Is EVA Foam Teak any good, the result after a years use.

[@maxsothcott4484]

Thank you for the update Dave! Much appreciated! I will now have a bash at replacing my Griffon’s cockpit teak seating using this approach !

[@davesailing]

Ah Max, good to see you've found the video, I pretty much did it for you :-) I've just done a check on renting/hiring a motorised sealant gun and found someone who will hire one for £22 a day. They cost anything from £100 - £400. As always google is your friend when finding someone. BTW, another tip. Have a small container of water with a few drop of Fairy liquid. If you dip your finger in that you can smooth any irregularities after you've pushed the seam down with a scraper. I wish I'd known that when I did mine, it would be a bit neater :-) Let me know how you get on Max ... Dave

[@WillN2Go1]

Good video. This is an ideal purpose for this material. When I was interested in a catamaran I thought I should get the FlexiTeak option all over. But then more experienced sailors told me. 1. It's heavy. (About 300 kg for that particular cat) 2. It can get very hot in the sun. So black is definitely not a good idea. 3. Only install this product when your gelcoat texture is damaged (or your teak plywood), or for a new walking surface, such as you extend your sugar scoop and you don't want the DIY texture options. I've noticed on my Hunter that the very light gray color on the textured surface is noticeably hotter than the adjacent off white surfaces. I can't even imagine black. And when I see the natural cork options, I can't help but think of the stinking cork covered tray I used to use as a busboy. I love teak but seeing it outside on a boat just gives me the heebee jeebees thinking of all the work required to endlessly restore it.

[@codyaevans]

This stuff is great. I have this exact same product on a large paddle board in Florida that’s been stored outside uncovered for 3 years now, and still looks like new. I experienced no issues with build-up in the grooves like you were concerned about. It’s very easy to clean & very durable. Only marks on it with hard use are a few very small puncture marks from a very angry mackerel 😅

[@davesailing]

It does seem to wear well. I just wish they'd make a version where the gaps are filled. Wow ! Dangerous Angry Mackerel :-)

[@rogierasselt4972]

this is a really good idea. I ve just bought the eva decking and throught the depressions between the "wood planks"would tear easily or collect dirt..this is a very good solution..thanks for the upload sir!

[@davesailing]

Hi Roger, glad it was of some use. It takes a long time to add the seams but it does appear to work. There's a longer, more detailed video that I did a year earlier, which might be of interest too - kzbin.info/www/bejne/amjapWpslJpmbaM

[@iainhunneybell]

Very impressed with you caulking the flex decking. Looks wonderful as well as keeping the crud out. Very nicely done 😊

[@davesailing]

Thank you Iain. It was hard work using an ordinary sealant gun. There is a follow up video on the stocks. For some reason the caulking material started breaking down and getting sticky. I may have spilt some paint thinner on it, whilst renovating Zephyr IV's deck. Any way I dug it out and re-caulked it, using a power gun. So much easier. The EVA foam is still ok though.

[@iainhunneybell]

Yes, I can imagine doing that length of caulking with a manual gun would give you a degree of hand ache, plus I guess a power gun would provide a more continuous flow @@davesailing. Sad about having to re-do it as it looked wonderful

[@moanatane1832]

Thanks for sharing your experience with us. I have the same stuff stuck to sheet ply in the lower hulls of my yacht so that I can lift the ply out if need and throw away. But so far so good it hasn't lost any adhesion is out of the weather and gets trampled on. Feels soft and grips your feet well when in rough weather. The saloon floor I just stuck it down directly to white gelcoat after a good wipe with Acetone. No sign of it losing adhesion there aswell. I sprayed some 303 protectant twice in one year on the Eva foam and wiped any spills asap. It looks amazing but be mindful of resting heavy items with edges as they will leave an imprint. The imprint will vanish after a week give or take depending on the severity. Great for walking on but not for a work boat where rigging gear tools and equipment are being dragged about on it. I am very happy with the foam and it weighs nothing is cheap and easy to work with and apply with some careful pre installation planning. Not caulked it but may do but 18v 😊vacuum cleaner still works a treat

[@davesailing]

Hi Moana, thanks for your comprehensive comment. I think caulking is a bit of a compromise, but I didn't want the channels between the strips of teak looking foam. One of the commenters on here, mentioned a self levelling caulking material but has not come back to me with a specific brand. More research required. I agree the adhesive is very strong. The only time I've seen people complaining about it coming unstuck is when it got very hot. My little square bridge deck shows no sign of lifting after 3 years. Thanks again for your comment .... Best Wishes .... Dave

[@Cheers_Warren]

Glad to hear it held up. A suggestion for an alternative caulking is to try a self leveling version. Its the same stuff but it flows like a thick resin when warm. Cheers Warren

[@davesailing]

Hi Warren, Thanks for the comment. I'm curious about the self levelling caulking material. It certainly might make the job easier. It also might stick better to the EVA foam. Is it available internationally ? Do you have a makers name and model number ? .... Best wishes ... Dave

[@dreamtimesv]

Appreciate update as have been pondering using this product in some places on my yacht, was especially encouraged after watching your first video. Thanks

[@davesailing]

You're very welcome, I hope you get a positive result if you bite the bullet and try it. Thanks for all your comments.. Dave

[@Big.C]

Just a handy hint if you ate struggling with sealant then popping it into a bucket of hot water before hand loosens it up lovely...

[@davesailing]

Hi Chris, thanks for the tip. I did warm the tubes but it was still hard work :-( check out the earlier video - kzbin.info/www/bejne/amjapWpslJpmbaM

[@ericyeoman2687]

Thanks. I was wondering about this product. Yes, I've purchased a Ryobi batt. powered sealer gun & it's brilliant. cheers from Oz.

[@davesailing]

Hi Eric, thanks for your comment. The powered sealer gun made my job easier and so much quicker. How long have you been building that hovercraft ? Looks very exciting .... Best Wishes ... Dave

[@donross381]

I’ve used it on my wing foil board and it’s held up great for two seasons so far. It gets lots of side pressure and abuse. It’s constantly in saltwater. Only the sharp corner pealed about an inch and I just E6000 them back down. ❤ it

[@davesailing]

Hi Don, I think it's perfect for your board. I guess you made sure the surface was clean before you stuck the EV foam down. The adhesive is very strong but no glue will work on a dirty or greasy surface. Thanks for your comment ... Best Wishes .. Dave

[@sallyniemann8360]

Great update! Another job well done. Do you think having the canopy above helps moderate the sun affect? Your cabin looks delightfully comfortable.

[@davesailing]

Hi Sally, it's not quite as neat as I would like but infinitely better than the weatherbeaten and rotten Teak faced ply that was there before. The canopy definitely helps but I don't think Black is a good choice for a deck. The interior is nice, a bit careworn in places but I'm gradually bringing it up to scratch. Good to hear from you .. Dave

[@g7eit]

I’ve used in on 2 of my boats. I even got creative and did edging and trimming with a very sharp blade and yes you can wash blood off of it. Personally I love the stuff.

[@davesailing]

If the Chinese manufacturer could sort the channels out, maybe make the backing with ridges so the imitation teak fitted between them, it would be the bees knees.

[@Richard-nb4iv]

14 years ago I used "Seadek" brand faux teak and it had held up for years. It now needs to be replaced. I only needed to caulk black around the panel foam. It didn't have a deep channel between brown strips and looked great. However this brand comes with a premium price, but its worth it.

[@davesailing]

Hi Richard, yes the Seadek stuff is excellent. I tried to buy a small piece for my bridge deck, but nobody wanted to sell me any unless they installed it too. So I went with the EVA foam. A bit of a compromise but it has worked quite well. When it wears out, I'll have another try at buying something better. Good to hear from you. Best Wishes ... Dave

[@Richard-nb4iv]

@davesailing I sourced mine from Noah's marine. They have been in business for years! Lol! Noah, get it! 😁

[@marceld6061]

I was hoping to find information like this. What you did with the sealant really makes it look proper. Any ideas what you might use for a teak and holly effect? I think a white silicone wouldn't last very long.

[@davesailing]

Hi Marcel, Glad you found the video useful. I did a quick search for White caulking material and came up with Stelmax 1961 White Gap Filler 300g. It's primarily used for sealing double glazed windows and it just might work. When I was experimenting with the samples I tried four or five sealants that I purchased in B&Q. One was a total disaster :-) I'm still not sure I've got the best. Good luck with it anyway. I'd be pleased to hear how you get on... Best Wishes Dave

[@AndysEastCoastAdventures]

Going to have to do this. I went with Cork on my refit 5 years ago and on the whole it still looks great but the seabirds have pecked at it in places so it has bits missing! I think they have been using it as nesting material!

[@ryancarter3085]

Thank you sir ! This helped a lot

[@davesailing]

You're welcome Ryan, nice to help a fellow mariner out. You would make me very happy if you subscribed too 🙂

[@andreasnilsson4496]

Very clear and relevant!

[@davesailing]

Hi Andreas - thanks for watching - glad you found it useful ... Best Wishes ... Dave

[@youtubeuser1052]

I don't know what kind of synthetic teak the previous owner put on my boat (to replace the original teak) but I've gotten many compliments on it. In particular, one woman asked me about it saying that she had just refinished all the teak on her boat and mine looked great. She didn't realize it was synthetic. (She hadn't been on my boat, she was commenting based on seeing my boat from afar)

[@davesailing]

It's a shame you don't know, can you find out ? My Bridge deck won't last for ever, though it's doing well at the moment, and I'll be wanting to replace it in a year or so.. It would be nice to know of an alternative.. Thanks for your comment. Best Wishes ... Dave

[@youtubeuser1052]

@ Unfortunately the previous owner is an older gentleman who seems to have forgotten most of what he had installed on the boat over the years. He did a pretty good job of keeping all the manuals together on board, but for anything that doesn't have a manual, I haven't had any luck with him remembering specific details like brands

[@YouknowmeOUdo]

How is it still holding up? I'm thinking about doing my cabin sole.

[@davesailing]

Well the EV Foam teak is wearing well, it is a bit soft so if you drop something hard and sharp on it it does make a small cut in the surface. It shows no sign of coming unstuck though. The only problem I have is with the caulking material, there are a couple of places where it's gone soft and scuffs. I can only think that I must have splashed some solvent on it that Sikaflex doesn't like and starts to dissolve it. If you read all the comments on here you'll see that some people have used it on the cabin sole without filling the gaps and are happy with the result. Maybe buy a bit and do a trial - it's quite cheap. Hope that helps .. Best Wishes ... Dave

[@woestewolden1379]

Schitterend resultaat. De kosten vallen inderdaad mee. Ik ga het proberen op mijn Bavaria 38-3! Bedankt voor de tips!

[@davesailing]

Heel graag gedaan. Ik hoop dat het goed gaat. Een gemotoriseerd kitpistool is een must voor alles dat groter is dan het gebied dat ik heb gedaan. Pas op.. Dave

[@chmodman]

I used it with custom boarding steps and it looks great, but a sea bird of some kind seems to like clawing at it, unfortunately. There are hundreds of little cuts in it now. I think the PVA stuff is a lot harder and would hold up better than the EVA foam.

[@davesailing]

I guess it's a situation where you get what you pay for. The PVA equivalent would be quite a bit more expensive I think. I couldn't find anyone in the UK who would sell me the small piece I needed without installing it too. I found a company in Europe who would sell me a piece for about £80 but wanted £120 for carriage. Thanks for your comment, Dave

[@ninehundreddollarluxuryyac5958]

I got an old boat with some blue floor like this. The color comes off on the bottom of my shoes and gets tracked all over. Its been in the sun a long time though.

[@davesailing]

Someone else, only one person, complained about that. I wondered if it was an earlier, cheaper offering. There's no sign of the colour coming out on the bit that I've installed. Cheap enough to replace though :-) Best Wishes ... Dave

[@MBailote]

If you heat the sealant before applying it it’s much easier to squeeze.

[@davesailing]

Ah, you need to look at the first video where I show, in depth, how I went about installing the section of bridge deck. There you'll see that the caulking tubes were stored in a bucket of hot water for an hour before being extruded. I didn't find it made a huge difference but that was what was recommended 😅

[@blackpig52]

I was thinking of using this inside but as it needs caulking I don't think I'll bother,might just go with a wood veneer instead

[@cyrielgaemers]

Are these soaky in wet conditions? I've heard that

[@davesailing]

I'm not sure what you mean by soaky ? They don't seem to absorb water but water will lay on the surface until it drains away. The EV foam is similar to the foam you find on flip flops and similar footwear.

[@paulbriggs3072]

Does it seem hard like teak? Or plastic rubbery?

[@davesailing]

Hi Paul, it's not hard like teak. Apparently it's similar to the soles of flip flops, so firm but with some give. It's really nice to kneel on, especially if you have boney knees like me. It's very cheap, buy yourself a small piece and test it. Best wishes.. Dave

[@paulbriggs3072]

@@davesailing Thank-you

[@Savvas.Charalampous]

Very useful. Thank you.

[@davesailing]

You're very welcome ☺

[@V8guy3500]

Great useful video thanks

[@davesailing]

Hi John, glad you found it useful.. Best wishes .. Dave

[@KTGuoMeiEVABoatFlooring]

Great job!

[@davesailing]

Thank you kind Sir ... Best Wishes Dave

[@karlr4865]

There is a huge difference between generic sourced foam from eBay/Asia and the us sourced products such as SeaDek. In the Honolulu UV the eBay stuff seriously degraded in 1 year while the SeaDek is holding up after 5 years. They estimate 5-7 years and that seems correct. Something about the composition is different. I still use the eBay stuff below deck, but not in the sun.

[@davesailing]

Hi Karl, thank you for your comment and I sort of expected it. I guess, as always you get what you pay for. I tried to buy something better but at the time nobody in the UK was prepared to sell me anything, unless they came and installed it. The installation estimate far exceeded to cost of the decking. I did find a company in the EU, Belgium from memory, who would sell me the small piece I needed but it was quite expensive. I could deal with that, but when they wanted to charge me £150.00 for carriage, I suspected I was being ripped off and went along with the cheaper EV Foam. I guess the EV Foam will wear out, and when it does I'll try again to buy something better. Best Wishes .... Dave

[@asamedic]

Glue tipe?

[@davesailing]

Hi, I'm not sure what you are asking ? The foam sheet is sticky backed, you remove the backing paper and just stick it down, it's VERY STICKY :-) Does that help ?? Best Wishes .. Dave

[@garydavidson02]

Thank you

[@davesailing]

You're very welcome Gary :-)

[@captainjollyrogersailingso6809]

What about now?

[@davesailing]

Take a look at kzbin.info/www/bejne/nIC9gmanjp2bn68 I posted that a few days ago.

[@rosiegreddogyachts4135]

I've had two 42' sailboats ith Raptor Deck, going on seven years for the first (boat burned in Lahaina fire), the second is goiing on four years now, hard use. Forget the teak look. Solid is best.. ours is still like new after 4000NM of ocean. Not all are the same though. Lots of cheap glue, bad EVA formula. I know Raptor is the real deal.

[@davesailing]

Hi Rosie, thanks for your comment. I've checked Raptor Deck on the internet and it looks good. Unfortunately I can't find anybody who sells it in the UK. To buy it from Seattle would cost lots as we would have to pay import duty etc. I like your channel, I've subscribed. I'll check out all your videos when I get a minute. Best Wishes .... Dave

[@carlbeaver7112]

To each their own but there is absolutely no reason to fill in the grooves. Actually, they give your feet extra 'purchase' (traction) when needed. The grooves rinse off/out just as easily as the main surface.

[@davesailing]

Thanks Carl... As you say - to each there own - I like it better when caulked and particularly where I used it on Zephyr IV it is easier to keep clean. Take Care .... Dave

[@Nativo11ful689]

i dont recomment this product for some reason when boating and and swimming you cant step on it wet because a start discoloring everything turn a mess more color appear when you wash the floors by the end of the day everything get the color bags cloth floors whatever you bring on board going to have a stain from eva foam no good

[@davesailing]

I think you must have a different product. Basic EVA foam is very colour fast, it may have it's deficiencies but that isn't one of them. Sounds like you have something that has been stained or painted after application. Thanks for the comment ... Best Wishes ... Dave

[@skinny1968]

Why the extra step? Looks like crap. Should have installed as it came.

[@davesailing]

If You check out my previous video about installing it in the first place, you'll see my thinking. Caulking the imitation seams (Channels) just like a proper teak deck, makes it look better, protects the edges of the teak strips and removes the channels, which over time fill with detritus and need cleaning out. Worth the effort - for me - you are entitled to your own opinion, just as I am entitled to disagree with you :-) Thanks for commenting - best wishes ... Dave

[@robertgurgo5662]

Why on earth would you want black decks.

[@davesailing]

Hi Robert - well I ask myself the same question. But then I'm a pretty staunch traditionalist and not so keen on some of the more recent trends in boating.. Thanks for watching. Best wishes .... Dave

[@mkunes2502]

A rubber mat is a rubber mat. What it looks like is a different question.

[@davesailing]

Thank you for your comment, I'm not completely sure I know what you mean. BUT I really enjoyed the playlist on your channel. I haven't heard Al Stewart for years. I saw him live a couple of times in my teens. His song writing is excellent. Then there's Ashokan farewell, lovely to listen to, lovely to play on the fiddle and Muddy waters - Ah some good stuff there. And then at the end, the Herreshoff boats - to die for. Thank you for bringing them to my attention... Best Wishes - Dave

[@mkunes2502]

@@davesailing Hi Dave. I shouldn’t comment. I work with teak…was the conservator for the Kelton Foundation’s Oceania collection. That got me working with tropical lumber. So, I’m biased against faux teak.

[@solarfry]

Come back in five years, when its timeto remove it. Tellusabout it then.

[@davesailing]

I've got two years to go yet - will do ... Dave

[@craigbrown2978]

it may work in a cooler climate but maybe just may b 2 years in the tropiics nothing lasts here not even your expensive gareden hose,,this stuff is good but will never last in the tropics ,,,even my wifes g strings fall off cause of elastic from ,,,you lnow where

[@davesailing]

Well I guess you get what you pay for. But it's worked quite well for me in soggy UK,,, Thanks for the comment. Best Wishes ... Dave

[@stickermigtigger]

So you went to all that extra labor without first testing if the product would perform well on it's on??? You just assumed it would not. You've performed NO test. Definitely not a reasonable scientific one.

[@davesailing]

Nice to hear from you. A question for you. Have you spent much time on a sailing boat ? My deduction was based on my experience of the endless cleaning of detritus - stones and dirt from shoes, salt crystals, bird excrement and the dirt that is left after the rain has evaporated from the deck of my boats. The foam teak in it's basic form has nice channels which provide an ideal refuge for this unpleasant mixture. So I looked at ways of improving it. The traditional wooden teak deck is caulked, originally with pitch and latterly with the synthetic materials that I describe in my video and it seemed logical to try and emulate that. It has worked quite well and at first glance looks surprisingly like a real teak deck. Any detritus that falls on the deck is easily brushed off and most people who have seen it thought it was a great idea and a big improvement. The video was never intended to be a scientific experiment, really just a demonstration of what I had done on my boat Zephyr IV. I think I gave a good appraisal of the product and my conclusions of it's performance for the last year. Best WIshes .... Dave ... By the way it would be lovely to have you as a subscriber :-)

[@stickermigtigger]

@@davesailing I don’t need to ever step on a sailing boat to know you just made an assumption that cost you a great deal of effort and time. You may be right in your assumption but it’s still an assumption. Millions of EVA users seem to be happy without that extra labor. If your assumption is incorrect imagine how much more scenery, etc. you could have enjoyed instead of taping, caulking, etc? I’m about to install some on a center console. I’ll let you know if I find I wished I had followed your laborious adventure.

[@davesailing]

@@stickermigtigger Why are you being so judgemental? I wasn't happy with the appearance of the unmodified EVA foam so I experimented with caulking it, which for me, is an improvement. I shared that with the 1000 or so of my subscribers and it's obviously been interesting to others as the video has had 37,000 plus views. If I spent a lot of energy and time with the experiment then with all due respect, it was my decision and my time to spend. I don't see why it should concern you if I chose to spend that time experimenting with the EVA foam. Please do use the EVA foam in any way you wish on your centre console, I hope it works OK for you. Maybe you should spend some of your time creating a video of the process and sharing your experience for the potential benefit of your fellow boaters. Take care ... Dave

[@robertcain3426]

​@@davesailing Best test is a real world test. Well done. Cheers and thanks for the video, as I'm thinking of using it.

[@davesailing]

Thanks Robert, so glad to hear it was of some use. I hope your project goes well. Best wishes - Dave

[@jandrmarinefabrics2425]

You are using the rong product

[@davesailing]

Maybe, what do you suggest I should use ?

[@jandrmarinefabrics2425]

Aqua traction is the best product on the market in my opinion water proof stain resistant non-slip and you get a one year guarantee.

[@davesailing]

@@jandrmarinefabrics2425 You could well be right. Unfortunately there doesn't seem to be a dealer in he UK.

[@jandrmarinefabrics2425]

You got that rong

[@jandrmarinefabrics2425]

I will also send you a sample