Bring the Teak...

So all winter I have stored my buddies boat in my RV parking area, every time I go to take some trash out or go to that side of the house I look at how bad the Teak looks. I have decided that I'm going to take on the project and bring this Teak back from rough Gray looking and make it look new again. I just got some Teak Oil today and need some options on sanding and buffing this platform out. I have heard clean, sand, clean and oil... well what grit do I use (It's in pretty bad shape) and what are the steps to make this new again.

If you remember my end of the summer post the family brought this Pro V back to life (Calabria Pro V Project) just to say thanks for the time on the water. The inside is perfect and the outside is waxed, buffed and all it needs is some Teak work and it's ready for the season. Please Help!

Just like most everything I post I will have start to finish pictures...

Get bronze wool. Like steel wool but the bronze leaves no staining. You could also use stainless steel if you can't find bronze. Rub it with the grain.
That gets rid of the top surface oils and wood and leaves it open for the oil you are going to apply. Once that's done you can determine how bad it is and what else to do. If you've kept oil on it you might be able to just reapply new oil.

I actually decided to re-do my swim step today and it turned out well. The teak was pretty bad... it also looked gray.
Here is what I did:
-Sand 80 grit
-Clean with an air compressor
-Sand again
-Clean
-Rubbed with bronze wool
-Clean
-Applied a heavy coat of teak oil and let it sit for 30 min
-Re-applied another coat but wiped it off with a rag. I did this a couple times.

I wish I had pics but we put the boat back in storage.

Yank it off and get a fiberglass one. I have never liked my teak platform - too much maintenance to keep them looking "new" imo.

Art & ed ~~ Thanks for the advise and cant wait to get started. I guess I just need some free time.

Ted ~~ For it not being my boat I'm not ready to make that choice for him. Fiberglass is really a non maintenance but for myself I really like the look of Teak. It's kind of like a black car, ya it takes a lot to keep it nice but nothing looks better when it is taken care of.

check this out. these are the steps I followed... lots of work, but it looked like new when i was done...

http://www.tmcowners.com/teamtalk/attachment.php?attachmentid=6841

Thanks to the everybody that have helped me take on this project and get it done right. So yesterday it snowed like crazy in the morning and by the time the afternoon hit, the sun was out and looking at 40 deg. So I decided to take the platform off the boat and start the washing. HOLY CRAP that thing holds a ton of dirt and grime in it. I bought a tire scrubber and made up a bucket of hot soapy water (it was a little chilly out) and started attacking it. It took forever and I think I need to hit it a second time just to get to the point to start the wet sanding. I have all new respect for a perfectly looking Teak platform.

P.S. That thing weighs as much as a baby horse!

1)sand (120 first if it's in really bad shape) 220.
2) clean with teak cleaner and stiff brush (or bronze wool).
3) oil.
mine wasn't too bad, but here is a before and after. DO NOT replace it with fiberglass. teak is BA.

Well...... The first wet sand is in the books and the weather just might make it able to finish this project.

snappy teak will bring it to life.

Well finally some really good weather and some time to get the teak done. Three wet sands, cleaner, brightner, and two heavy coats of oil. I now have a lot of respect for somebody with a good looking teak platform.

Very nice!

-Steve

Now that person just has to do routine maintenance. Just clean once or twice a year, put a teak brightener on it and oil it. I for one like teak way better than fiberglass. Look at a 10 year old fiberglass platform and then a 10 year old teak platform. With an hour or 2 of work on the teak it looks brand new. It is a lot cheaper than having to do gelcoat work or replace the padding. The fiberglass ones get all dinged and scratched up.

Orbital sander with 60, 80 and 120 grit then oil. Maybe 30 minutes.

They all look great! Im jealous I dont have a teak platform.

Tigé RZ4

Looks good fella's. My 23XLV's platform.

nothing better looking on a boat than a nice teak platform.

those guys rhino-lining them should be taken out back and shot for their laziness.

I've been putting the oil on my brandnew teak platform the last couple days. one coat per day. I'm waiting for it to get to the point it soaks all that oil in and looks oiled and good all the time...

heard the teak oil will stain your boat if you don't watchout....anyone experienced that?

btw - when i first got my boat i thought i'd definately want to trade up to the fiberglass.

you think teak is like coffee or beer in a way?
your first experience with it you don't like the taste, but soon after you are hooked!

guys, awesome work on restoring those platforms, warm wood look it AWESOME!

where did you guys pick up the bronze wool from, i checked home depot and canadian tire and they only had steel wool.

jason-go to any marine type store, i go to west marine.

i just brought my teak back from the "grey" with "TE-KA". The stuff is awesome, it will bring up all the mildew INSIDE the wood as well as other crap that has worked it's way into the grain. After you use it, let it dry then go over with an orbital sander using 100-120 grit. You don;t want to go any higher than 120 otherwise the step will be slicker than snot. Then keep oiling it until it wont take any more oil. Mine took 5 coats of quality oil over the course of 2 days. Now it looks better than the day i bought it.

Sorry no pics, after all that work all i wanted to do was drink a few brews.

D.F.T.R what type of boat is that?