Wood swim platforms

[flynbryn]

Does anyone have any advice on re doing the teaq platforms?

[DKJBama92Mariah]

Caring for teak is a two step process. First, you need to remove the old oxidized wood. This can be done by sanding (big pain in the ass) or using teak cleaner. The teak cleaner comes in two parts. The first part is an acid. You put it on the wood, let it soak a while, and then brush the wood with a nylon brush to remove the crap. You then rinse, the wood and apply the 2nd step, which neutralizes the acid and then rinse again. Let the wood dry completely and you can move on to a protectant.

To protect the teak you have two options. The tried and true method is to apply several coats of teak oil. The second i discovered by mistake. I had cleaned by teak and then realized i didnt have any oil. I used some teak sealant that my mother had bought from a company called Smith & Hawken. I only intended it to be temporary, but that stuff has held up like iron. The wood looks like the day i cleaned it and its been a year and a half. One thing though, i'm not sure how well that sealant holds up to being constantly immersed. My platform is fiberglass, so i've only had to deal with the teak on thr boat.

Whichever route you go, i'd go ahead and plan on going that platform at least once a season. Its worth it though; freshly finished teak does wonders for the look of an older boat.

DKJ


The sealant is known as "Teak protector" and can be found here: http://www.smithandhawken.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=prod135251&categoryId=cat170 238&sku=115125

You can get teak cleaner at any marine dealership, wal-mart, or through West Marine at www.westmarine.com