Teak deck panels

World Panel Products, who is the main supplier of teak as well as marine plywoods in Palm Beach, approached me about building teak deck panels for them. I was interested so we worked out the details and I got a stack of deck boards and a few cases of caulk.

Building the forms

As the panels they’re looking to have built are between 4’x7′ to 4’x10′, I built a set of forms that were 4’x10′ to accommodate. I cut a 2’x4′ sheet of starboard on my CNC for the proper spacing of the caulk joints to finish up with a 48″ wide panel. I then ripped the starboard into 3/4″ strips that I let into my form board.

Acetone wash then caulk

With the forms prepped, I stack all of the boards on their side on the table and acetone wash one edge. I flip them over and acetone wash the opposite edge. This removes any oils from the surface which lets the deck caulk bond better with the teak. I then insert the deck boards into the starboard strips. The spacing is just right so that the boards snap into place and don’t need to be clamped. With the boards in place, I run full beads of caulking which get pressed down into the caulk joints.

Caulking the bottoms

I’ll let the panels sit for a few days so the caulk can cure. The caulk will actually shrink as it cures. After it’s cured, I flip the panels over and caulk any remaining areas on the bottom.

Custom grinder disc for the win

Once the caulk has cured, I cut off any excess caulking and begin grinding. I opt for an 8″ grinder that uses custom made hard backing discs to grind the boards flat. The hard disc allows me to create a super flat finish. Using a softer pad will follow the contours of the panel and not result in near as flat of a finish. Once the panels are ground flat, I finish up with a final sand of 80 grit. Lastly, I’ll trim the panels to length. The end result is a beautiful deck panel.

In stock at World Panel Products

If you’re interested in getting a panel – give the crew at World Panel Products a call. They normally carry them in stock. Their number is 561-840-0500.