sailboat interior teak care

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From the Archives: Cleaning Interior Teak

• By Jan Irons
• Updated: November 5, 2015

The teak inside my 1985 Passport 37 is staved teak—the real thing. It was originally finished in satin varnish, and I cannot even think about how much it would cost (or how much work and time it would take) to refinish. Therefore I have a BIG vested interest in keeping it pristine. Twice a year I clean it completely—including every slat of the 204 slats aboard—with Murphy’s Oil Soap, let it dry, and then wipe down every inch with plain old lemon oil. The only caution is that “plain old lemon oil” in some other countries—Panama comes to mind—smells more like chemicals than lemons. Stay away!

I woke up this morning to a cloudy dreary day that looked like an ideal candidate for cleaning and lemon oiling Winterlude ‘s interior teak. It’s a project I try to tackle twice a year — once when we return to the boat and once just before we leave. Otherwise 30 year old teak will become tired and worn. Unfortunately this year I’ve been lazy and didn’t do it in November when we returned and knew I had to get it done before we leave to cruise for three months — when there will be MUCH more fun things to do than play with teak.

We are so lucky — the interior of our boat is solid teak staving — i.e. individual teak 2″ slats with a groove to all fit together. Although we did not want ANY teak when we were boat shopping, the teak is homey, warm and inviting and we’ve grown to love it… well at least 363 days a year. 🙂 So what’s up with the missing two days? That’s when I have to provide it the required TLC or it won’t stay looking pretty!

As I said I’ve been procrastinating this project for months. First I had get motivated to move everything that came into contact with the teak — books, hats, cameras, all the spices in the spice race – you’re starting to get the picture The boat is a wreck and I’m always astonished at how much CRAP we have “unstowed” everywhere! Every year I make a promise to myself to “clean up the mess” i.e. get rid of stuff just sitting around, not hidden, but every year when I do the teak I remember that I have not succeeded!

The second step is to wash all the walls and teak trim, drawers and louvered doors with Murphy Oil and water. I just squirt a bit of Murphy Oil cleaner in my little red bucket and fill it half full of water. Then I use a soft cotton rag to begin the process, starting in the front and working my way back to the companionway. I wipe down every bit of the teak – this portion of the project takes about 3 hours, without doing the quarterberth – that’s where I stuff all the stuff so that I can actually SEE the teak to clean it.

After letting it dry, I start back at the front of the boat with pure lemon oil. I use a Viva papertowel dipped in the lemon oil and proceed to wipe lemon oil over everything — generously. Despite the satin varnish, our teak will begin to soak up the lemon oil almost right away. After a half hour or hour, it begins to look quite splotchy, but I continue with getting a generous coat on all the teak and leave it alone. We’ll leave it alone for at least 24 hours. After 24 hours, I’ll take a rag and rub over to redistribute lemon oil, letting the splotchy areas that have already soaked it up have a bit more and getting rid of too much lemon oil on everything.

At this point, I start to put stuff away and regain my life. The entire project takes most of a day – by happy hour, I’m ready to celebrate it being done!

And the boat smells so good – if you like lemons!

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A Complete Guide to Teak Maintenance on Your Sailboat

By Joshua Bremmerer, CEO at  Komodo Covers Teak surfaces are divisive in the boating world—loved by some for their sparkling appearance and perfect grip, loathed by others for the perceived difficulty of teak maintenance. The reality is that teak is nothing to be afraid of, as long as you follow some essential tips to take care of the material properly, minimizing costs in the process.

Teak is famed for its various grains of hard and softwood, making it naturally adhesive and anti-slip in practically any weather condition. Furthermore, it maintains a relatively cool temperature , insulating a boat to avoid engine overheating. Due to the several types of wood, different teak maintenance methods can drastically affect its ability to last. 

So, it’s crucial to take the following steps into account to make sure you don’t mark the surface and keep your boat in excellent condition.

Cleaning is king

First things first, whatever you do, don’t use high-pressure cleaners on your teak because they will destroy the softer wooden elements, leaving ridges and areas that can quickly rot. Additionally, hard brushes or powerful cleaning detergents will cause a similar effect, damaging the vulnerable soft sections.

Instead, it’s much better to do regular cleaning—weekly if possible—with a very soft brush or Brite pad. You will see good results from lightly brushing against the grain with a mild detergent. If you see mildew or just want to make your sailboat sparkle, you could consider using a tiny amount of bleach, but do it with caution.

Smooth sailing with sanding

Most boaters with a teak deck consider it a standard practice to sand the surface once a year before the start of a season. Sandpapers come in various grits—for a teak deck, between 80 and 120-grit is the ideal level. The higher the number of grit, the more slippery the deck will be, so a medium level is suitable for teak as it will maintain the characteristic non-slip.

Seal the deal

Once you have cleaned and sanded the teak evenly, you can be forgiven for clapping your hands together and proclaiming a “job well done.” But you are still missing one last step—and it is a crucial one. A teak sealer will prolong the natural appearance of the wood for years to come while maintaining the pristine condition. Depending on the type of seal, some can contain biocides and even UV inhibitors which go that extra step in terms of preservation.

Aside from sealers, you can also consider using teak oil products, but be careful on how much you apply as sometimes overapplication of oil can promote mildew growth. If your boat isn’t going to be used regularly, this may not be the best course of action. The other issue with teak oil is that it doesn’t last particularly long, usually 4-12 weeks, depending on how well you have applied it.

Following these tips will put you in a great position to get your boat ready for a season on the water. If you choose the right cleaning products, sand your deck appropriately, and seal it with a good sealer, you should be able to maintain your sailboat deck for longer than you had ever imagined!

About Josh Bremmerer

Josh Bremmerer  is an  innate navigator, an experienced leader in the boating industry  with over a decade of experience in management and company development and a lifelong passion for boating.  As the manager of Glacier Ski Shop, Josh grew the small Shop into a nationally recognized business and increased profits by 400%. With that background, it’s no wonder Josh started his own business in the boating industry:  Komodo Covers . 

1936. Voyage around Cape Horn by schooner Wanderbird

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The Boat Galley

making boat life better

🎧How to Clean Your Boat’s Interior Teak

Published on July 19, 2022 ; last updated on November 29, 2023 by Carolyn Shearlock

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Is your boat teak looking tired and dirty? Here’s step-by-step instructions for cleaning your teak so it’s as good as new. 

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For the natural beauty of the wood to show, you need to apply a clear coating. The choices are oil, sealer, or varnish.

In clean air untreated teak weathers to an attractive ash gray, but where most boats live, the assault of modern-day air pollutants quickly turns bare teak nearly black. Scrubbing tends to leave behind an unattractive mottled look, neither golden nor gray. Most boat owners eventually find themselves unhappy with either look and decide that some treatment is essential.

Paint provides the longest lasting protection but it hides the wood. If we want the natural beauty of the wood to show, we must apply a clear coating. The choices are oil, sealer, or varnish.

Before teak can be given any coating, it must be completely clean. Your expensive teak is literally dissolved by strong cleaners, so always use the mildest cleaner that does the job. A 75/25 mixture of liquid laundry detergent (such as Wisk) and chlorine bleach may be adequate, perhaps boosted with TSP (trisodium phosphate). Apply this mixture with a stiff brush, scrubbing lightly with the grain. Leave it on the wood for several minutes to give the detergent time to suspend the dirt and the bleach time to lighten the wood, then rinse the wood thoroughly, brushing it to clear the grain.

If the teak is still dark or stained when it dries, a cleaner with oxalic acid is required. This is the active ingredient in most single-part teak cleaners. Wet the teak and sprinkle on the cleaner. Spread it evenly with a Scotchbrite or bronze wool pad, then give it a few minutes to work. While the wood is still wet, scrub it with the Scotchbrite pad or bronze wool. (Never, ever, ever use steel wool aboard your boat — it will leave a trail of rust freckles that will be impossible to remove.) Oxalic acid will dull paint and fiberglass and damage anodized aluminum, so wet down surrounding surfaces before you start and keep them free of the cleaner. Rinse the scrubbed wood thoroughly--brushing is required — and let it dry completely.

Two-part teak cleaners are dramatically effective at restoring the color to soiled, stained, and neglected teak, but these formulations contain a strong caustic and an acid — usually hydrochloric — and should only be used when gentler cleaning methods have failed. Wet the wood to be cleaned. The cleaner will dissolve natural bristles, so use a nylon brush to paint part one onto the wet wood. Avoid getting the cleaner onto adjoining surfaces. Remove the dissolved surface by scrubbing the wood with the grain with a stiff brush or a Scotchbrite pad.

Part two is an acid that neutralizes the caustic in part one, and it usually has some additional cleaning properties. Paint a sufficient amount of part two onto the teak to get a uniform color change, then scrub lightly. Flush away all traces of the cleaner and let the wood dry.

Oiling teak on boats is a time-honored tradition. Oil intensifies the colors and grain patterns of wood and gives the wood a rich, warm appearance. Because it simply enhances the inherent beauty of the wood — more like salt than sauce — 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 sorry truth is that teak will last just as long if you don't oil it — longer really, since repeated between-coat scrubbing wears the wood away. But oiling teak isn't about protecting the wood; it's about recovering and maintaining that golden glow that made us want teak on the boat in the first place.

Teak oils are primarily either linseed oil or tung oil, bolstered by resins to make them more durable. Linseed oil tends to darken the teak, but it is significantly cheaper. Tung oil doesn't darken the wood, and it is more water resistant than linseed oil — a notable advantage for boat use. However, a month or two after application, it may be hard to discern that much difference since both oils carbonize in the sun and turn dark. Proprietary teak oils address this problem with various additives, including pigments, UV filters, and mildew retardants. Some that perform admirably in one climate are reviled in another. If you are going to oil your teak, make your teak oil selection based on the recommendations of other boatowners in your area.

Apply teak oil with a paint brush. Immediately wipe up (with a spirits-dampened cloth) any drips or runs on fiberglass or painted surfaces, or the resins the oil contains will leave dark, nearly-impossible-to-remove stains. Watch out for sneaky runs below the rail.

Oiling requires multiple coats. The wood will initially "drink" the oil, and thinning the first coat about 20% with mineral spirits or turpentine encourages it to penetrate the wood more deeply. By the third coat, oil will begin to stand in some areas. Wipe up excess oil with a cloth. Continue to brush on the oil and wipe away any excess until the wood is saturated. The wood should have a matte finish without any shiny spots.

Another approach to achieving a natural look is the application of a sealer. Durability and ease of application have made some sealers very popular with boat owners.

Sealers don't feed the wood but, as the name suggests, they seal out moisture and dirt, and seal in natural oils and resins. Unfortunately, the oils and resins may already be lost, so the first step in applying a sealer to old teak is to restore the oil content with a thorough application of teak oil. Clean and bleach the wood to a uniform color, then oil it until it refuses to accept more. Now wait at least two weeks to let the resins dry before you apply the sealer.

After two weeks, wash the wood and let it dry completely. Sealers need an oil-free surface to attach to, so wipe the wood heavily with a rag soaked in acetone to remove all oil from the surface. The oil the wood has absorbed will be unaffected by this quick-flashing solvent. Unless the can instructs you otherwise, apply sealer exactly like oil. A throw-away brush is adequate for the job, and brushing technique is not a concern. Wipe away all excess with a cloth. Apply additional coats until the surface shows a uniform matte finish.

Maintain sealed wood by washing it and applying a fresh coat of sealer every two to three months.

Aside from its much-admired appearance, varnish offers genuine protection for the wood. 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.

The absence of pigment in varnish means it does not shield the underlying surface from the sun. 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. For exterior brightwork, select a quality spar varnish (not urethane varnish) heavily fortified with UV inhibitors. As always, get local recommendations from other boatowners before selecting a specific varnish.

Teak doesn't hold varnish as well as other woods due to its oil content, but a long-lasting coating is possible with the right technique. Books have been written about applying varnish. You may not get that perfect, mirror-like finish on your first try, but as long as the wood is ivory smooth, the weather is warm and dry, and you don't "worry" the varnish with too many brush strokes, you should get admirable results. Plan on applying at least six coats.

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The $tingy Sailor

Diy trailerable sailboat restoration and improvement without throwing your budget overboard.

Refinish Your Interior Teak To Better Than New

One of the things about older sailboats that I appreciate most is their abundance of teak woodwork. As a woodworker, I admire good craftsmanship, creative design, and a fine finish. It’s harder to find on today’s modern sailboats. Teak is in short supply so it’s more expensive than it once was and most modern sailors don’t want to spend time maintaining their brightwork. For the rest of us, beautiful teak appointments are an opportunity to set our sailboat apart from the rest and a sign of pride of ownership. Few improvements freshen up a sailboat’s interior like well maintained woodwork.

Before I continue, a bit of legal housekeeping. This post contains affiliate links. That means I receive a small commission if you make a purchase using those links. Those commissions help to pay the costs associated with running this site so that it stays free for everyone to enjoy. For a complete explanation of why I’m telling you this and how you can support this blog without paying more, please read my full disclosure .

Catalina Yachts was generous with the teak woodwork in their first generation sailboats, less so in the “new design.” The forward bulkheads and removable panels except for the locker lids are marine grade teak veneer plywood. Solid wood was used where it made the most sense: handrails, trim, compression post, and moldings.

The down side of wood in a sailboat is, of course, water damage. Teak is very water resistant; it contains a lot of natural oil.  But it’s not invincible and if neglected for too long it will begin to look more like firewood. Ultraviolet light can bleach the color, persistent deck leaks can delaminate plywood, and sustained humidity can foster mildew and add to that old boat smell. The best defense is a durable finish.

An inch of teak is a terrible thing to waste

You have a lot of options to choose from for a finish. They run the spectrum of cost, ease of application, performance, and appearance. Some finishes are better choices for some locations on a sailboat than others. Protection from the elements is most important for topside brightwork—UV resistant and waterproof. Below deck, the finish should also be water resistant but ease of application is also very important so that the finish can be repaired or reapplied without having to remove all of the woodwork from the sailboat as I show here.

Most experienced skippers have a favorite finish that they recommend and there is little consensus among them. Before you begin refinishing your own woodwork, it’s worth spending some time looking at other sailboats and talking to their owners to help you decide on a finish for your own sailboat. If your teak already has an aftermarket product on it like Cetol or a spar varnish, it might be best to stick with that product rather than try to strip it all off so that you can apply something else.

For woodwork that gets a lot of use and abuse, like the companionway step lid on a C22, consider applying a more durable finish like polyurethane, epoxy, or non-skid material like I describe in Turn Carpet Remnants into Custom Floor Mats .

Get started on that finish

Here are the basic steps that I follow to refinish interior teak:

1.  If the wood has never been refinished or if the existing finish is in poor condition, remove all of the parts from the sailboat so that you can work on them easier and apply the finish to all the surfaces.

2.  Remove all attached hardware (screws, snaps, etc.) and other non-wood materials like vinyl welting.

3.  If there is any visible (black) mildew, apply a mild acid like white vinegar or diluted laundry bleach to remove it completely, especially in the grain and any recesses. Test first in an inconspicuous spot. You might have to bleach the entire part to get even coloring. For more about bleaching prior to applying a finish and using oxalic acid, see Restore Your Exterior Teak to Better Than New .

3.  Use a sanding block with 220 and 320 grit open face paper to sand all the exposed surfaces smooth. Since the wood is so hard and oily, it takes such fine sandpaper to remove all the sanding marks and bring out the beautiful grain and coloring of the teak.

4.  Wipe all the parts thoroughly with a tack rag to remove all sanding dust from the pores and grain.

5.  Wipe all the parts thoroughly with a clean cloth wetted with acetone. This will remove surface oils that can prevent the finish from soaking into the wood.

6.  Apply the first coat of finish. If you chose a spar varnish, thin it with the maximum amount of thinner recommended by the manufacturer. This will help the first coat to soak in more and provide an excellent base for the subsequent coats. With the first coat of teak oil, the color of the wood will really warm up and the grain will start to show some depth. It will get better with every coat.

7.  When dry, if you chose a spar varnish, lightly sand with 220 or 320 grit open face sandpaper to remove any dust particles that may have settled on the surfaces.

8.  Apply additional unthinned coats to achieve the desired thickness and appearance. If you chose a spar varnish, sand after each coat except for the last coat. If you chose teak oil, lightly polish after each coat with a clean cloth while it is still damp, then allow it to dry completely before applying the next coat.

9.  If your sailboat has welting where the wood panels meet the fiberglass hull liner and they’re ugly or decaying, now is a good time to replace them. You can make new welting out of synthetic cord from a fabric store covered with vinyl or another material. For more on making welting, see  How to Sew Cabin Cushion Covers .

10.  Replace the parts in the sailboat but leave it open with good air circulation until all the fumes dissipate. If you chose teak oil, it is slow to harden and it can take a couple of weeks for the fumes to go away completely.

After you refinish your interior teak, it might make the exterior woodwork look worse. To read about my different process for refinishing topside brightwork, see Restore Your Exterior Teak to Better Than New .

I’ve worked with tropical woods before in various woodworking projects, but I’ve come to love teak for its golden, irregular coloring, interesting grain patterns, weather resistance, and durable hardness. After you work with it, you’ll understand why it’s been the go-to wood of boat builders for hundreds of years. I plan to use it in several future projects that I have in mind. For some easy and practical woodworking projects and how to use other hardwoods that look like teak but are more economical, see:

Make a Door to Storage Space Under the V Berth Make a Door for More Storage Under the Galley Make this Easy and Elegant Wine Glass Rack Add More Cockpit Seating With DIY Stern Perch Seats Make This Fold-Up Paper Towel Holder

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19 thoughts on “ refinish your interior teak to better than new ”.

Just this morning I removed all of the interior wood on my Precision 23 and plan to follow your good instructions. Just curious – did you treat the mildew the same as you explained for your outdoor teak restoration project?

My interior teak was in pretty good shape so I didn’t have to, but I would have done it the same.

Good luck with your project!

OK, the mildew in your “before” picture must have come off during sanding. I’ll hope for the same. By the way, the links to Daly’s Wood Finish in your exterior teak page are dead – you might want to update these especially if it helps pay for a few bills!

Exactly right, Tom. It was just on the surface and came right off with light sanding. The exterior mildew had penetrated deep into the wood so it had to be treated chemically.

Thanks for the heads-up about the links. They’re fixed now.

Love your site! I am a Navy Veteran in SoCal looking to buy a cheap Catalina 25 for my first boat. You have given me inspiration to not only go ahead searching but great ideas for getting a great discount for things that look like easy DIY.

Dear Stingy Sailor,

I bought a Catalina 22 ( 70-something) just a few weeks ago. I’m toatally in love with it.

The bed in the front is just to small for me, so I’m thinking about removing the ‘wall’ between the front and the bench on the stirn side. All catalina 22 but one that I’ve seen on the net have this metal bracket that seems to connect the mid stay to this wall.

Do you have a reccomendation: is it really neccesary the keep it there or not so much? . Hope I’ll here from you.

Kind regards, Robert Amsterdam, Holland

Yes, the forward wooden bulkheads between the V berth and the main cabin area are CRITICAL structural components. They transfer the force of the upper shrouds down to the hull. If you remove them, you could severely damage your sailboat.

Instead, I’d recommend you remove the galley from the starboard berth so you can stretch your feet out under the cockpit. It’s narrow, but it should be long enough for you. Another alternative is to lower the dinette table to make the port berth and use the portable toilet compartment cover boards and an ice chest to fill in the center aisle and make a large berth in the salon area. This is how my wife and I sleep when anchored out. It’s quite spacious. You can see how we do it toward the end of How to Sew Cabin Cushion Covers

Thanks for your question.

Met Vriendelijke Groeten, $tingy

Am I understanding you correctly? You oil outside teak and then varnish it???

That’s right, Jim. Especially if you bleach it first. That takes almost all the color out of it. The oil brings it back.

$tingy, earlier this week I started the task of conditioning the teak on my Cat 22 with teak oil. I started with the crib boards and now am planning to move interior. I am a little apprehensive to pull the interior teak out. More so, just not sure how to go about it. Any tips?

Hello, Shanna

It all comes out pretty easily without many tricks. All of the fasteners are relatively easy to access except the four small machine screws along the bottom of each forward bulkhead. The nuts are inside the adjacent lockers so you have to be a bit of a contortionist to hold them yourself or have a helper hold them while you remove the screws.

Label each piece so that you know where it came from and keep the fasteners together for each piece. Sandwich bags work well for this. Taking pictures as you go can help too. There are several different sizes and types of fasteners used and it’s important that you replace the same sizes in the same locations.

The trickiest part of the job is reattaching the pieces. The screw holes can be randomly spaced and difficult to realign, especially for the long, thin strips along the hull/deck joint. But once you get a couple screws started, the rest should go easier.

It’s also important that the bulkheads are firmly anchored at the top by the chain plates and the bottom by those four machine screws. The bulkheads transfer the force from the upper shrouds to the hull so you don’t want them to be loose or your rig won’t stay in tune. For that reason, be sure the bottoms of the bulkheads aren’t rotted and soft.

Best of luck with your refinish. Let us know how it turns out! $tingy

Hello $tingy, I have my exterior teak sanded, bleached and ready for finish. Have you heard anything about using Starbrite teak sealer for a couple coats, then varnishing with the same varnish you used for another 5+ coats? Also did you use varnish on your interior or just the teak oil? If just teak oil, did it have a bit of gloss? Thanks for ALL the helpful tips!

Hi, Christian

I haven’t heard of anybody using sealer only under varnish but someone may well have tried it. I don’t see much purpose to it, though. Seal coats are typically just thinned varnish so that it penetrates, which is the same process that Epifanes recommends when applying their varnish.

I use only teak oil on my interior teak and yes, you can build it up to a nice gloss if you want to but it will take 3-5 coats to get there, whereas you could just apply one or two coats of varnish over one coat of teak oil and achieve much the same result.

Hope that helps!

Thank you for sharing this informative article! All the information provided by you is really very helpful for all. I agreed that by using tack cloth you can keep your project dust-free and it is useful for cleaning fine dust off a surface. Everyone should follow the tips provided by you, it will make their work easier. Keep Posting! Keep Sharing!

This couldn’t have come at a better time for me, just about to do some interior teak work before we fit a new teak and holly sole

I really appreciate your article. I am in the process of stripping all of the think varnish from the teak handrails and fittings on my grand banks trawler and was thinking about going with just teak oil instead of using a urethane finish. Does the oil leak on to the gelcoat over time? Was also considering maybe using awlwood which is water base but requires 8 or more coats.

No, it dries hard like the linseed oil in oil based paints.

Hello, We tried to take unbolt the starboard bulkhead where the chainplate is located due to some rot at the bottom the bulkhead after a leak started from the plate of the middle shroud the top of the chainplate on deck. It was very difficult to reach in and get a hold on the bolts! We also found that the bolts were not flush with the teak plywood wall. But were hanging out a few inches. Can the bulkhead be taken out by itself without removing other pieces? How do you get a grip on the bolts inside the interior area? We are fixing the deck leak with cleaning, polyurethane sealant, new slightly longer screws, backed up by Butyl tape. Also, I am considering using Git Rot for the bottom of the bulkhead rot for this season and taking out this bulkhead in the fall. Do you think that is a good solution? Thank you, Doris

Hi, Doris Yes, they’re hard to reach but critical that they provide a strong connection between the bulkhead and hull liner since they transfer all of the load of the upper shrouds to the hull structure. You might need to have a helper hold the nuts while you turn the screws. The original screws aren’t extra long so it sounds like a previous owner installed whatever they had on hand. You can remove the bulkhead for repair or replacement after slackening the shroud and disconnecting the chain plate. I recommend that over any quick fix that might not be strong enough.

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How to Restore Teak Wood on Boats

Probably nothing can make or break the appearance of a fiberglass boat more quickly than the appearance of the exterior teak trim. Contrary to popular belief, teak is not a maintenance-free wood that can be safely ignored and neglected for years at a time. Though teak may not rot, it can check, warp, and look depressingly drab if not properly cared for.

Although it is not immune to neglect, teak is incredibly resilient, and can be brought back to life after remarkable amounts of abuse. Therefore, there is no excuse for drab, ugly exterior teak on any boat.

Unlike other woods used for exterior trim, the grey weathering of teak rarely extends very far below the surface of the wood. Instead of the tedious scraping and sanding essential to restore the weathered surface of, for example, mahogany, a fairly simple chemical cleaning usually suffices to bring even the worst of grungy teak back to a semblance of its original glory.

However, chemical cleaning can be pretty tough on the wood. Most chemical cleaners rely on a caustic and/or an acid to clean and bleach the surface of the wood. Inevitably, these powerful cleaners gradually erode the surface, softening the pithy portions of the grain and leaving raised ridges along the tougher growth rings of the wood.

Chemical cleaners can, however, almost miraculously clean weathered teak. The four-color brochures published by teak care product companies do not exaggerate when they show bright tan teak next to grey ugly teak, claiming that only a few minutes work will transform the dirty to the clean.

For best results, however, you should never let your teak trim get to the point that such drastic measures are called for: and once you get it back to like new condition, you should be prepared to put in the time and effort required to keep it in that condition.

Cleaning Teak on Boats

If your teak is dark brown from old, oxidized dressing, or weathered grey from neglect, the first step is a thorough cleaning.

The severity of the discoloration of the wood will determine the severity of restorative measures required. Because cleaners containing acids and caustic are hard on the wood, you should try to use as mild a cleaner as will do the job, even though it may take some experimentation and a few false starts to come up with the right combination of ingredients.

The mildest teak cleaner is a general purpose household powdered cleaner such as Spic n Span . A concentrated solution of powdered cleaner and vigorous scrubbing using a very soft bristle brush or, better yet, a 3M pad, will do a surprisingly good job on teak that is basically just dirty. Don’t scrub any harder than you have to, and always scrub across the grain. Every time you scrub the teak, you are removing softer wood, which eventually results in an uneven surface that raises the grain. Regularly using a firm brush to scrub with the grain will lead to problems down the road.

The advantage of a gentle scrub using mild cleaners is that while it is more work for you, it is by far the most gentle for your teak. Since you are likely to have some powdered detergent around, always try this method before going on to more drastic measures.

Simply wet down an area with water, clean with the detergent solution, rinse with fresh water, and let it dry. If the wood comes out a nice, even light tan, youre in luck. If its still mottled or grey, a more powerful cleaner is called for.

The next step is a one part cleaner specifically designed for teak, or the equivalent. These can be either powdered or liquid. Most consist of an abrasive and a mild acid, such as phosphoric acid or oxalic acid. They are more effective in lightening a surface than a simple detergent scrub. Many household cleaners like Barkeeper’s Friend contain oxalic acid.

If the cleaner contains acid, however, some care in handling must be taken. It is advisable to wear rubber gloves and eye protection using any cleaner containing even a mild acid.

The cleaning procedure with most one-part cleaners is the same: wet the teak down, sprinkle or brush on the cleaner, scrub down, and rinse off. Be sure to rinse well.

Even badly weathered teak should come up reasonably well with a one part cleaner. When the wood dries, it should be a uniform light tan. If some areas are still grey, a repeat cleaning should do the job. If, however, the teak is still mottled or discolored, the time has come to bring out the heavy guns, and with them the heavy precautions.

The two part liquid cleaners are, with only a few exceptions, powerful caustics and acids which do an incredible job of cleaning and brightening teak, but require care in handling to avoid damage to surrounding surfaces, not to mention your own skin.

While the instructions on all two-part cleaners are explicit, a reiteration of the warnings on the labels is useful.

Adjacent surfaces, whether gelcoat, paint, or varnish, must not be contaminated by the cleaners, most of which can bleach gelcoat or paint, or soften varnish. Constant flushing of adjoining surfaces with water while cleaning is usually adequate, but masking off of freshly painted or varnished surfaces may be more effective.

Hand protection, in the form of rubber gloves, is absolutely essential. In addition, do not use these cleaners while barefooted, and preferably not while wearing shorts. Eye protection is also a good idea. The chemical burns which can result from some cleaners can be disfiguring and painful. If the product label has the key words caustic, corrosive, or acid, wear protection and avoid splashing!

There is slight variation in the instructions for the various two-part cleaners, but the general principles are the same:

1. Wet the teak down;

2. Apply part one (the caustic), spreading and lightly scrubbing with a bristle brush;

3. When the surface is a uniform wet, muddy brown, apply the second part (the acid), spreading with a clean bristle brush;

4. Apply and spread enough of the acid to turn the teak a uniform tan;

5. Rinse thoroughly, and allow to dry completely.

It is fairly common to use almost twice as much of the second liquid (the acid) as the first, in order to get uniform light color. For this reason, its a good idea to buy an additional bottle of the second solution, when it is available. Despite the fact that most manufacturers package two-part cleaners in kits of two equal-sized bottles, they usually make additional bottles of the second part available.

Unless the instructions require it, do not rinse off the muddy brown surface of the teak after it has been treated with the caustic. You will be washing unneutralized, corrosive liquid all over the rest of your boat. Thorough neutralizing with the acid wash will minimize problems.

Surface Preparation for Finishing

A freshly cleaned teak surface is a joy to behold, but it wont stay fresh, clean, and light for long if you don’t take care of it. In fact, the surface will begin to oxidise instantly as it dries. The sooner you complete treatment after cleaning, the better.

Teak, like many woods, has grain which varies a great deal in hardness, even within the same piece of wood. Over time, even a simple scrubbing with detergent will wear away the softer portions of grain, leaving ridges of harder grain. The irregularity of such a surface merely accelerates the rate at which it gets dirty again.

Before getting out the sander to smooth out the grain, however, look at both the function and construction of the wood youre dealing with.

If the teak surface youve cleaned is teak-faced plywood, theres a good chance that a thorough sanding to smooth the surface will go right through the layer of veneer, effectively ruining the piece. On the typical fiberglass sailboat, veneered or plywood components include conpanionway drop boards, hatch tops, and sometimes cockpit seats and soles. Before sanding any of the parts, examine them carefully to see if they are solid lumber or veneer. Since exposed edges of plywood are sometimes covered with veneer strips to make them look like solid lumber, you must look pretty closely.

Although decks are usually solid lumber, they also can present problems. If the decking is much less than 1/2″ thick, and has plugged (bunged) fastenings, sanding out the grain ridges may sand away enough material to sand through or loosen the bungs, exposing the fastenings.

Even when bungs are set in epoxy, they require a counterbore at least l/8″ deep to hold them in place.

Even if the grain is quite pronounced on laid teak decks, you may be better off living with a cleaned irregular surface than opening Pandoras box by trying to create a perfectly smooth surface.

On other solid teak items such as handrails, toerails, and Dorade boxes, thorough sanding of the chemically cleaned surface before treating with a sealer will result in a much more attractive surface.

Do not, as we have seen many times, attempt to restore badly weathered and grey teak by sanding before chemical cleaning. Chances are that you will quickly discover that a discouraging amount of sanding is involved, and you will end up using a chemical cleaner in any case. Sanding both before and after treatment is a waste of effort, and is likely to remove more wood than is necessary. On teak with pronounced surface irregularities, it could take forever to sand them out to get a uniform surface color, while chemical cleaning will quickly lighten even the deepest gouges or grain defects.

Wait until the cleaned teak is thoroughly dry before sanding or applying teak dressing.

Sanding of cleaned teak is not always required, particularly if the surface is to be treated with an oil-type dressing rather than a gloss finish such as varnish. Surface irregularities show far less with the matte finish of teak oils.

Granted, perfectly smooth teak is likely to be more even in color, and some esthetic sensibilities are offended by a surface showing pronounced grain pattern. From a simply functional point of view, however, irregularities are unimportant except in terms of simplified cleaning in the future.

Unless you intend to put in the effort required to maintain your teak between major cleanings, sanding the teak smooth is a waste of time. The next chemical cleaning will simply repeat the grain-raising cycle, requiring another sanding.

If you swear youre going to keep the teak up, however, a good sanding will enhance the woods appearance.

The safest tool for general sanding is a high speed orbital sander such as the Makita B04510. If you use successively finer grades of aluminum oxide sandpaper, and don’t slow the machine down by applying pressure, it will leave a smooth, relatively swirl-free surface suitable for finishing with a teak dressing.

Inexpensive, heavy, slow-speed orbital sanders should be avoided. They leave telltale swirl marks on the surface which are accentuated by the application of finish, and their sanding is generally too slow.

Never use a disc sander on a surface to be finished bright (oiled or varnished), unless you are one of the few experts who really know how to handle this potentially destructive tool.

The same goes for the belt sander. It is perhaps the most efficient tool for smoothing large, flat surfaces, but is capable of doing heartrending and irreversible damage in the hands of the inexperienced. For decks and hatches of solid lumber, the belt sander is the answer – but only if you are thoroughly experienced with the tool, and only with a heavy duty machine that has a large sanding surface.

When power sanding, always mask off adjacent areas of gelcoat. Even lightly touching a polished gelcoat surface with a sander will damage it. The same rule applies for hand sanding.

Remove masking tape immediately when sanding is completed. Even leaving the tape on overnight on an exterior surface is likely to make it difficult to remove. Tape adhesive residue can be removed with a mild solvent, such as alcohol, and gentle rubbing with a coarse cloth, such as a piece of toweling.

After sanding, remove sanding dust from all surfaces with a vacuum cleaner. If electricity is not available, sweep thoroughly with a dusting brush or a large paintbrush which will no longer be suitable for painting because it is full of sanding dust. Obviously, you don’t sacrifice your best badger hair brush for this. The cheapest bristle brush will do fine.

Applying a Finish to the Teak

The final step in rejuvenating an exterior teak surface is the application of a dressing or sealer to retain for as long as possible the appearance of the freshly prepared wood.

Our own preference is a dressing which does not darken the wood. For our top-recommended sealer check out the six-month results of our ongoing test of wood finishes . For really durable finishes on teak trim, or caprails, there are a variety of options. Search under wood finish, or teak treatments to turn up our most recent wood finish test results . This article on varnishing also has some good tips.

The choice of a teak dressing is, however, as much a matter of esthetics as function. Look around at the boats whose exterior teak looks best to you, and query the owners about the products they use.

A major caveat is in order. No exterior teak finish lasts very long. For optimum results, monthly application of dressing is required, with a good scrubbing with detergent and water before applying a fresh coat. Youre kidding yourself if you think a once-a-year treatment will keep your teak looking good.

Do not attempt to use household-type furniture oils for exterior teak. They will not stand up to the weather.

Whatever teak dressing you use, be neat in applying it. Slopped-about teak dressing may not show when it first gets on fiberglass, but it inevitably darkens with age, leaving stains that look just as bad as varnish spills, and are just about as hard to remove. Clean up spills and overruns immediately with a rag dipped in mineral spirits unless another solvent is specified by the manufacturer of the dressing.

Masking tape is not particularly effective in protecting surfaces from spills of teak dressings, as the viscosity of most dressings is so low that they simply bleed under the edge of the tape. The answer is careful application, and careful cleanup.

Maintaining Your Teak

Your job isn’t over when the last coat of dressing is applied. To look its best, exterior teak needs frequent attention. With a boat used in salt water, frequent washdowns with fresh water will prolong the life of the dressing, but scrubbings with salt water and a brush will reduce it.

Horizontal surfaces, such as hatch covers, will require more frequent coats of sealer than vertical surfaces, such as companionway dropboards. High traffic areas like a teak cockpit sole will require the most attention of all, but are the easiest to scrub and retreat, since sanding is not usually desirable.

If all this sounds like a lot of work, thats because it is. That explains why the exterior teak on so many boats looks so grubby.

It is still, however, less work than maintaining a varnished exterior teak surface – a lot less. If you really think you want varnished teak, try maintaining a clean oiled surface for a season first.

Few things look better on a boat, particularly a white on white fiberglass boat, than well-maintained exterior teak trim. An owner who neglects exterior wood is likely to be the same owner who rarely changes the oil in the engine, and who rarely bothers to put on the sail covers after a days sail when he expects hes going sailing again tomorrow.

Owning a boat isn’t all play. A boat is a major investment, and like most investments, the more attention you pay to it, the more it will return. The time you put into maintaining your exterior teak is well invested. The return is not only pride of ownership, but dollars in your pocket when the time comes to sell the boat.

RELATED ARTICLES MORE FROM AUTHOR

Well written and informative We just bought a 21 ft 1991 celebrity Cuddy and it’s like an antique with beautiful teakwood adorning this old girl! The boat has been well taken care of but teak is teak thanks for the tips Any tips on removing the discoloration on bottom after a few rides in the river I tried washing off but won’t rinse off I guess I waited too long to rinse Is there something you can put on the bottom so that dirt doesn’t stain

Starbrite hull cleaner

What is the caulking between the teak strips (usually black) I would like to replace some that has come out.

Jimbo. There are a few different types, each with their own characteristics. Here is a test that should help you find one that works for you. https://www.practical-sailor.com/boat-maintenance/paints/teak-deck-caulks-rated-for-durability-and-resistance-to-chemicals

That’s really nice post. I appreciate your skills. Thanks for sharing.

I really enjoy the simple yet concise steps on how to restore teak wood on a boat. As teak wood outdoors is exposed to different pollutants, it can require to keep it well-maintained as long as it is used. Thank you so much this information was certainly helpful

This was certainly the best written and most informative article I have read on the subject. I recently bought a sailboat with poorly maintained exterior teak, and now I have a solid plan going forward. Thanks

Enjoy your boat comments. Would appreciate your best idea for a older boat to be sold. I have a 43’Gulf Star Trawler,well kept,that l would like to sell How would you go about this? Will appreciate your comments.

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What is the best interior Teak Oil?

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Never mind the price, looking for the best quality and protection. Heard that Watco Danish teak oil from Home Depot is pretty good? Any suggestions on brand and best application method?  

All of my interior teak is varnished. Frankly, not sure I would want it oiled. On deck is not too bad. I redid my interior with "Top Secrete" spar varnish, I would assume any other brand would work just as well. This brand did not have the yellow tint like some brands of spar varnish has. marty  

Watco is a brand...  

Not sure if it is technically appropriate or not, but I used lemon oil on the cabin teak. It gave the cabin a nice smell and seemed to refresh the wood.  

conditioning teak So this may seem silly and I'm all ears when it comes to alternatives but, when I owned my last boat I treated my teak with Johnsons Paste Wax. Yes, the stuff that comes in the yellow can that you can buy anywhere. I'd put a glob in my hand, or on a non-absorbent fabric, and rub it into the bare teak until it was smooth. It conditioned the teak, made it repel water and moisture, kept it smelling nice and made the teak grippy, especially on your hands. I did it for three years. The teak always looked great and an application lasted quite a while. Did I mention I could buy it at almost any store and it was tres' cheap?  

I just use regular old orange oil and it comes out looking and smelling great. I tried buying expensive special teak oil at the marine store and it doesn't work half as good. Also I don't know about your boat but sometimes on mine I get a little whiteish in color mold that forms on the interior teak and makes the wood look dry and worn out. I go over the entire surface of the interior cabin with a cleaning solution containing bleach to kill the mold and to clean the wood. I then follow up with the orange oil and it really transforms the boat, makes it smell great and keeps the teak in good shape. I have also heard simple lemon oil works great as well. Save your money on the expensive stuff. Nick  

Teak is a naturally oily wood that resists decay. This is why is is used in marine applications and why it must be wiped with acetone or laquer thinner prior to varnishing to remove the surface oils and allow the film finish to dry. There is no reason to put oil on an oily wood. Even if that wood is a veneer. The only reason to put any finish on teak at all is to protect it and keep it clean. Oils that are applied to teak act to trap dirt and grease. On both our boats, I had to strip years of grime and Murphy's Oil with acteone followed by a light sanding and 6 coats of satin urethane. High traffic or UV areas received gloss urethane. The result is a finish that needs no maintenance other than a wipe of a mild soap from time to time. VICTORIA (and her mistress)  

Watco wood oil is primarily a furniture-quality finish. I don't think it would fare well on outdoor teak. And in-cabin teak would probably fare better being varnished. Just my opinion, but I spent a few years in the paint industry and sold and used quite a bit of that stuff. A boat interior is generally about the same environment as occasional-use patio furniture... fair amount of moisture, etc. And varnish is mfr'd. from the same kinds of oils that are used as wood finishing oils... I would be concerned that oiling the wood wouldn't hold up as well as several coats of varnish, especially if you've got a moist boat interior (some are better than others - mine tends to get a bit wet inside).  

On my previous boat the spring routine was to wash all the interior teak with Murphys Oil Soap and then apply teak oil. Teak looked great. I used West Marine and other brands. Didn't see much difference between brands. My new boat has varnished interior teak. I love the look but hope it doesn't take a lot of time to keep it up. If it was oiled, I would continue my old routine, not bother varnishing it.  

As I mentioned earlier, my boat is all varnish, probably equal to the pics by nk235 in my Jeanneau. When I revarnished everything 3 yrs ago, it was the first varnish added to the interior since it was manufactured in 85, so 22'ih yrs! Not bad if one asks me, not that any of you did. And what I did, still looks good. Exterior, from trying to keep the varnish on that the original owner did. not worth it! Time to sand off what varnish is there, add some oil, let it go gray! My 02, nto that 02 is worth much these days! marty  

In case there's any confusion (and I hope no one think's I'm trying to get into the middle of a disturbance here) I'd like to point out that "oiling" and using a product like WATCO Danish Wood Oil, etc. is really not the same thing. WATCO is a rubbing varnish basically. The oil/varnish product dries, just like varnish, requires proper prep just like varnish, and because it dries more slowly than varnish can be prone to problems in high-humidity areas. I used to have to troubleshoot this product for unhappy consumers who had used it expecting miracles. It's a great product in the proper application. Just make sure you're not expecting miracles!  

An oil finish on interior Teak will eventually turn dark as the oil/wood oxidizes over the years. My choice for the 'best' oil finish for interiors is a 'resinated' oil finish: 25% oil-based varnish, 75% oil. Resinated oil finishes are easily stripped, as easy as stripping any other oil finish, with TSP, etc. A commercially available 'resinated' oil is: NuTeaK by Marykate, but virtually 'front line 'teak oil' sources also offer 'resinated oils'. You can apply this thin like traditional oil, or for best results brush it on thick - like varnish. Resinated oil finishes when dry/cured can be flat sanded and then hand-rubbed for a gloss shine that exceeds the gloss of straight varnish. With a bare/clean hand, use Rottentstone and water to rub into a gloss finish, or Rottenstone and oil for a semigloss ... or pumice and oil for a 'true' hand rubbed satin finish. Rottenstone is available in all paint stores. You can also wax over a cured oil finish to make it 'last longer'.  

I have a varnished interior on my tayana 37 built in 1985 and have used Old English furniture "oil" on it from day one. Still looking good after all of those years.  

Varnish in the cabin is also great but takes a lot of time and precision to do a whole cabin especially one with a lot of teak such as the boat I have. Click to expand...

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Cleaning a Boat: How to Care for the Interior...

Cleaning a boat: how to care for the interior.

You work hard to keep your boat looking beautiful. You routinely take it out of the water, give it a thorough washing, apply wax, and do your best to protect the exterior paint job on the hull—the paint job that has made your boat resemble the boat of your dreams. Then the unexpected happens—someone spills juice all over the interior carpet.

Any proud boat owner knows that feeling. Your work isn’t quite done until you’ve mastered the art of cleaning the interior of your boat as well as the exterior. And while we at BoatLIFE have a lot to say on this particular issue, we thought a quick overview was in order for beginners.

The Boat Bilge: A Review

Last time, we offered a simple three-step program for cleaning out your bilge, and it boils down to:

• Acquiring the proper cleaners, especially a dedicated bilge cleaner
• Applying the cleaner and letting it soak
• Scrubbing and rinsing

Of course, there are more subtleties to the entire process that warrant your further investigation. But remember this: before you clean your bilge, do the proper research, because the process you use will ultimately be not only more effective, but far easier.

Vinyl Upholstery

• Clean off vinyl with a damp cloth first, removing salt, grime, dirt, and other debris.
• Apply a thin layer of VinyLIFE vinyl cleaner.
• Rinse with fresh water, dry, and repeat as needed.

Additional steps may be needed if you have deep mildew stains—a good firm brush including a 4-1 water-ammonia solution is recommended at AmericanBoating.org.

If your teak has degraded over the years, you may want to think about sanding it down before a proper cleaning, just to refurbish the teak to a higher quality and ensure that the sealer works into the teak itself.

These three challenges represent some of the most labor-intensive cleanings you’ll have to do on your boat; but if you do them properly, then not only will you maximize the effectiveness of each clean, but your proper maintenance will help keep materials like vinyl and teak well-protected…although you might want to rethink that putting an end to that darn orange juice policy.

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Interior teak care/refinish

• Thread starter Stephen Blake
• Start date Feb 16, 2002
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Stephen Blake

My "new" '77 25 is almost ready for the water. I'm about to finish/refinish the teak bulkheads and trim around galley etc. All the wood inside is really dry, so I thought I would apply plenty of lemon oil as soon as I have cleaned it. I see some owners have shiny varnished-looking wood interiors. If I do decide to put on varnish, which should I use? Should I oil first to replenish, then varnish? Or is it more practical to just oil on a regular basis. Any suggestions or photos of examples would be greatly appreciated.Thanks, Stephen  

Capnrmorgan

Do one or the other Stephen,Stick with one or the other...Oil is nice and tung, lemon or linseed are good choices. If varnished look is what your after try Bristol Finish (two part mix that looks like varnish) or traditional spar varnish...Given the softer look, and interior, I'd go with the oil....Thanks  

Justin - O'day Owners' Web

I like oil Stephen -I refinished all of my interior wood over the past few days. I used oil for a number of reasons and am triller with teh result. If I get to the boat in the next few days I will snap pictures for you.First - I like the look of well oiled wood. A little sheen, lots of color, no gloss. I have no varnished brightwork on my boat other than the tiller. I need to reoil about twice a year on the exterior stuff - takes about an hour each time. Inside, I don't expect to reoil for yeras.Next - If you varnish then ding the wood you have an annoying repair on your hands. With oil, just sand the ding then reoilInitial application with oil is much easier. In my case the interior had only been oiled in the past so a light sanding opened the grain and the oil went on with a rag. Total time - three hours.The exterior bright work had to be sanded to remove the old varnish. I had access to an industrial woodworking shop so it was easy but I'd have done it anyway because no matter what you're going to apply you need a good surface to start with.Justin - O'day Owners' Web  

Oile,oile, oile I cleaned all the interior woodwork today using either steel wool and/or sandpaper and/or Simple Green. The guy who was finishing filling the huge OMC hole in the hull was present and I asked him if he had any suggestions. He said that oil was the way to go as the interior was all teak. Well, I started squirting lemon oil all over the place and I would never have believed how beautiful that teak turned out. Did the entire project in only one day and, as you say, simple maintenance ahead.Stephen  

Stephen Don't fill that hole, Put a port in for underwater veiwing!r.w.landau  

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• Chelyabinsk Oblast /

This page provides a complete overview of Miass, Chelyabinsk Oblast, Urals, Russia region maps.

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Places in Miass

Browse the below list of cities, towns and villages in Miass, Chelyabinsk Oblast, Urals, Russia. Many different map types are available for all these locations.

• Cheremshanka – Zolotoy Plyazh
• Cheremshanka
• Chernovskoye
• Indashtinskiye
• Izvestkovyy
• Mashgorodok
• Melent'yevka
• Melent'yevskiy
• Mukhametovo
• Nizhniy Atlyan
• Novoandreyevka
• Novotagilka
• Severnyye-Pechi
• Vasil'yevka
• Verkhniy Atlyan
• Zolotoy Plyazh

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Hotels in popular destinations in Miass

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We automated the entire process of turning geographic data into map graphics. Thanks to that, we are able to create maps in higher quality, faster and cheaper than was possible before.

Different perspectives

The map of Miass in presented in a wide variety of map types and styles. Maphill lets you look at the same area from many different perspectives.

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Vector quality

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