Sikaflex 290DC Deck Caulking

[junior]

Has anyone used this product before?

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sika-Sikaflex-290DC-Deck-Caulk-300ml-/321089265779?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_BoatEquipment_Accessories_SM&hash=item4ac2696073#ht_150wt_904

 

I have been recommended it to re-seal between the planks of wood on a tug deck, see photo below.....

 

 

My questions are, how far does a tube go? Do you think i can get away with just a couple of tubes, or will i need loads?

 

Also, do i need to scrape out what is already between in planks (i'm assuming it is the same product already in there) or can i just go over the top of what is already in there and then just sand it down so it is flush.

 

This photo might be slightly better....

 

 

 

Lastly, i want to re-oil/varnish the deck afterwards. I've been recommended Sikkens Cetol varnish. Anyone used this? My dialemma is that it comes in lots of different colours/shades and i'm not sure what has been used in the first place. If i just get one of the darker varnishes and it happens to be slightly different to whats on there at the moment, will it look dreadful or will it not make much difference?

 

 

 

Edited September 2, 2013 by junior

[Greedyheron]

As no one else has replied I figured I would. I've found sikaflex to be good but can be a bit moody about what it sticks to and what it doesn't . We've recently started using a Saba caulk which so far has been really good. I used to use cetol- I think they renamed it, wood skin, or something similar? It was good and stood up to abuse. I tend to use le tonkinos now- really hard wearing and easy to get a lovely finish, I use that on everything now.

[blackrose]

Ideally you would scrape out what's already there, but I think you could get away with using a folded piece of sandpaper between the planks, vacuuming the gaps out and then degreasing with whatever is recommended by Sikka (probably white spirit). I've never used this particular sealant, but I worked with a guy who was sealing between teak planks with Sikkaflex and he used masking tape on either side of the gap before putting the sealant in. He scraped the gaps out completely beforehand.

[smileypete]

Polysulphide is another sealant.

 

Well worth having a trawl of the wooden boat forums for tips and experience, also read the data sheets for the sealant. Sometime a specific primer from the sealant mfr is recommended for best results on tropical timbers.

 

Cetol HLS or Sadolin Ultra will do, best use a lighter shade like teak on darker timbers that have their own colour, and again read the data sheets for the wood stain.

 

Depends whether you want it to need redoing after 2 years or 10 years

 

cheers, Pete.

~smpt~

Edited September 8, 2013 by smileypete