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Need some advice - Bedding Teak Caprail

2K views 3 replies 3 participants last post by  Beersmith 
#1 ·
Greetings! After much restoration of the teak, I am finally able to re-bed my boats caprail. this is what it looked like before removal:



I am planning on using Life Calk to bed the caprail. My question is about how to apply the caulking itself to the rail. Below is a real crappy diagram of a section of the rail. The left is the blank rail, the black circles represent the screw holes. The middle section represents my first idea on how to apply the caulking, a bead along the edges and around the screw holes. The third is the alternative method, of applying caulking and spreading around the entire bottom surface of the rail.

Which of these is the correct method for sealing it up? I figure the last one is the most thorough, but it probably wastes a lot of caulk and I worry that it will ooze into places like the chainplate holes that I need wide open and unobstructed.



My second question is in regards to the screws themselves. They are sunk into holes that will be plugged up with bungs (see first photo). Is it wise to apply some caulking to the underside of the screws to seal up each hole? Or is that overkill...or a bad thing to do for whatever reason? My other crappy diagram below, the first is bare without caulking on the screw itself, the second shows my idea of the caulking under the screw head.



Any guidance would be appreciated

P.S. I don't intend this discussion to debate the choice of bedding compound, that has been discussed plenty in other threads. So please just help me out with my questions without saying something like "You really should use X to bed it"
 
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#2 ·
I love that scarf joint! It's a mess anyway you do it. Too little it lets water in, too much it oozes all over. I like to use a little dab of compound in the receiving hole. Lots of masking tape, pull it away after the caulk sets up and you cut it with a knife.
 
#3 ·
Greetings! My question is about how to apply the caulking itself to the rail. Below is a real crappy diagram of a section of the rail. The left is the blank rail, the black circles represent the screw holes. The middle section represents my first idea on how to apply the caulking, a bead along the edges and around the screw holes. The third is the alternative method, of applying caulking and spreading around the entire bottom surface of the rail.

Which of these is the correct method for sealing it up? I figure the last one is the most thorough, but it probably wastes a lot of caulk and I worry that it will ooze into places like the chainplate holes that I need wide open and unobstructed.

Use the method in the second image. Countersink the fastener holes so you get a small "O-ring" of sealant around each of them.

I don't understand your comment about the chainplates - If there is any place for the sealant to ooze into around them they weren't sealed correctly in the first place.

My second question is in regards to the screws themselves. They are sunk into holes that will be plugged up with bungs (see first photo). Is it wise to apply some caulking to the underside of the screws to seal up each hole? Or is that overkill...or a bad thing to do for whatever reason? My other crappy diagram below, the first is bare without caulking on the screw itself, the second shows my idea of the caulking under the screw head.

Put some caulking under the fastener head. Use pan head, NOT flat head fasteners. Again, countersink the bottom of the hole to get that "O-ring" effect. Also, countersink UP from the underside of the hole so where the teak and the deck mate you will have space top & bottom for the caulking to squeeze into.

Sealing the fastener holes is the critical part of this process - the beads around the perimeter of the rail are merely to keep gunk from building up between the toe rail and deck surface, not to help prevent leaks.

Be sure to mask everything well before you start the install - the first time I did it I didn't mask and it made for a huge cleanup job.

Finally, don't forget to use "X" to seal all this. ;):D
 
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#4 ·
I don't understand your comment about the chainplates - If there is any place for the sealant to ooze into around them they weren't sealed correctly in the first place.
thanks for the tips! What I mean by that is there are holes that exist in the teak rail and the deck rail, such as the holes the chainplates extrude from:



my worry is that if I went with the method of spreading the caulking around the entire underside of the cap rail, the stuff would ooze into these holes making a clean up mess. The holes are wide open as all hardware (chainplates included) is removed from the rails and the deck.
 
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