Blue Heron
Guru
My sundeck Teak is in very good shape, but I have a few cracks in the joints between the teak planks that need to be filled. The "grout" is a black color. Any hints or tips to fill in the planks? Type of material?
thanks
thanks
Polysulfide is the standard. It is basically solid rocket fuel and applied correctly, should last for 15+ years.My sundeck Teak is in very good shape, but I have a few cracks in the joints between the teak planks that need to be filled. The "grout" is a black color. Any hints or tips to fill in the planks? Type of material?
thanks
Larry, I think you will find that the TDS product (my, and your link above) is polysulfide rocket fuel, just as Boatlife is, or Thiokol or others that cure from moisture in the air, which is why they will cure underwater (more or less instantly).Go back into the archives or google TDS deck caulking. The majority of new decks and repairs of older decks probably use TDS over other products. It's one part and other that using some acetone, no primers are required. You can buy the tubes on line.
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TDS may well have incorporated the primer, but the MSDS isn't helpful in identifying what it is. Changing the brand name doesn't change the chemistry.
The sailboat we owned for 24 years, built in 1979, had teak decks with Thiokol used on the seams. Looked about the same when I sold it as when I bought it. That would have been a 2 part system, like Boatlife "P" or "Z", which doesn't require a primer and will last many, many years, but is a hassle to mix and only has a one hour working time. The single part Boatlife product is not the same stuff, so I am not surprised it didn't work out for you Marin. I don't know, but what I think TDS is doing is using the silane polymers to modify a single part polysulfide product, resulting in a product that has excellent adherence and durability. Whether it is better than a 2 part catalyzed polysulfide, I have no idea, but I wouldn't assume that because boat builders save time in construction using a product, that that product is superior, but sometimes. After all, if the deck lasts 15 years instead of 25 years, it's still out of warranty. Since silane polymers have only been developed in the last few years, I guess we'll find out in another 15 years or so whether they are superior to the 2 part systems.Carl: You could be right. I'm not a chemist. TDS says it is a "one-part silane polymer", what ever that is. All I know is, like Marin, I've tried the others and TDS is all I will use.
Odd they don't use the TDS epoxy product designed for gluing teak decks, favoring the product designed as a seam caulk.If one believes Grand Banks they say they switched to TDS because they've found it to be a superior sealant. They use it not only for the deck seams but to glue the whole deck down-- GB stopped screwing their teak deck planks down sometime in the early 2000s if not earlier.
If one believes Grand Banks they say they switched to TDS because they've found it to be a superior sealant. They use it not only for the deck seams but to glue the whole deck down-- GB stopped screwing their teak deck planks down sometime in the early 2000s if not earlier.
We replaced all the teak on the house on our last boat. We cut and dry fitted all the pieces and then bedded the deck in TDS. We put concrete blocks on top of the teak for a couple of days. We then went back and caulked the seams. Not a fastener used and when we sold the boat 6 years later, other than some surface wear the decks were perfect. TDS is like black super glue that has flexibility.
Cool, glad it worked well. TDS seam caulk looks like it has the same tensile strength as 3M 4000, (300 psi), but quite a bit less than the epoxy TDS sells for gluing decks (7,600 psi). Hard to beat epoxy if you want something to stay put.We replaced all the teak on the house on our last boat. We cut and dry fitted all the pieces and then bedded the deck in TDS. We put concrete blocks on top of the teak for a couple of days. We then went back and caulked the seams. Not a fastener used and when we sold the boat 6 years later, other than some surface wear the decks were perfect. TDS is like black super glue that has flexibility.
The correct way!
Sealing the grooves and expecting the screws and plugs to remain waterproof after 25 years is just avoiding the reality of what's going on under that old teak deck. If it makes you feel good...then continue on.
Actually the screws and plugs are rarely the problem behind serious moisture getting under teak deck. At least so says every shipwright I've ever talked to about the care and feeding of teak decks.
Keep drinking the cool-aid.
If screws aren't an issue ever wonder why the industry doesn't screw the decks down anymore?
Keep drinking the cool-aid.
If screws aren't an issue ever wonder why the industry doesn't screw the decks down anymore?
...BTW, this is the reason one should always wash a teak deck with salt water. If water does get under the boards and migrate down into the subdeck at least it will be salt water which does not encourage dry rot as fast as fresh water...
I need a job at Boeing that pays me to play on computer forums all day. Then I would be smarter than everyone else.
Marin..you are the MAN!
If you ever decide to take the blue doilies off your bright work and go some place real with that GB rather than the three hour tour to the private island where you own property (impresses me). Let me know. I'll send you my professional and marine resume and maybe we can cut a deal.
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