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Teak Swim Platform Warping


The Hydro Foiling Plumber

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Just curious if anyone else has ever had an issue with a teak swim platform warping? I purchased my boat this past spring and noticed that some of the boards on the swim platform were warped. At the time I was not really concerned with the warping due to the price tag on the boat. Well now after using the boat...and loving it, it is starting to bother me. The more work that I put into the boat the more I really want the boat to be in top shape.

I would really appreciate someone with the same problem to reply and what they did to correct this. Also, can you purchase a new teak swim platform? If so wonder what that would cost? When the factory installs the platform do they mount the brackets on the boat then screw the platofrm to the brackets or visa versa? My thinking on the last question is even if you can purchase a new swim platform would I have a problem mounting it to my boat.

I have access to a wet steam cabinet and have thought about making a press of some kind either with some softer wood and C clamps or some angle iron and C clamps and steaming the platform...my thinking is that this will soften the teak wood and with the press would remove the warping in the boards...or would I ruin the wood?

P.S. I searched this site for a posting with this problem but all I was able to find was about re-finishing the platform, nothing about a warped platform.

Thank you in advance!

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A new platform from T.W. is about $450 delivered.

My platform started to warp so I bought some teak and added planks under the platform running from front to back in the two spaces where there was no support running front to rear. I clamped the crap out of the swimstep on a level table and screwed the new pieces to the existing platform after I sanded and stained them to match the swimstep. Didn't solve it 100% but, looks way better and doesn't flex as much. Spent about $40 on the wood compared to $450 for a new platform and then, what to do with the old platform?

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That's a good deal from that site, the last swim step from Malibu I sold was $475 (with the trap door for the wedge) but there was still $100 in freight additional.

The end of teak boards on swim steps are waxed (end grain sealed off) and if you ever sand your swim step and remove that wax, it allows water to get into the board and warp. That's probably what happened to your swim step boards when the previous owner owned it.

-Paul

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Hey guys thanks for the response.

Hey Pistol Pete, where did you find teak wood? Do you have to go to a true lumber yard...I don't recall ever seeing teak wood at Home Depot/Lowe's? Also when you screwed your teak wood together did you use coated wood screws, galvanized or zinc? Oh yeah and did you put glue between the boards that you added prior to screwing them together?

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I've been told that teak wood is naturally water resistant maybe due to the oils inside? Anyone know if this is true? Sounds like it isn't from what Paul said.

Plumber,

I got the teak at a really good lumber yard. The stuff is pretty expensive at about $40 a board foot. I have also seen it at West Marine but, in much smaller sizes and you need to bring your own jar of vaseline if you know what I mean. I used stainless wood screws available at W. Marine and did not glue anything before attaching. Just measured twice and then cut.

Maybe I'll snap a pic. this weekend. It looks pretty stock.

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I've been told that teak wood is naturally water resistant maybe due to the oils inside? Anyone know if this is true? Sounds like it isn't from what Paul said.

Plumber,

I got the teak at a really good lumber yard. The stuff is pretty expensive at about $40 a board foot. I have also seen it at West Marine but, in much smaller sizes and you need to bring your own jar of vaseline if you know what I mean. I used stainless wood screws available at W. Marine and did not glue anything before attaching. Just measured twice and then cut.

Maybe I'll snap a pic. this weekend. It looks pretty stock.

This may be a little late, but maybe help someone else, usually in that situation, you turn over the swimstep and clamp it down flat and one 1/2 at a time remove the original screws and install one size larger screws. What happens overtime is the fastenings loosen up and allows things to move around a bit, a little is all it takes. Also the end grain is pretty tight and doesnt soak up water like softwood or some open grain hardwoods, I've worked on boats that have had unfinished teak over 50 years old.

Edited by CRMNGRN
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As long as it's real teak it has enough oil in it, manufactures went away from teak wood awhile ago and started using other woods similar to teak (Irrico Wood spelling?) You can tell if it's teak or not because the ends of the boards will have a sealer on them or will be a different gloss than the rest of the board. Teak is really expensive and it's becoming a rarity.

You will probably be able to repair/replace that board if you have any hard wood shops in the area. You won't find it in any hardware stores.

-Paul

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Thanks for the tips; I will remove the swim step tomorrow and take some pictures...I have yet to post any pictures but I will try.

Once I post the pictures maybe this will help identify exactly what kind of wood it is. Also my dad sent me a link to web site today of a wood shop in the Dallas area that sells all kinds of hard wood; maybe I will take the swim platform to them and see what kind of advice they give me.

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Techno questions:

Which way did the boards warp? Here's why it may make a difference.

If the previous owner coated the top with a material (ie urethane) that sealed the wood fibres, then the TOP would have less chance to absorb water than the bottom of each board. The bottom surface would absorb water. (Especially if it sits in the water a lot.) When wood absorbs water, it expands. It then trys to become bigger..... voila..... warping. The boards cup "upwards".

Conversely, if the bottom was sealed with some form of sealant, and the top was never sealed, then on a very hot day the TOP of each board would release the moisture in the wood.... but the bottom could not.... so the top would try and shrink..... again, cupping upwards. You could also get the top side absorbing moisture really quickly (vs the bottom), and then the top surface tries to expand, then each board would be trying to cup "downwards".

All that to say, the top AND bottom should receive the SAME coating treatment to enable equal absorbing and release of moisture..... otherwise, you will get warping.

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Good advice on the larger wood screws. I did do that with a few of them when I installed the extra panes.

My boat is 8 yrs. old (until I get that Axis I ordered) and I refinish it every year with a sealer top and bottom.

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No help with the teak but may be a little chuckle. My grandfather had a mahogany boat for many years. After repairing rot many times he took the boat up to his cabin in the U.P.(Michigan) he didn't trust the transom for his outboard and used it as a row boat. Well one late fall he put it in the shed for winter. After dear season no one would use the cabin till late spring. The next spring he got up there and found the boat missing. He was a bit upset but he thought someone needed it more. Well doing some clean up he found the brass ore mounts and a bunch of brass screws on the shed Flore. the boat was totally consumed by Porky Pines. It was very evident with all the porky Pooh!!!!!!

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Mine is Teak. I had to replace a couple of pieces and I installed the wedge access door. The Teak was purchased from a Hard Wood supplier. I think Pete said that also. I'll ad a pic. Mine has never warped and I only put oil on it. I coat it maybe 2 or 3 times a season. I have two if they load correctly. The one is after and other is before cleaning. The new pieces will darken a little each year. These are two seasons ago.

post-144-1226252260_thumb.jpg

post-144-1226252293_thumb.jpg

Edited by Sunsetter95
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I pulled my platform off the boat yesterday; it looks like the board closet to the transom is the only one that is warped?

How do I post pictures so I can show you guys how bad it is?

Edited by The Hydro Foiling Plumber
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Mine is Teak. I had to replace a couple of pieces and I installed the wedge access door. The Teak was purchased from a Hard Wood supplier. I think Pete said that also. I'll ad a pic. Mine has never warped and I only put oil on it. I coat it maybe 2 or 3 times a season. I have two if they load correctly. The one is after and other is before cleaning. The new pieces will darken a little each year. These are two seasons ago.

The platform looks good; was the access door your idea or do some of the boats come with that? Either way that's a good idea.

Was it difficult replacing some of the boards? I am no Bob Villa when it comes to wood work. The reason I ask is because it doesn’t appear to me that you could just buy a board and put it on; the piece of wood is shaped with a curve to match the transom. Dontknow.gif

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Mine is Teak. I had to replace a couple of pieces and I installed the wedge access door. The Teak was purchased from a Hard Wood supplier. I think Pete said that also. I'll ad a pic. Mine has never warped and I only put oil on it. I coat it maybe 2 or 3 times a season. I have two if they load correctly. The one is after and other is before cleaning. The new pieces will darken a little each year. These are two seasons ago.

The platform looks good; was the access door your idea or do some of the boats come with that? Either way that's a good idea.

Was it difficult replacing some of the boards? I am no Bob Villa when it comes to wood work. The reason I ask is because it doesn’t appear to me that you could just buy a board and put it on; the piece of wood is shaped with a curve to match the transom. Dontknow.gif

Never mind on how to post pictures :Doh: ...I read that you need to have a paid membership to be able to do that. I will take care of that this week and pay for a membership...then I will post some pictures.

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You can post pictures by going to imageshack.us - upload them and then use the link for the forums it give syou.

Thanks!

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Mine is Teak. I had to replace a couple of pieces and I installed the wedge access door. The Teak was purchased from a Hard Wood supplier. I think Pete said that also. I'll ad a pic. Mine has never warped and I only put oil on it. I coat it maybe 2 or 3 times a season. I have two if they load correctly. The one is after and other is before cleaning. The new pieces will darken a little each year. These are two seasons ago.

The platform looks good; was the access door your idea or do some of the boats come with that? Either way that's a good idea.

Was it difficult replacing some of the boards? I am no Bob Villa when it comes to wood work. The reason I ask is because it doesn’t appear to me that you could just buy a board and put it on; the piece of wood is shaped with a curve to match the transom. Dontknow.gif

All of the newer boats come with wedge access doors in their platforms. My '95 did not so I put one in it.

All of my boards are cut curved. I only added the door, the one piece to even out the center with the ones on the sides of the door, and one other little piece. I have an aluminum plate on the bottom that secures all of the boards and offers much needed strength. I have had four people on the platform with no issues... yet! I also added some plastic to the underside of the platform (not in pics). It stops water coming off of the wedge from spraying people in the back seat when slowing down.

Edited by Sunsetter95
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  • 3 weeks later...

I finally got around to taking some pics of my upgrade.

You can see the pics. here. The first shot is what my 9 year old platform looks like after this seasons use. The next three are the mods. I've made. I added some teak to the underside of the mounting brackets to raise the platform about 1.5" And, just this past season, I added those two extra planks to beef it up and get the platform flat again.

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I bar clamped the platform down onto a table. (lots of bar clamps)

I used stainless steel wood screws to attach the additions. I tried to keep it looking stock even with the hole placement. Screws are available at W. Marine.

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