When we purchased the boat, the owners had installed teak floors in the cockpit. Although they were beautiful, they had weathered quite a bit over the years and were turning gray, dull, and stained. We decided it was time to do a little restoration work to bring some life back into this worn floor.
There are a wide variety of teak restoration products on the market. Many of them can be purchased online or in hardware stores. Since the prior owner of our boat had an almost empty bottle of Starbright Teak Cleaner, we decided to go with the same brand. We went with the three-step kit that included a bottle of Starbright Teak Cleaner & Brightener, and a bottle of Starbright Teak Oil. Steps 1 and 2 are combined in one bottle. We purchased the product at West Marine because we had a credit there, but you may be able to find it for less elsewhere. I’ve known people who have made homemade cleaners, but this Starbright product seemed to get good reviews and was convenient, so we went with that.
The first step was to clean the floor. Kory did this whole project himself, so I can’t take any credit. The only thing I did was vacuum the floor to get dust off. After that, he took over. He began by spraying the teak with water to get as much dirt off as possible and then letting the wood dry completely.
He then used a stiff bristle brush to apply the Teak Cleaner & Brightener to the dry wood. The instructions said to spread the product evenly using a brush, and then allowing it to remain on the surface for approximately two to three minutes before further scrubbing the wood in the direction of the grain. After this, Kory rinsed the wood with fresh water and let it dry. We could see a difference already. The dull gray had disappeared, the stains were gone, and a light teak color was appearing, Since the teak wasn’t in terrible shape, there wasn’t a need for us to patch any holes or sand the teak, but other floors may require that.
Step two was to apply the Starbright Teak Oil to the dry teak surface. Kory used microfiber cloths, but you could use a sponge or brush as well. He applied the oil by working in the direction of the wood grain to maximize penetration of oil into the wood. He waited 5 minutes before wiping the treated area with a clean cloth to remove the excess oil. Then he applied a second coat, but that only needs to be done if the wood is extremely porous.
Wow, did this ever make a difference. The natural wood color had come back and the teak was a rich golden brown. The stains were gone, and the worn-out, dirty teak cockpit flooring looked liked new. Thanks to Kory for some good old-fashioned elbow grease and determination. The before and after comparison is quite gratifying! Now all we do is reapply the Starbright Premium Golden Teak Oil at the first sign of weathering and it restores it like new again. Great product, and great, hard-working husband! The only thing I regret is not getting pictures of him doing the work!
