Due to its natural durability and resistance to water, teak wood is often used on yachts for decking, flooring, and furniture. But over time, teak can lose its color and turn gray if it is exposed to sunlight, salt water, and other things in the environment. Yacht owners often use teak restoration to bring back the natural beauty of the wood. But when restoring teak, yacht owners should avoid making some common mistakes. We'll talk about some of the most common mistakes and how to avoid them in this blog.
1. Not Keeping the Teak clean enough
When restoring teak, one of the most common mistakes is not cleaning the wood well enough before putting any treatment on it. Oils in teak wood can make it hard for the treatment product to stick properly, leading to an uneven finish. Because of this, the wood needs to be cleaned well before any restoration work can begin.
You can use a teak cleaner solution that is made for marine use to clean the teak. Use a soft-bristled brush to scrub the wood surface with the cleaner to get rid of any dirt, stains, or grime. Rinse the wood well with water and let it dry all the way before moving on to the next step.
2. Too Aggressive Sanding
Another common mistake in restoring teak is to sand too hard. If you sand too much or too hard, you can remove too much of the wood's top layer. This makes the wood weaker and more likely to get damaged. Sanding too hard can also leave grooves or scratches on the surface that are hard to get rid of.
When you sand teak, you should be careful and use fine-grit sandpaper. Start with a coarser grit, like 80 or 100, to get rid of any rough spots or imperfections on the surface. Then, smooth the surface with a finer grit, like 220 or 320. Always sand in the direction of the wood grain to keep from making scratches that go across the grain.
3. Choosing the Wrong Finish
Using the wrong type of finish is another mistake that is often made when restoring teak. There are a lot of different types of finishes on the market, such as oils, sealers, and varnishes. Each product has its own pros and cons, and the right one for you depends on your needs and preferences.
For example, teak oil is often used because it has a natural, matte finish that brings out the wood's natural beauty. But you have to put it on often and it doesn't protect well against UV rays or other things in the environment. Varnish, on the other hand, is a strong barrier against water and UV rays, but it can be hard to apply and needs to be maintained often.
Before deciding on a finish, you should think about how much maintenance you're willing to do and what kind of environment your yacht will be in.
4. Putting off routine maintenance
Lastly, not doing regular maintenance is one of the most common mistakes that people make when they try to restore teak. Even after repairs are done, teak wood needs to be cared for regularly to keep its beauty and strength. If you don't do regular maintenance, you might have to spend a lot of money and time fixing things up in the future.
To keep teak wood in good shape, it needs to be cleaned regularly with a teak cleaner solution and refinished as needed. Also, don't let water sit on the surface of the wood, and use teak oil or other protectants to stop UV damage.
In conclusion, teak restoration is an important part of yacht maintenance and detailing. By not making common mistakes and doing things the right way, you can make sure your teak wood stays strong and beautiful for a long time. If you don't know how to restore your teak wood or need help from a professional, you might want to contact a reputable yacht detailing company that also does teak restoration. They can help you get the best results and keep your yacht looking its best thanks to their knowledge and experience.
