Deck Cleaning-Teak Treating
Wood deck cleaning and treating are very important. They add a tremendous amount of value to a vessel. The best way is to apply a fresh coat of varnish or sealer as soon as the finish starts to dull or show signs of wear. We also take the time to touch up and repair any nicks and blemishes in the sealants.
Sealers
One of our favourite ways to achieve a natural look is the application of a sealer. Durability and ease of application have made some sealers very popular with boat owners. Teak sealers are much like oils, but they contain a higher percentage of solids. The solids usually provide protection against ultraviolet light. This means that sealers build up faster on the wood and generally last longer than oils. As the name suggests, they seal out moisture and dirt, and seal in natural oils and resins.
Varnish
Aside from its much-admired appearance, varnish offers genuine protection for wood surfaces. Wood coated with varnish will not dry out and split, will not absorb moisture and rot, is unaffected by dirt and pollution, and will be untouched, thus unstained, by oily or greasy spills. Ultraviolet radiation penetrates the coating and carbonizes the oils in the wood, causing the wood to darken beneath the varnish. To minimize this effect, varnish makers add ultraviolet inhibitors –‘sun screens’ to their products. To get the best result however we have to apply at least six coats of varnish to the surface making this process more expensive.
Oiling
Oil boosts color intensity and grain patterns of wood and gives the wood a rich, warm appearance. Oiling is arguably the most attractive of all wood finishes, and it restores some of the teak’s natural oils and resins. Unfortunately the benefit of oiling exterior teak is extremely transitory. The sad truth is that teak will last just as long if you do not oil it. Oiling teak is not about protecting the wood it is about recovering and maintaining that golden glow that made us want teak on the boat in the first place. In order to maintain the oiled wood in its original colour before it turns silver grey the teak needs to washed and a fresh coat of oil applied every two months.
