was actually much easier than anticipated.
As I recall the moderators don't care for re-posting of past posts.



The one change that I would do is take the material about 4-5 inches above the deck on the wall of the cabins and or the gunnels though I never had any leaks there.


I found on pulling up some of the teak looking for leaks it(mine) did not come up easily at all and it was being destroyed, mine was firmly glued and screwed. So renewing the caulking is mostly useless, IN MY CASE. I always stress what I DID and my findings--no speculation.
I also experienced some of the glass coming up with the teak. YMMV.
I will answer any questions. If you are unable to locate the thread.


Again, I was most satisfied with the outcome of the project, it looks great, solved the deck leaks and addressed the wet plywood.
No one ever came on the boat and even noticed what I had on the deck. We traveled a lot on the boat afterward and I even saw it on a Krogan down in the keys as well as a Grand Banks.
Several criticized me for covering $15,000 worth of teak!
It was not worth that to me leaking. I offered to have one to come remove for FREE but he had to fix the glass underneath. He declined, so I guess that it was not worth even that much less 15 grand.

 

[Cigatoo]

I have purchased a small bottle of Semco liquid membrane in the semi-clear “flavor” Have some on a test piece of teak now. Doesn’t change the color of the sanded teak much at all. Supposed to seal cracks less than 1/4 inch. Says 5 year warranty. Very easy to brush or roll on. Water clean up. It looks promising. Certainly not a cure all but may be worth a shot. Not the same stuff as Semco Teak treatment.
https://www.semcoworks.com/products/liquid-membrane