Teak Deck Maintenance & The Best Way To Clean Teak

Many people are put off the idea of teak decks by many of the horror stories that circulate. In reality, there is no reason to be frightened off and if looked after and cared for correctly they can be cared for with minimal hassle and cost.
Teak decks are one of the solutions for marine and outdoor decking. They also have practical benefits too.

Such as:-

• Anti-slip – they are a great safety feature as the teak wood is naturally rough and therefore is anti-slip under pretty much all weather conditions
• They also provide an excellent insulating effect on either the interior of the yacht or under your feet when walking outdoors.

Correct teak deck maintenance is an important aspect of any outdoor care program and looked after correctly a teak deck will last for many years.

How to clean teak wood

Teak wood itself is made up of hard, and softwood elements and whilst teak is very resilient.
It is very easy to drag out the softwood elements leaving ridges of hardwood.
If cared for correctly a teak deck will wear naturally and should not require overhauling for between 10 – 15 years. After that, it will only need to be sanded to have an extra life (most teak decks could be sanded more than 5 times)
Our advice is to wash it regularly as you would with freshwater fresh using only a soft brush.
Once or twice a year it is recommended you clean teak decking with a special teak deck cleaner.
Follow the manufacturers’ directions and make sure you gently scrub across the direction of the grain.
We recommend using a nanofiber cleaning pad.
It is also worthwhile to inspect all your caulked seams as these can become worn over time – and you don’t want any moisture penetrating between the deck planks, so it is important to fix any worn or damaged caulking.

What NOT to do;

Don’t use high-pressure cleaners, they will blast out the softwood elements of the teak leaving ridges and will force you into prematurely sanding your teak decks.
Don’t use hard brushes or household cleaning detergents as again these can damage the soft surface.
Always make sure that you use proper teak cleaning solutions on your decks, as this will ensure its longevity.
At the end of the day, less is best!

Teak Deck Treatments

It is natural for teak to turn a silvery grey colour and for many, this is the traditional way to leave teak decks.
However, some people prefer to keep teak looking like new and freshly sanded colour.
There are several options for teak deck maintenance:-
Traditional Teak Oils:- We don’t like using too much oil on a deck.
You have to regularly apply it as it only lasts between 1 and 3 months and if it turns grey you have to reapply
The second option is to apply an outdoor polyurethane coat, it is very easy to use and can be applied with a brush and rags.
On freshly cleaned (dry) teak simply apply two coats.
Then depending on wear and tear you can expect to apply a further coat every 6 – 8 months but in this case, the deck will be a bit slippery and scratchable

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