Synthetic teak- which ones seem to be the best

Hi,

I am under the impression that all synthetic teaks get very hot in the sun and can actually burn skin.

For Flexiteek, if you look at the back of the color sample piece of the material - that is the (darker) color that it will eventually become in time. They have some lighter colors now. I would advise that you get some samples and lay them out in the sun and see what you think of the heat factor. I'd also look at Plasdeck. I like their colors better.

I would stay away from Bogantech.


And this is why: I was looking at them at the Miami show and got a sample
I also got samples from plasdeck< I let them sit out in the sun and weather and after about 1 month the Bogantech came apart! im not sure if it would make a difference if it was glued down or not but from wat I've seen I would be afraid to find out.

The plasdeck still looks good as new.

as for plasdeck I have it in the Head and like it, plan on installing in cockpit
when funds allow

While I vastly prefer real teak, Estech is the best looking synthetic I have seen. It is original equipment on Zeelander and Van Dutch boats, and I think there it may be owned by the same company.
Best,
Maldwin

I went with cork on the Duffy.
Probably more expensive and labor intensive than faux teak, but it has been around for 15 years + and holding up well, or so they say.

Looks good but not sure I would do it again @ 2 x the cost

Glad to hear that Judy, and yes that is the stuff I had installed on the Duffy.
The shop gave me bogus estimates and the price kept going up.

Should have gotten a firm estimate in writing, but being a causal and friendly guy, I did not, serves me well

Fake teak costs as much as real teak, just no maintenance. Flexi now has some new colors from the freshly sanded to the bleached to the weathered. I personally like the "scrubbed" with white caulk, it will go onto a refurb center console this year. Looks like I just cleaned the real thing but doesn't look fake.

I'd never use anything but the real deal in a sportfish cockpit, other boats, sure, why not, but it is as expensive as the real thing, at least from the prices I got.

The man made ones can take a lot more abuse and keep on looking good for longer than the real thing from what I have seen and heard.

A few boats around here have the cork based Marinedeck 2000 in the cockpit and it seems to have held up quite well over 10 years, except for the caulking. By the way, don't use black caulking outdoors as it will burn your feet. The only complaint I've heard is that if you spill fish guts on it, it becomes slipperier than an ice rink. All the plastic based imitation teak products are dangerous in the full sun. I'm in Perth/Fremantle and it gets quite hot here. A few have tried it, but since had it removed. You just cannot walk on it in bare feet. However, it would serve quite well indoors though, just don't put it outside.