News
Plastic as a teak substitute for boat decking
Quote from the early days of Flexiteek news:
«A greener and cheaper alternative to teak decking was unveiled at the Southhampton Boat Show by Golden Arrow Marine. Flexiteek is a strip plank made out of recycled plastic, but has a similar look to the real thing. The plastic used is fire–resistant to Class 0 standards, has a solid colour through its depth and can be sanded just like a teak deck. It bends readily over bumps and hollows, and apparently can be curved to follow deck contours by being heated, the new shape remaining after cooling. The product`s laid weight is less than an equivalent expanse of teak.
In a quick test, we found Flexiteek survived a dousing in hydraulic oil that would have ruined a wooden teak deck. It also took a sanding with no trouble, the new surface keeping its grainy appearance.
It is not as vibrant as teak when new, and it will be interesting to see how well it survives long–term ultra–violet exposure. But at £95 m2, one–third the price of teak equivalents, it is worthy of consideration.
Motor Boats Monthly, November issue-2000»