Teak care

[Dug]

Alchemy is supposed to launch this coming week, and all the spring polishing is done for the fiberglass. She looks pretty good so far. What I have left is the Woody Wax on the aluminum and then the annual teak triage.

I am a lifelong devotee of Tip Top Teak oil. This product is not available anymore so it appears. I am inconsolable!

After years of trying products of varying types, I have a set routine of set products that I know work for me. In short, they yield the results I seek, and I know how to use them.

Tip Top Teak is one of those products. In fact, the smell of that oil going on is one of those smells of summer for me... sick, isn't it?

So the question is then, what do I do?

Do I leave it blonde? And then every bit of gook and gunk will show? And there is some special concoction of 50% water and 50% ammonia or vinegar or something that many in southern climates use to keep the deck looking great! What is that mix, and how well does it work?

Or do I try another brand of oil? Any luck with Star brite?

I am not going to use cetol, or semco or any of those. Bad luck in the past, and no way no how.

How do you handle your teak if you have it? Thoughts anyone?

Thanks,

Dug

[Dug]

Other oils I could try and wonder if anyone has experience are:

- Amazon's golden teak oil
- Circa 1850 Tung n' teak oil

Hmmm...

[Buju]

Dug,

Not too crazy about the Starbrite products...

I've had real good results with Amazon's and Interlux teak oil as well. Also adds longevity to add about 25% boiled linseed to any teak oil (75% teak oil, 25% linseed oil)... as JP also mentioned the other day.

[Buju]

...also, for cleaning / resurfacing all I do is use a bleach & water mixture. About 2/3 water, 1/3 bleach.
1) wet the teak and surrounding area with water
2) apply water/bleach mixture with a pump garden sprayer
3) scrub the teak across the grain with a med bristle boat brush
4) re-apply water/bleach mixture and let sit for a few minutes ( don't let it dry)
5) scrub with brush across the grain again
6) rinse with hose

let it dry overnight and apply oil the next day

[CaptPatrick]

Patrick, what is the 50/50 mix again? Water and Vinegar? I can't remember. It leaves that nice blonde look...

Dug,

For cleaning I use 2 quarts of household sudsy amonia with 1 tablespoon of concentrated liquid dishwashing soap such as Dawn. For brightening, a 1:1 solution of household bleach & water. I use only a scrub pad, rather than a brush, to avoid digging away the soft grain of the wood when wet...

Br,

Patrick

[Carl]

Dug, you ahead of me. I just got started this past weekend.

I'm so far behind I took a shortcut on the teak, for what its worth I just powerwashed the teak and it came out pretty good, especially for somthing that sat out in the elements all winter.

Amazon teak oil has been the brand of choice for me for some time.

[dougl33]

I usually powerwash my swim platform in the fall and then give it a good scrubbing with softscrub with bleach in the spring. No oil for me.

[JP Dalik]

sudsy ammonia then a wood brightener (the teka part B or even the brightener crystals work fine)
I found that bleach leaves the wood a little greyish and the brighteners allow a blonder look.
Same a Capt Pat said. A scrunge pad soft bristle brush (blue or yellow head) or even a mit if it nots to stained.

Linseed oil is your friend.

[Stuart Cooperrider]

Dug,
I'm bummed to hear that. I've been using a 50/50 blend of Semco and Tip Top and it's been great.
What happened to Tip Top?
-Stu

[Dug]

First of all, thanks to all for the information.

I don't have a clue what happened. I know they don't answer their phone anymore, and seem just to have dropped off the face of the earth.

I think, plainly put, that it sucks. Such is life...

Dug

[In Memory Walter K]

Dug- When you come to the Rendezvous, Montauk Marine still has the granular cleaner and the brightener but no oil/sealer gallons. It was through them that I found out Tip Top has disappeared off the face of the earth. Walter

[Dug]

Walter,

I bought a case of the granular cleaner this spring. Cleaned some internet place out. I have also found the granular cleaner from Teak Decking Systems to be about the same.

It is the oil that bums me out. You are right. They are gone. Just gone!

D