Teak Maintenance; Figure - Chris-Craft 32 Launch (RJ) Owner's Manual

Teak Maintenance

A major portion of TEAKDECKING SYSTEMS business is replacing existing teak decks that have been worn
out through improper maintenance. Amazingly, many of these decks were destroyed not through neglect, but
because their owners cleaned them too often and too thoroughly.
Overuse, or improper use, of two part caustic cleaners shortens the life of teak decks by actually eating away the
teak. These cleaners should only be used when everything else has been tried. If they must be used, follow their
instructions carefully. If you need to use such cleaners, protect your skin (hands, arms, bare feet, legs, and
eyes). The caustic cleaner will also attack surrounding paint. The paint can be somewhat protected by wetting
down the surfaces before starting and continuing to flush them during the cleaning process. Remember to flush
topsides below scuppers and drains to prevent damage to the paint as the deck drains down the side of the hull.
After using a two part cleaner, be sure to rinse the deck thoroughly. Any remaining cleaner will continue to "eat"
the deck and surrounding surfaces.
Clearly, we do not recommend two part cleaners except, perhaps, as a last resort. TEAKDECKING SYSTEMS
has developed three eco-friendly acid-free cleaners that are designed to be thorough, yet gentle. Please review
the TeakDecking products
CHLORINE BLEACH
them to goo. Go to: http://www.teakdecking.com
The wood should be scrubbed across the grain with a
brush. Scrubbing with the grain tears the soft grain out of the planks, leaving the surface rough. A rough,
weathered deck exposes more of the wood to environmental deterioration. On larger areas, use of rotary
cleaning machines with dispenser tanks and polypropylene bristle brushes is appropriate.
Even with care, in time the surface of the wood will become uneven. When this happens, the decks should be
lightly sanded with a sanding machine to smooth the surface. This will actually increase the life of the deck by
exposing less wood to the elements and preventing the grain from trapping dirt or air carried corrosives.
As the deck is drying after having been cleaned and flushed, notice any areas that remain wet after the rest of
the deck has dried. Wetness may indicate a spot where the caulking in a seam has broken away from the teak,
or a bung that has gone bad. If so, these failures should be repaired immediately to prevent water from getting
under the deck. Once water is under teak, a number of things can happen, and none of them are good. If you
can't make an immediate repair, duct tape the opening to seal it temporarily.
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Storage And Commissioning

Figure 4-3

on our website to determine which product is best for your application.
in an attempt to bleach the decks. Chlorine will attack most caulking products, turning
3M scotchbrite scrubbing pad
Figure 4-4
DO NOT USE
or a polypropylene bristle
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