yacht teak decking

Everything You Need to Know About Your Boat's Teak Decking

Sep 24, 2021

There is a lot to love about teak.

Golden brown, long grain, fresh-cut teak bestows an unquestionable aesthetic elegance to any boat deck. But boat owners don’t just love teak for its looks.

TOUGHNESS AND DURABILITY

Teak is a naturally water-resistant wood from southeast Asia which has been hailed in its ability to beat many wood alternatives (like mahogany and pine) in terms of toughness and durability.

An abundance of silica in teak makes it so tough that it is known to quickly blunt the tools of expert craftsmen. Bad news for craftsmen, good news for boat owners.

Teak can withstand any weather it cruises through, and the same high silica content that dulls a tool’s edge bestows a non-skid surface that provides necessary traction on wet decks.

Teak’s high oil content also forestalls shrinking, expanding, and cracking, helping well-maintained teak decks last up to 40 years before replacement beckons.

HOW TO MAINTAIN YOUR TEAK

Here’s how to best maintain teak decking on your yacht, without too much extra effort: 

Embrace Teak’s Color Changes

As teak is exposed to weather, it naturally takes on a silver-gray patina. But some boat owners prefer to luxuriate in the sun-kissed gold brown of fresh-cut teak.

Maintaining this hue long-term means using harsh brightening agents and committing to a regimen of extensive scrubbing, two things guaranteed to shorten the lifespan of your teak deck to fifteen years or less. 

You can lengthen your deck’s lifespan by falling in love with the silver patina it prefers and updating accents on your boat to match.

Cleaning Teak

Though teak’s grain is hard, the soft fibers between grains are easily damaged by hard scrubbing or too-strong cleaners.

To clean your teak deck, simply rinse regularly with fresh or saltwater. Use a mop or soft-bristle brush to wipe away tough dirt, but avoid high-pressure nozzles or washers that damage the wood’s top layer.

How often should I deep-clean my teak deck? Many boat owners will want to undertake a deeper clean one to four times a year (depending on location and wear).

• Most experts advise you to steer clear of two-step cleaning solutions and choose single-part wood cleansers and soaps to limit corrosion and maximize your teak deck’s longevity.
• If a single-part cleaner is not available, use a non abrasive, powdered dishwasher detergent (like Bon Ami or Calgon). Dilute 1/4 to 1/3rd cup of the detergent in 2.5 gallons of water before applying.
• With a mop or soft scrub brush, apply the single-part cleaner or powdered detergent solution to your deck. If using a scrub brush, use care to only scrub across the teak’s grain.
• For localized stains, put a drop or two of liquid dish detergent (like Joy) on a terry cloth and rub it into the stain gently. Give the area a thorough rinse before checking your fully clean teak.

Combating Mildew

When mildew inevitably appears on the grain of your teak, softly scrub the spot with a 50/50 solution of white vinegar and water.

Resisting the urge to use bleach will benefit your deck in the long run. However, if the urge proves too strong, mix 1 cup of bleach in 1/2 bucket of water and apply it to the areas in need. Thoroughly rinse the solution away before the decks dry.

Oiling Teak

Boat owners striving to maintain the warm gold of fresh-cut teak will often reach for teak oils (usually tung or linseed) to bring out their wood’s young shine.

Teak oil “feeds” the wood, brightening its grain patterns and intensifying its rich colors. Unfortunately, oiling teak is more about aesthetics than maintenance.

Teak oils do not protect the wood, and only bring back that young color for a month or two at a time. Some experts even claim that these oils catch and hold dirt, leading to blotchy, stained wood over time.

Sealing Teak

Teak sealers are a popular method of care among boat owners looking to achieve their teak’s natural look while extending their deck’s durability.

Rather than “feeding” the wood, sealers block against moisture and dirt while sealing in its natural oils and resins.

A good teak sealer only requires reapplication once a year, making it a more practical option for most boat owners with teak decking.

UNDERTAKING (AND AVOIDING) A MAJOR REFRESH OF YOUR TEAK

When teak decking is properly cared for throughout the year, boat owners can avoid a major refresh or teak restoration project.

However, all boat owners should keep a careful eye on their deck’s caulking and be quick to repair loose strips or gaps that allow water to quickly and destructively penetrate the teak.

Do not trust what you see at first glance. To fully check your boat deck for needed repairs, wet the deck fully and make note of any area that stays wet longer than the surrounding teak. These lingering wet patches give clues to where caulk may need to be removed and reapplied.

In addition to proper cleaning, properly caring for your teak decks means sanding the deck every 12-18 months. (Regular cleaning will minimize the need for regular sanding, and sanding is not recommended for any boats less than a year old.)

Luckily, you can avoid a major restoration project and enjoy the timeless style of your teak decking for decades by putting a little time into cleaning and care now.

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SAILING YACHTS

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We are the recognized leader in modular sailboat decking, serving high-profile owners of classic yachts such as Thalia, Tiara, Koo, Antares, Catalina, Ghost and the America’s Cup Endeavor . We also work with a long list of leading yacht builders including Swan, Morris Yachts, Baltic, Hans Christian, Royal Huisman, Vitters and Oceanco.

CURVED TEAK DECKING 

A curved teak sailing yacht deck is more technically challenging to build than a straight-laid teak motor yacht deck. Our fabrication system remains unique in the marine industry after 40 years, using adjustable jigs under vacuum pressure to ensure the curved teak battens hold their shape during assembly.

Complete water tightness is critical, so we prevent any possibility of leaks with an impervious phenolic backing, vacuum bagged with our proprietary epoxy. This holds the teak battens together in panel form so tightly that even if there were no sealant in the seams, water would still not penetrate the teak decking.

LAYOUT & STYLING

Unlike straight laid teak decking, the battens in a sailing yacht deck intersect hatches and superstructure at odd angles and meet along the centerline at a Christmas tree-like “kingplank.” Our experienced designers at TDS are masters of creating technically sound decks that properly eliminate fragile tapered batten ends.

Boats are rarely built completely symmetrical, and this can often be seen in the decking when layout design and details are overlooked. Our designers’ exceptional ability to create visual symmetry results in superb finishes and beautiful, aesthetically pleasing decks.  

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PLASDECK ECO SERIES: A Revolutionary New Boat Decking Product

Three Ways to Get PlasDECK Decking on Your Boat:

• 1. Send us a template and order easy-to-install custom panels - Available in over 20 colors.
• 2. Find a PlasDECK installer in your area to do all of the work for you.
• 3. If you're pretty handy, use our rolls of DIY shiplap material - Available in the classic teak color.
• You can also add custom inlays to personalize your deck!
• Award-winning new product! Learn more about PLASDECK ECO SERIES.

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PlasDECK is committed to bringing you quality boat and yacht decking that looks like real teak but without the maintenance!

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Synthetic Boat Deck, Yacht Decking, Marine Teak Decking

PlasDECK is a patented synthetic teak boat decking option that provides the elegant look of a teak deck without any of the time-consuming and costly maintenance associated with natural wood teak. Made out of flexible PVC, this material is easy to work with and maintain. It’s the perfect option to upgrade your boat and replace the dingy old carpet. PlasDECK will hold up to the sun and marine environment for years while you enjoy more of your free time.

PlasDECK is specially formulated with ingredients that will prevent the material from drying out or cracking over time. It also has the highest possible UV protection to prevent fading, antifungal inhibitors, superior adhesion… and PlasDECK is proud to say that we offer the only synthetic teak decking option that’s made in the USA! With over 20 colors to choose from, PlasDECK is the most customizable boat decking option on the market.

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Traditional Teak

Yacht Deck only uses the best quality teak available. Our special relationship with overseas teak suppliers provides us the opportunity to take our personal pick of what is available. As a preferred customer, we negotiate the best prices and shortest delivery times, both of which are then passed on to our customers.

Time is on your side – Yacht Deck only uses the best quality teak available. Our special relationship with overseas teak suppliers provides us the opportunity to take our personal pick of what is available. As a preferred customer, we negotiate the best prices and shortest delivery times, both of which are then passed on to our customers.

Live Longer – A better use of raw materials – this is exactly what our working method achieves. Doing this, we enable your decking to live longer, often for the entire life of your yacht.

On-site Templates – Much emphasis is put on preparatory work. The more we learn about your vessel, the more efficiently we can work and the higher the quality. Therefore, our team of highly skilled professionals measure your yacht in full detail. Based on these figures, we are able to construct a very accurate template of your yacht in one of our factories. There, we build your deck in prefabricated panels. These panels are then transported to the Shipyard of your choice, ready for installation.

Be Prepared – Like everything in life, good preparation is a key to success. Surface preparation is a key aspect of our work, as it has a direct effect on the end result. Whether it is a steel, aluminum, or fiberglass deck, our technicians will fair and level the surface to the maximum prior to installation, thereby providing a perfect surface to receive the new teak decking.

Finished in Time – Yacht Deck does a majority of the deck construction at our own facility. During that period, as we are not governed by someone else’s timetable, we can finish our work on time. Bearing in mind the ever-tightening schedules of most modern yachts, this is a major advantage for every Shipyard and every yacht owner.

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At Yacht Deck, we have highly trained craftsmen who are skilled in both traditional teak decking as well as a modern Green synthetic teak decking. learn more >>

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• Digital Edition

Teak alternatives: 4 options for decking that doesn’t cost the earth

• May 7, 2020

Rupert Holmes explains what’s wrong with the marine industry’s obsession with hardwood and looks at real world teak alternatives

Photo: Lignia Yacht

Everyone loves an immaculate teak deck. They look great at boat shows and at chic Mediterranean quays, as well as providing excellent non-slip properties in the most demanding of conditions.

However, teak also has drawbacks. Firstly it doesn’t last forever, especially if a modern, and likely relatively thin, teak deck is scrubbed regularly. At the extreme I’ve seen a deck lose 1mm of thickness each year through scrubbing. Given the high cost of replacement this can have a significant impact on a yacht’s resale value.

The material also easily absorbs heat from the sun, making it uncomfortable to walk on in bare feet when in the tropics or Mediterranean summer. This also contributes to heating the interior of the boat.

Ocean Cork is one of many firms to offer eco-friendly teak alternatives

Teak doesn’t look good from a sustainability perspective either. A key problem is illegal logging of rainforest in Myanmar, one of the only four countries in which the species grows. Unfortunately, a ban on importing this illegal timber into the EU hasn’t stopped the trade, as evidenced by court cases in countries including Denmark, Sweden, Germany and Holland following the discovery of illegally imported teak.

As a result, the only way to be absolutely certain a source of teak is sustainable is to use salvaged material (or to ensure that the teak can be GPS-traced back to stump).

Timber at risk

“Teak is now considered a high risk timber,” confirms Nigel Stuart, MD of Spirit Yachts . “We take our responsibility to the environment very seriously and we are not prepared to risk using unsustainable wood.”

Teak alternatives have been available for many years and are gaining wide acceptance. In many cases they also offer multiple advantages over real teak, including better longevity. Many can be factory-made to match a template or CAD file, which significantly reduces labour and installation costs, while customisation can extend to logos and boat names.

Available products can be split into four broad categories:

• Modified softwoods

Expanded foam

Many of these don’t absorb liquids and are therefore easy to keep clean as any dirt stays on the surface.

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Many manufacturers offer a range of colours, with the most popular being shades close to freshly-scrubbed teak, or silvered, weathered teak. The former can look amazing at boat shows, though in the real world it can maybe look incongruous to those who understand the damage regular scrubbing does to real teak.

We’ve tried to give indicative prices for different options, but these are exceptionally difficult to pin down. Different products may need vastly different amounts of labour, which obviously affects cost, while detailing and edging is a major factor in the price of factory-made panels. The total cost for boats of similar sizes can therefore vary dramatically depending on the complexity of each of the panel shapes.

1. PVC decks

This option has historically offered some of the most convincing alternative teak products, with the grain, texture, impact resistance and non-slip properties of the real thing. As a result many of the new yachts seen at boat shows actually have simulated teak decks made of PVC.

Flexiteek decking on the SW105 Kiboko III

Despite their slightly textured surface, which replicates the grain of real wood, dirt and stains stay on the surface of PVC decking, so it can be cleaned relatively easily with a wet cloth and maybe soapy water. Unlike real teak, which has a mix of hard and very soft fibres, PVC decks can also be pressure-washed. Another bonus is that damaged areas can be sanded back to reveal fresh material that looks new.

One of the best-known brand names, Flexiteek, is celebrating its 20th anniversary and is expanding rapidly, with demand consistently growing at 20% annually. The company now produces 80,000m 2 of its decking product each year.

The 2G version, launched six years ago, is fully recyclable, while microballoons are used in place of chalk filler, which reduces heat absorption (certain PVC deck types and colours have been known to get very hot in direct sun). Flexiteek is available in a standard 5mm thickness and 11 colours, with plank widths from 45mm-200mm to replicate everything from planking to covering boards and cappings.

Flexiteek says PVC experts suggest the surface may start to crack after 25-30 years, but no problems have been observed on 20-year-old decks so far and the life span may be considerably longer. High traffic areas can become glossy, but these can be gently coarse sanded back by hand to the original matt finish.

Esthec seamless decking installed on a Princess R35

Esthec is a part of composite floor specialist Bolidt, which makes flooring in any shape for industrial applications through to decking for ships. Dutch yard Saffier has been fitting Esthec to its range of daysailers since 2008.

“We made one deck with Esthec and set this right next to a real teak deck,” managing director Dennis Hennevanger remembers, having been immediately taken by the product. “We invited all the customers who had ordered a Saffier with teak deck and gave them the choice… they instantly all went for the Esthec deck.”

Saffier has since built nearly 500 yachts with Esthec decks, “all without any problems”. Hennevanger says it is not necessarily a cheaper option to teak, but thinks it should last forever.

Saffier’s SE37 daysailer is fitted with PVC decks from Esthec

“I also like the technical side of Esthec,” he adds. “It is made completely seamless [the caulking doesn’t go right through], so it is impossible to have any leakages.” Additional benefits are that it is maintenance free, with no fading, has excellent anti-slip properties and comes with a complete freedom of design.

PlasDeck is less well known in the UK but has been established for 15 years, offering a range of PVC products in 28 shades that look and feel like wood. The company holds patents for non-migratory plasticisers that are bound to the molecular structure. The product is therefore very UV resistant and remains elastic as the oils don’t evaporate over time.

Fungus inhibitors throughout the material hold back the formation of the green mould that can all too easily grows on real teak decks, especially during persistently damp winters.

Permateek decking on a Contest 38

Permateek is another popular brand name and has recently introduced new shades that better mimic the grain of real teak. From a sustainability perspective, a big drawback with PVCs is they are plastics and will therefore remain in the environment forever. To offset this Flexiteek plants one tree for every 10m 2 of product sold. Esthec, meanwhile is formed from natural components, without the harmful ingredients commonly found in PVCs.

Prices for PVC products tend to range from €150 to €1,000 per square metre, varying according to the design and size of each panel. As a guide, in the UK Permateek costs £150-£350/m 2 depending on the complexity of the design. This compares to a material cost of around £285/m 2 for 6mm teak – but don’t forget there’s far more labour involved in laying a real teak deck.

Gisatex offers a more economic PVC product, at €69 per square metre, but in a thinner textured, non-slip material that makes no attempt to match the grain of teak. The company, which has been established for 10 years, sells matched repair kits for €10 and says a “very long lifespan is expected.” Light weight is a further advantage, but custom panels are not available.

Gisatex sits at the lower end of the PVC price bracket

There’s an increasing trend towards cork decking, according to Piet van der Staay of Marinedeck 2000, especially among younger boat owners. It’s a natural product harvested from FSC certified forests, largely in Portugal.

Common advice is to look for a product with large cork grains as these cope better with impact. In any case the material is inherently resilient and is significantly better than teak at resisting wear and abrasion.

Cork is also is a good insulator, so decks remain comfortable to walk on even in strong sun. Over a three to five year period it will slowly take a light grey hue, but this can be sanded back to reveal the original colour.

Marinedeck claims that its decking is popular among younger boaters

Marinedeck 2000 consists of cork granules with a synthetic polyurethane binder. It’s produced under high pressure, which gives the feel of high-density material, but is still flexible and absorbs knocks well. It’s supplied as individual planks, or as preformed finished pieces with a standard thickness of 9mm. The company has been in operation since 1986 and says there are still decks in good condition from its early days. As a result van der Staay quotes a 40-year expected lifespan.

Prices for Marinedeck 2000 start at €320/m 2 (ex VAT) including adhesives, while custom panels cost €520/m 2 (ex. VAT).

Another supplier, Ocean Cork, produces 8mm planks as standard, but 4mm is available if weight is critical. Given it’s one of the lightest decking materials available, at only 2.4kg/m2, for cruisers the thinner option appears to offer little benefit. Prices start at €349 (inc. VAT) for 1m 2 DIY kit (including glue and caulking) and approx €400/m 2 (inc. VAT) for larger custom made panels.

Ocean Cork is available in 8mm and 4mm thickness

This is a material with a soft cushioned feel, excellent grip underfoot and good shock-absorbing properties. SeaDek, which is made from a closed-cell PE/EVA foam is popular throughout the racing world, from sportsboats to the America’s Cup and the Ocean Race. It can be made in custom panels and in different thicknesses and is manufactured with an effective acrylic-based pressure sensitive adhesive for quick peel-and-stick application.

SeaDek’s Jason Gardner says the large range of colour, thickness, density and design options means the price range can be very wide. Whether or not there’s already a pattern for that model of boat in the company’s database also impacts pricing.

Sean Roebuck of ProCast, SeaDek’s leading UK fabricator, says prices including VAT generally work out in the range of £114-£151/m 2 .

SeaDek is popular with ocean racers. Photo: Ainhoa Sanchez/VOR

Cer-Deck, sold by Italian company Ceredi, also has a soft, slightly cushioned feel, very high resistance to degradation in sunlight and is colour stable.

It is 6-8mm thick and is available with a strong 3M self-adhesive backing to minimise labour costs when fitting. Custom panels cost around €250/m 2 (ex. VAT).

Life expectancy for expanded foam materials is around five to seven years for harsh use, and longer for less-heavily used boats. On the downside these materials are susceptible to damage from impact or pets’ claws.

Cer-Deck has a soft, cushioned feel

Modified softwood

Lignia is the latest product to be launched on the market, based on pine grown in FSC certified forests. After harvesting, the timber is impregnated with resin, before being dried in a curing process to ensure the resin is locked in at a molecular level. This gives Lignia performance and durability that can surpass tropical hardwoods.

It has a similar appearance to teak and can be worked in the same way, but has an expected lifespan of 50 years. The impregnation of resin means end of life disposal is not as easy as for untreated timber – the recommended option is to use it as fuel in biomass generating plants.

Anyone who saw the Spirit 50CR at last year’s Southampton Boat Show can attest that a quality yacht with Lignia decks will look stunning. It also has the benefit in being faster to dry than teak, which is handy in areas used for seating. Material costs are a little less than for teak, with typical savings around 5-20%. However, Lignia decks are just as labour intensive to lay as real teak.

Lignia, shown to great effect here on the decks of the Spirit 50CR, is a real softwood product treated to give it the appearance and longevity of teak

Price gauge

Tye Conway of UK-based decking specialist Elite-Teak says that typical installed prices in the UK are often lower than elsewhere in northern Europe, with many jobs falling into the following price ranges (ex. VAT) per square metre:

Synthetic teak: £200-£300 Foam decking: £150-£200 Cork decking: £200-£300 Real teak decking: £500-£600

Teak-effect solar panels

Italian solar panel manufacturer Solbian has a range of panels with a pigmented layer that creates different colour schemes. The teak option reduces output by only 6-8% compared to an equivalent standard panel, while custom sizes and shapes can be created without increasing prices.

The upcoming Spirit 44E will be fitted with teak-effect solar panels

The company has been working on projects with major boat manufacturers – the panels will be used, for instance, on the locker hatches of the aft deck of the Spirit 44E that’s currently in build. Solbian is also developing a version of the teak-effect panel with a non-slip finish.

Colour shades can also be matched to products of companies such as Flexiteek. Prices are typically 50% to 60% above those for the company’s standard solar panels .

First published in the April 2020 edition of Yachting World.

• Species Guide

Marine Teak Decking

ETT Fine Woods has been supplying the most prestigious yacht and boat manufacturers in the world with decking, planking and marine trim accessory parts.

Why Use Marine Teak Decking?

Marine Teak Decking is often used to build the finest boats in the world. Marine Teak Decking is functional, beautiful, and long lasting. It gives grip, warmth, and lasts in the rugged conditions that are common at sea.

We provide our Marine Teak Decking wood fully surfaced and in the lengths that you require. Marine Teak Decking is ready to install. If needed we can advise on best practices and materials to complete your build or re-decking process.

Our most popular Marine Teak Decking sizes are:

• 1/2 x 1 7/8″ Battens
• 9/16 x 1 7/8″ Battens

Ability and Benefits

Availability

• vertical or flat grain
• surfaced four sides (S4S), tongue & groove (T&G), ship lap or with caulking groover
• 1/4” to 2-1/2” thick in lengths of 3’ to 20’
• wide and long decking for renovation projects

Custom milling available to any specification. Please contact us for custom sizes or special orders.

Specifications

• Janka scale hardness is 1,155
• 42 lbs. / cu. ft., or approximately 3.5 lbs. per board foot
• Bending strength is 14,600 psi
• A golden color, with dark markings and a straight grain.
• A non-skid surface, thanks to a coarse texture that is smooth to the touch, with virtually no raised grain.
• Little maintenance needed.
• The choice of finishing the wood to a preferred shade or simply leaving it to take on a natural silver-gray patina.

What’s the Difference between Decking and Planking?

In addition to marine teak decking we can also provide marine teak planking . Planking consists of boards specifically selected for grain and straightness. They are wider and thicker than traditional teak decking. This material is produced with a meticulous attention to detail and high manufacturing quality.

Wood Species Guide

Natural woods vary in performance characteristics from one another. This wood comparison chart helps you compare hardness, weight, fungal resistance, and more. Use the wood comparison guide to help you find the right wood for your project.

Locations are strategically placed throughout the United States to serve our customers. Products stocked at each location are different based on customer needs. 

Teak Decking in the Moscow Area

If you need Teak Decking in Moscow we can match you with pros who provide the services you require. Teak decking offers a multitude of advantages that make it a popular choice for both residential and commercial spaces. With its exceptional durability and natural resistance to decay and insects, teak decking provides long-lasting performance and requires minimal maintenance. The unique properties of teak wood, such as its high oil content and tight grain, make it highly resistant to warping, cracking, and splitting. Additionally, teak decking offers excellent slip resistance, ensuring a safe and secure surface, even when wet. Its rich golden-brown color and elegant grain patterns add a touch of sophistication and beauty to any outdoor space. Whether used for boats, patios, or poolside areas, teak decking is a sustainable and environmentally-friendly option that will enhance the aesthetics and functionality of any space. Just fill out the quick contact form, and you will be contacted by local pros who can serve your needs.

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What’s the best synthetic teak? The comparative test

• Luca D'Ambrosio
• August 5, 2019

Comparative test for the three leaders of synthetic teak decking 

The use of synthetic teak in marine decking is quickly and successfully replacing that of the natural wood.

There are many companies producing this material today but only three are the most popular and the most widespread ones. We therefore decided to compare the best of the current production in a no-holds-barred test.

This way, we had the opportunity to test and compare, in a very simple way, the features that most affect the choice of synthetic teak (all our staff was involved in the test and everyone was asked to express his own opinion).

The synthetic teak we tested is, in alphabetical order, the Flexiteek, the Permateek and the Plasdeck.

Here’s what we found out:

Synthetic teak : aesthetics and touch feeling

First of all, we decided to analyze the aesthetic appearance and therefore the element that makes both boat owners and their guests fall in love at first sight.

Of course, it’s a subjective yet important choice since, once chosen, the synthetic teak has the implicit characteristic of maintening the same appearance over years.

More specifically, Flexiteek shows veins and shades that make it, in a natural way, very similar to real wood. Its colour is light biscuit.

The Permateek Classic, instead, is very different from the others since its darker colour makes it more similar to aged or oil-processed wood. However, t he typical nuances of wood are absent. The veins in relief, reproduced during the processing phase, are instead very marked and visible throughout the panel. But they don’t seem natural at all.

Another difference between the three products concerns the width of slats and seams. Flexiteek’s ones are narrower, slimmer and more elegant while the other two are wider.

As for the tactile sensation, we noticed that there’s a big difference between the three products. Permateek is made of harder and rougher plastic, Flexiteek is softer while Plasdeck is somewhere in between.

In our opinion, this test concludes with the following ranking: 1 Flexiteek – 2 Plasdeck – 3 Permateek

Sun exposure

After more than one hour of sun exposure, our teak synthetic panels reached the maximum temperature peak. The Permateek was the hottest one, with a temperature of 60.8 degrees, followed by the Flexiteek with a temperature of 57.3 degres and the Plasdeck with 53.5 degrees.

The other two panels, instead, turned cold more quickly and, after having remained in shadow for one hour and despite the difference in their peak, they reached the same temperature of 34.8 degrees.

In addition to thermometric measurements, we also tested the sensation of warmth transmitted by the materials, walking barefoot on the different teak panels. This step resulted in a further confirmation and a surprise.

The Permateek was the hottest and the contact with the sole of our foot confirmed that. Moreover, the sensation of warmth remained on the foot for some minutes, which confirmed the excellent warmth retention capacity of the material.

Flexiteek, instead, while not registering the lowest surface temperature, when it came into a prolonged contact with our foot, proved to have the lowest warmth retention capacity . This suggests that the material composition (Flexiteek G2 patent) ensures greater heat dispersion.

In conclusion, this second test concludes with Plasdeck and Flexiteek coming joint first and Permateek in last place.

We calculated the weight of our panels on a m2 basis. This time, Flexiteek proved to be the best product. This is an important aspect to take into account when dealing with a boat. The following table shows the overall weight of teak decking on a 13-meter sailboat.

Let’s take into consideration a sailboat, especially a performing one. A lower weight on the deck not only contributes to reduce the overall weight but also and above all reduces the weight positioned above the waterline. This way, the centre of gravity of the boat remains lower, which contributes to reduce heeling when sailing while improving performance.

This is also true for motorboats that, as you know, have wider decks and therefore need more square meters of synthetic teak. On these yachts, the main difference lies in comfort and not in performance. Especially if these boats are equipped with a flybridge: a lower weight on this means lower rolling for the yacht itself.

Ranking: 1 Flexiteek – 2 Permateek – 3 Plasdeck

Resistance to dirt

For the first part of our test, we spilled some staining substances and we left them on the teak surface for about one minute; then, we removed everything with what is the most used method on each boat, ie water.

The result is the same for all the three products: stains were removed with a simple cleaning carried out with the hands under the flowing water.

Damage resistance

Things changed when we tried to pierce the panels with our scissors and screwdrivers in order to simulate the most common deck accidents. This time, no sample passed the test: all of them let themselves be pierced ( the Permateek with a little bit of difficulty). This is maybe inevitable with a plastic material that, after all, is not so different from natural wood that, unlike synthetic teak, cannot be repaired if not with a long work.

To the touch, the Permateek proved to be the roughest material, capable of the best grip thanks to its more market veins.

Ranking: 1 Permateek – pari merito Flexiteek e Plasdeck

The back of panels, predisposition to gluing

Flexiteek is highly processed and shows a series of grooves (another patent of the company) that facilitate gluing without bubbles and “slipping” effects. Permateek has a micro-perforated bottom while Plasdeck is the smoothest one.

For obvious reasons of simplicity and installation quality, this chapter concludes with this final ranking: 1 Flexiteek – 2 Permateek – 3 Plasdeck

Conclusions

Rankings speak for themselves and, even if individual differences are not big, Flexiteek is undoubtedly the absolute winner.

It proved to be multi-purpose, highly efficient in all respects and even the most similar one to natural wood.

However, it is also true that boat owners, or better their personal tastes, have the final say. These synthetic teak panels are offered for sale in many colour options, so you can choose the colour combination you like the most or that best matches your boat.

We thank all three manufacturers that, as proof of their good faith, accepted the test without hesitation.

Below you will find their contact details.

Teknoteak SRL

Via guidetti 45, 40052 Passo Segni (BO)

Phone: +39 338 3422028

[email protected]

Refit Style SRL

Via Foscolo 8, 34131 Trieste

Phone: +39 040 2453942

[email protected]

Euroservice Sas – Synteak

Via Graz 12, 38121 Trento

Phone: +39 366 4078168

[email protected]

15 Responses

Thanks for this article, very interesting! any chance to add to the test a piece of real teak? Also, quite important, particularly on racing boats, the abrasion test. Ropes and sailbags dragged on the foredeck could leave marks…

As a certified synthetic teak installer that has installed all three products and watched them weather over several years, Permateek looks newer longer. It is slightly heavier and stiffer but goes down straighter. Flexiteek is challenging to keep the lines straight upon installation. I have found the 2G has a tendency to mold on the surface where the others do not. The grooved back of Flexiteek is only good on paper! When installed over aggressive non-skid, the grooved back may allow for water penetration. This can damage the gel coat and allow moisture to enter the coring. Your test only showed the appearance and Temperature concerns while there are many aspects to consider. If Permateek submitted a similar color to the others, the temperature difference is insignificant. All surfaces are sanded when manufactured. And again when fabricated. The texture can be anything from smooth to “hairy”. Don DRB Marine USA

DRB Marine used to dabble in Flexiteek before switching over to Dek-King, which had excellent feedback all over the US and beyond. They have now been acquired by Flexiteek, which is a compliment on the standard of quality manufacturing performed at their U.K. location. Indeed, Flexiteek is now produced fully at this factory with glowing success! As my Company handles the Importing for the Americas, let’s remember that DRB chose ‘not’ to go with an existing factory that had worked well for the last three years, and continues to increase the quality control levels in order to maintain the #1 status. Don produces excellent work, just a shame he chose to jump ship for reasons not related to the quality!

Hi. I am in search for a synthetic deck manufacturer who has already templates for FP Lavezzi 40… Please email me at [email protected] if you happen to know one. Thank you!

Hi. I am in search for a synthetic deck manufacturer who already has templates for the Leopard 50… Please email me at [email protected] if you happen to know one. Thank you!

Hi I am in search for a synthetic teak deck manufacturer that has templates for Princess 92 55′ with Flybridge. Thank you

I am looking for a template for my 37 ft 1989 Pearson Sail boat

Template for a 78 ft Choey Lee motorsailor?

I would not use Permateek. I had a bad experience on my 66 foot boat. The Permateek was installed by Permateek. The deck developed hundreds of blisters. It has been 6 months and Permateek has not done anything except write emails trying to figure out a way to not honor thier warranty. The product is not as represented. The installers are not qualified. They do not honor their warranty. So far I am out $22,000.

Just an update, there were issues with this boat as we attempted to cover the decking surface which was not fibreglass in the hope that the underdeck was not porous. Unfortunately, this was not successful and blisters did occur. As a company, we always honour our warranty and having made extensive investigation into what went wrong, we assess that fitting synthetic decking over this surface was not going to work out. As a result, Mr Tomlinson was fully refunded.

As a company, we have fitted thousands of decks without issue and we are very proud of the work we carry out.

You missed one main thing. Leave some dirt or whatever on flexiteek for 5-6 hours and then try to wash it, you will be suprised. Flexiteek will alow dirt to go all the way down and you cant remove that or sand it out but with permateek and pladeck is different story. Flexiteek is on the last place just because of that sucking failure. I know what I talking about because I was working with flexiteek and permateek.

The author of the article forgot another major brand: xxxxx that is sold …..

HI Denis, it was a pleasure to read your comment, unfortunately I had to remove the brand and the rest of the text becacuse it was ADV.

Your product was not included in the test because probably at the time of the test it either did not yet exist or was too “young” to be considered.

However, we are more than willing to include your product in the article if of course you are able to send us a sample of the product. The other manufacturers at the time sent us a sample of about 40 centimeters per side, as you can see from the pictures.

The sample will then be examined, measured, weighed, exposed to the sun to measure surface temperature, dirtied and washed, in the same manner as we did with the others and the results, since we are no longer in possession of the old samples, will be displayed at the end of the article.

Just send an email with your contact details and we’ll organize.

Best regards

We are also a supplier of pvc material in UK. Since the material can be sanded any of the 3 could come top of this grouping depending on which material was sanded the coarser. The materials are similiar with the best quality beng 100% virgin pvc. This applies across most reputable brands except one that has some additives that reduces weight and makes the welds less durable and apparently more susceptible to staining.

Hello, if possible, we would like to know if they will last for years and in average experience, how many?

Pictures actually installed on boats from one to as many years as possible would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

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Practical Boat Owner

• Digital edition

The truth about teak decks

• Ben Meakins
• March 1, 2016

Shipwright Robin Benjamin says modern, thin teak decks need lots of regular care, and so it’s vital to follow his advice on how to keep them looking good

In the last 15 years I have worked on more teak decks than I care to remember, writes Robin Benjamin : I think I’ve seen every problem that exists. What you have to know straight away is that, like anything, teak decks need looking after. If you take care of your decks they may last 20 years or more, if you don’t you’ll be appalled at how awful they look after only five. Because solid teak decks have been the norm for hundreds of years they have understandably earned a serious reputation for longevity. Today’s teak decks are not the same thing at all.

In many cases modern teak decks are little more than a quick way for the manufacturer to up the ‘class’ of their product. Many are poorly fitted, the wood is too thin and the caulking gap too narrow. Because of the minimal amount of wood involved the best plug on the deck might only be 3mm deep. Likewise, the caulking, unless of adequate depth and width, will not remain glued as the wood moves. However, all these problems would amount to little if folk took care of their teak decks. The most important advice is to wash the deck every week but few people can spare the time. It’s quite simple however: if you don’t wash your deck regularly it will soon go grey and dirty.

Don’t scrub

This is how worn teak decks can become after only five years of regular scrubbing and sanding

I’ve seen it done: the owner is standing there, his trouser legs rolled up, his knees red. True, his deck looks great… from the pontoon. But if you look carefully you’ll see grooves in the planks where the softer areas of grain have simply vanished. This is how it starts. Consider that you began with a lovely smooth surface, like a CD for example. After scrubbing it looks more like an LP record, but worse, much worse. Imagine now how quickly the ‘peaks’ will wear down as you walk on them. Of course it doesn’t end here, this is only the beginning. To keep your deck clean there is only one way, and that is a gentle wash with nothing more violent than a light detergent and a large sponge or very soft brush. If you do this regularly you will not wear down the teak, but you will wash off the dirt before it gets ingrained. Dirt contributes to the wear of a teak deck. If this approach doesn’t work then you can try oxalic acid. Dissolve some crystals in warm water, do not breathe the vapours and make sure you wear gloves. It burns. Rinse well. Oxalic acid should not harm anything on the boat except your skin. There are plenty of products that do the same thing but cost a lot more. If acid doesn’t bring back the colour then there’s only one thing left to do if you want a lovely looking teak deck, and that is to sand it. But if you want my advice: continue to wash it carefully and often, with soap, and live with the deck not looking its best. For some reason no one listens to me. I gladly advise people on how to look after their decks for free, even if it means I don’t get any work. It’s better for everyone, except me, that you take my advice. Yet despite this I still see people scrubbing their teak. I shake my head in wonder. Did I not explain what would happen if they scrubbed? ‘But it looks so great!’ they say. ‘So what’s the problem?’ The problem is that the next time they see their decks they will look grey and dirty again. The only difference will be that there is less teak than there was before. If your feet don’t wear down the peaks then they’ll fill up with dirt, making it look even worse. There’s only one way to get it out – more scrubbing. This time you’ll have to scrub harder to see a result. Can you see what’s happening? There will come a point soon when you decide the decks are looking pretty rough and need a good sanding.

Sand me timbers!

New decks get sanded to make everything look nice and flush – but it’s not a good idea to repeat this too often

Boatyards are very keen to do this work for you and why not? Next time you see the boat it will look great and they know you’ll be back, because soon the caulking will start to roll out in long spaghetti-like strips and the plugs will fall out, exposing the screws and making water ingress all the more likely. Now you’ve really got a problem. The plugs are not too much trouble but there will be hundreds to do. The real problem is the caulking. Just because some of it comes out really easily does not mean that it will all be like that. No, some of it will be sticking just like the manufacturer intended. You can make a special scraper to remove it but inevitably you will slip, damage areas and, even worse, you will enlarge the groove. If you’re really lucky you might be able to use a router for about 35% of the deck, but routers are vicious and it’s all too easy to make a mistake. Even a small enlargement of the slot will look terrible. Not only that but you’ll need a curved guide to run the router along for each slot. This takes ages. Bad enough if you’re doing it yourself, but it’s unbelievable if you’re paying a yard. Specialist tools exist but they are hideously expensive and it’s only the specialist yards that are likely to have them. Unfortunately the yard will be charging by the hour and there’s always a lot of work on any teak deck. So what are the options now that your deck is worn out? You can’t just remove it, because underneath it will be horrid. If it was laid properly in the first place they will have keyed in the glued surface and that means taking to it with a grinder on a plastic boat. And you’ll still have to cover the decks to hide the mess. So I hope you can see that I’m advocating care and prevention for your lovely teak deck. To just leave it uncared for is an outrageous waste of a precious resource. If that isn’t enough to make you care for your deck, then consider the cost of replacement. Teak costs approximately £3,000 a cubic metre. But you’ll need a lot more than you think, because just cutting down a big plank to size wastes a hideous amount of wood. The cost of the teak is a large part of the final bill. Basically you can quadruple the price of the teak to take into account the cost of first measuring and photographing the original deck to ensure everything fits properly, the cleaning up of the surface underneath and finally replacing the wood. To do the job properly you may have to remove the chain plates and that means dropping the mast and completely readjusting it afterwards. Not only that, but all those deck fittings that haven’t been touched for years will need to be removed. And don’t be surprised if many of the bolts are hell to get out or break in the process. It’s possible that some of the bolts were made specially or have been glassed over. You’ll need somewhere to do all this. Perhaps it’s possible to make a good cover but even this adds to the cost. The alternative is to put the boat in a shed somewhere. Anything is possible but it always costs. Replacing a teak deck is a massive job. To replace the decks on a 9m (30ft) boat is six weeks’ work – three months for a 15m (50-footer). We are talking about many thousands of pounds and your boat out of action for a while. There are other considerations before you decide on a teak deck. They weigh more: the caulking is surprisingly heavy, not to mention the wood and the thousands of screws. Perhaps what worries me most about laid decks on glassfibre boats is that you have to make thousands of holes in an otherwise perfectly waterproof surface to hold the deck down. Many fibreglass boats’ decks are balsa cored, that is to say, the deck is made of two layers of fibreglass with a layer of balsa wood in between. Balsa wood will not last long if it gets wet, yet this strikes me as very likely. The law of averages suggests that if you make 2,000 holes in a deck the chances of them all staying waterproof for years on end is pretty slim. What happens when the balsa has rotted away? I just don’t think making thousands of holes in a deck is wise. It is possible to lay a teak deck without screws, but it takes longer and therefore costs more.

So let’s sum up and cover up On the one hand I am thankful for owners and teak decks since they allow me the life I lead, but on the other I am very sad at the waste of it all. People could save themselves a lot of time, inconvenience and money if they just took care of their decks. And for some reason no one wants to spend money on ‘posh’ covers to protect their boat. Covers are initially expensive but they will repay their cost several times over. Not only will you not be required to replace your decks but you’ll be able to sell your boat for more because it has obviously been well looked after. It’s not just teak decks that will benefit from protection – plastic windows, instruments and gel coat will all last longer if kept out of the sun, wind and rain. The Grand Canyon was created by erosion from the elements. When you think like that, surely you can understand why I recommend covering up. I can only do my bit. I can’t change the world and I can’t change fashion, but I hope I can slow down the damage by telling the truth. So now you know. And remember: don’t scrub!

The good, the bad and the ugly

With decking that is very thin, the plugs over the fastenings are even thinner and can lift if the glue fails

This plug seems to have a problem. It could be loose and holding moisture, or the fastening is corroding

s Covers over vulnerable varnished work make sense, but a complete cover will also protect the deck

s Stains from oil and ferrous metal can be very awkward to remove from teak – try oxalic acid

Even old-style decks can have their problems. Here, to avoid butt joints, the planks had been scarfed together and, after many years, the feathered edge started to lift. The owner simply fixed it with epoxy

This thin timber decking has lost its caulking compound and the corner is starting to deteriorate

Tips for keeping teak in top condition

• Wash gently once a week
• Use a light detergent and soft sponge or very soft brush
• Tackle tough stains with oxalic acid solution
• Fit a cover over the whole deck
• Repair loose caulk and plugs promptly
• Scrub with a hard brush
• Leave decks to get really dirty
• Sand except as a last resort

This article was originally published in the June 2007 issue of PBO.

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• Netherlands

Monday, September 3, 2018

Tackling moscow by train and boat.

Our first full day in Moscow started fairly late since we were still catching up on sleep.  Around 1, we finally were able to get our act together and get out the door. 

We stopped by a cafe to get some breakfast and headed over to the Red Square.  Since the festival is going on, we had to go through metal detectors.  Once we cleared security, we reached the State Historical Museum which provided an entrance to the Red Square.

We walked the length of the Red Square, passing by the Kazan cathedral.

Under normal conditions, the Red Square is a large walking area with the State Historical Museum on one end and St. Basil's on the other end.  On the sides is the Kremlin wall on one side and then the GUM shopping mall and the Kazan cathedral on the other side.  Presently, the walking area has been considerably narrowed and the fesitval grounds occupying a large space between the Kremlin and the mall.

We even asked a stranger to take our picture!

After walking around the Red Square, we had to leave to meet up with our Metro Tour.  

Moscow has famously pretty metro stations so metro tours are quite popular.  We booked a relatively inexpensive tour through a tour group which met outside of the Red Square.

On our way, we passed by the Kremlin gardens and the tomb to the unknown soldier and the eternal flame.

We soon met up with our group which, fortunately, was only 5 people.  Our guide told us that we were going to visit 8 stations during the 1.5 hour tour.  

Honestly, a lot of the stations blended in to me so I won't be able to give you a detailed description of all of them.  However, I did learn that there are 222 metro stations and the trains come every 2-3 minutes reliably.  For that reason, Moscow > DC. 

One of the first metro stations we visited had bronze statues all over of various depictions.  Many of the statues had superstitions tied to them.  For example, for a statue of the dog, it's held that if you rub the nose of the dog, you'll have good luck.  Consequently, most of the statue is tarnished - except for the nose.  I joked to Tomas that they probably rotate the "good luck" portion of the statue to ensure the entire statue gets polished.

However, I do remember some of the stations.

Novoslobodskaya is a station adorned with stained glass on the walls.

There was also Belarusskaya, which paid tribute to Belarus.

Another station which name I cannot remember but had pretty mosaics in the ceilings.

My favorite station was Komsomolskaya.  It's the busiest station and a hub for other connecting trains.  It was built during Statlin times and he wanted the station to embody beauty to set a good first impression to Russia.

I'd seen pictures of it beforehand since it's the most famous but it's so much more impressive in person.

Look at these ceilings!

Overall it was a very interesting tour.  Not sure of any other city which could offer a metro tour.  DC certainly can't...

After the tour, we headed back of the hotel to rest for a bit.  We had purchased tickets to a tour hour boat down the Moscow river.  The tickets were good for any time on any day and the boats left every 20min.  We decided to knock the tour out that day and headed over to the pier.  

We arrived at the pier and saw a boat by the company we had purchased from boarding.  We approached and they shook their head and said it wasn't the right boat. 

So we waited for another boat.

Another boat came along by the same company we had purchased from so weapproached them.  Again - we were told it wasn't the right boat and the boat we were looking for was coming.  

A third boat came along which was NOT by the company we had purchased from.  By this point, it had been longer than 20min waiting and I was starting to suspect that the correct boat was actually one of the ones which turned us away.   We approached the 3rd boat to ask if they knew which boat we should be on.  However, when we approached,  they waved us aboard without scanning our tickets.

So, we boarded the 3rd boat....which was definitely not ours.

We settled into an upper deck, open air table to take in the views.

We passed by pretty buildings.

The somewhat impressive cathedral of Christ the Savior.

This random statue.

After about hour on the cruise, Tomas remarked that it had been about an hour so we should be turning around soon.  I reminded him that we actually had no idea how long this cruise was or where we would be dropped off.  Since we were on the wrong boat.

Fortunately, it did turn around and took us back to the pier.  

For dinner, we decided to go to this burger place, Black Star Burger, which our guide told us about.  Tomas really liked his - I thought mine was OK.  It was a decent size patty with a mountain of Cole slaw on top.  We've realized that apparently Russians dislike getting their hands dirty while eating so some restaurants will give out gloves to use.  This particular restaurant gave out black gloves.

Tomas modeling our dinner.

Since little mum has been asking about pictures which show my feet, I assume she wanted to see my new shoes.  I recently bought Allbirds which are suppose to be super comfortable walking shoes which you wear without socks and can be washed.  I didn't wear them too extensively beforehand, so that was probably my first error.  I also didn't bring another pair of good walking shoes,  which was likely my second error.  The Allbirds were great the first two days without socks.  Midway through the third day, my right foot was quite unhappy. Left foot was a trooper. So, now I have a bandaid on the heel of my right foot and wear socks.  

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Mike Lynch and daughter among six missing after yacht sinks

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