Teak Deck Maintenance and Restoration Course
This course teaches you to assess, maintain and restore teak decks on leisure boats: correct cleaning, sanding, recaulking and renewing damaged planks. You will also learn bonding techniques on the substrate and today's synthetic alternatives.
Prior knowledge check
These are the skills this program gives you. Tick the ones you already master and we will tell you which part of the syllabus is for you.
You are starting from scratch in this subject. The program is designed precisely for that.
What is the Teak Deck Maintenance and Restoration Course?
This short course teaches you to assess, maintain and restore teak decks on leisure boats: correct cleaning, sanding, recaulking and renewing damaged planks. You will measure remaining thickness and detect water ingress, clean with two-part products and cross-grain brushing, recaulk seams with primer and caulking compound, renew planks with cutting, epoxy bonding and plugs, and protect the wood with oils, sealers and seasonal maintenance.
What sets this course apart: expert diagnosis of remaining thickness, seams and substrate moisture; complete recaulking, from extraction and priming to polyurethane compound; marine carpentry, with the renewal of planks, plugs and seam battens; conservation, with cleaning methods that do not wear the wood away; and a practical case in which you restore a real deck step by step.
Program highlights
- Expert diagnosis: remaining thickness, seams and substrate moisture.
- Complete recaulking: extraction, primer and polyurethane caulking compound.
- Marine carpentry: renewing planks, plugs and seams.
- Conservation: cleaning methods that do not wear the wood away.
- Alternatives: synthetic PVC teak, marine cork and certified timbers.
- Practical case: restoring a real teak deck step by step.
Syllabus of the Teak Deck Maintenance and Restoration Course
5 modules. Select a module to see its content.
Teak and deck systems
- 1.1. Properties of teak (Tectona grandis): natural oils, density, stability and origin
- 1.2. Fitting systems: screwed planks with plugs, epoxy-bonded planks and prefabricated panels
- 1.3. Deck substrates: GRP sandwich with balsa or foam core and marine plywood
- 1.4. Caulking seams: groove geometry, bond-breaker tape and width-to-depth ratio
- 1.5. Alternatives to natural teak: synthetic PVC teak, marine cork and certified timbers
Inspection and diagnosis
- 2.1. Measuring the remaining plank thickness and the height of the seam relative to the wood
- 2.2. Detecting lifting seams, missing plugs and screws exposed on the surface
- 2.3. Moisture meter and tap test to locate water ingress and saturated core
- 2.4. Assessing erosion from aggressive cleaning, grain ridges and drying cracks
- 2.5. Diagnostic report: maintain, recaulk, partially renew or replace the whole deck
Cleaning, sanding and conservation
- 3.1. Two-part acid and neutralizer cleaners: dilution, contact times and thorough rinsing
- 3.2. Always brushing across the grain with a soft brush so as not to open ridges in the wood
- 3.3. Sanding with an orbital sander and progressive 60 to 120 grit while controlling thickness loss
- 3.4. Finishing treatments: natural teak, oils, sealers and their reapplication cycles
- 3.5. Seasonal maintenance plan, deck protection during haul-out and grease or wine stains
Recaulking and renewing planks
- 4.1. Removing old compound with a seam router, scraper and solvent cleaning
- 4.2. Specific primer, bond-breaker tape and application of polyurethane caulking compound
- 4.3. Trimming the seam flush after curing with a blade and sanding off excess compound
- 4.4. Renewing planks: cutting, fitting the new piece, epoxy bonding and pressing with weights or screws
- 4.5. Making and fitting teak plugs with a countersink drill and grain orientation
Practical case: restoring a teak deck
- 5.1. Initial inspection of the deck, thickness measurements and a work plan by zones
- 5.2. Quotation for materials and labor hours, and protection of fittings and superstructure
- 5.3. Removing seams, renewing damaged planks and refitting missing plugs
- 5.4. Complete recaulking, curing, trimming and final sanding of the whole surface
- 5.5. Cleaning, chosen finish, quality control and a maintenance guide delivered to the owner
Duration and format of the Teak Deck Maintenance and Restoration Course
It is 300 hours. Tell us how many you can study each week and we will tell you when you will really finish.
This is the pace at which most students finish. It fits well with the installment plan.
Academic leadership and faculty
The Navalis teaching team: working professionals who teach and supervise the programs.
Dr. Marina AlcoverAcademic Director and Head of Quality Assurance
Eng. Diego CifuentesSenior Lecturer in Naval Welding and Non-Destructive Testing; Head of QA/QC for Welded Joints
Capt. Javier Abaroa (MCA)Senior Lecturer in Ship Handling, Electronic Navigation (ECDIS/Radar/ARPA) and GMDSS; STCW Compliance and Bridge Resource Management Coordinator
Dr. Pau FerrerSenior Lecturer in Naval Architecture and Simulation; Director of the Hydrodynamics and CFD Laboratory
Dr. Nuria LlobregatSenior Lecturer in Marine Meteorology, SAR and Operational Safety; Navigation Risk Management Coordinator
Eng. Javier BañulsSenior Lecturer in Electrical Engineering, Automation and ETO Engineering; Electronic Integration and Engine Alarms Coordinator
Eng. Sofía MarquinaSenior Lecturer in Materials, Composites and Corrosion Protection; Coordinator of the Advanced Paints and Coatings Line
Eng. Tomás RieraSenior Lecturer in Propulsion, Alternative Energy and Hybrid Systems; Energy Performance and Vibration CoordinatorObjectives of the Teak Deck Maintenance and Restoration Course
Career opportunities after the Teak Deck Maintenance and Restoration Course
Questions about the Teak Deck Maintenance and Restoration Course
When the planks retain enough thickness and the problem lies in the seams. If the wood is badly worn or the substrate is wet, partial or total renewal may be needed; the course teaches you to make that decision.
The pressure removes the soft wood between the grain, opens ridges and reduces the usable thickness. The course explains two-part cleaning and cross-grain brushing that preserve the planks.
Yes. The course compares synthetic PVC teak, marine cork and other alternatives, with their advantages, deck temperature and bonding systems.
An orbital sander, a seam router or seam scraper, a caulking gun, a countersink drill and a moisture meter. All are explained in the syllabus together with their correct use.
It depends on the finish the owner wants. Module 3 compares leaving teak natural with oils and sealers, and explains the reapplication cycle of each.
The course is taught online and comprises 300 hours of study across 5 modules of about 60 hours each and ends with an applied practical case.
More programs in Shipyard and finishes
Admission process
No waiting for a call back. If your documents are in order, you can enroll in the same session.
- Profile: aimed at carpenters who want to specialize in the marine sector, yacht deckhands and boatyard technicians, as well as owners who wish to look after their deck.
- Language: sufficient command of English to follow the classes and the technical documentation.
- Technical resources: a computer with a stable internet connection, an up-to-date browser and a camera for live sessions and project presentations.
- Admission: enrollment is open all year round; online application, review of your profile and a short interview with the academic team.
- 01ApplicationYour details, background and documents.
- 02Instant reviewWe check that everything is complete and in order.
- 03EnrollmentChoose full payment or instalments and reserve your place.
Admission is provisional until the committee validates the documents provided. If you do not meet the requirements, the full amount is refunded.
Ask us before you enroll
Leave your details and admissions will write to you to answer any questions. If you are already sure, you can apply and pay in the same session.