Synthetic teak is one among the subjects about which we receive the most of questions and information requires. All recreational sailors are curious and want to know what it is, how it is applied, how much it costs and what are the most reliable producers. Shortly after the Genoa International Boat Show we told you about the interesting story of Erika Tramarin and Mirco Gazzato, owners of Refit Style.
They were among the first to believe in synthetic teak and its particular assembly technique.
We visited them in Muggia, near Trieste, to move from theory to practice.
Step by step, they explained us all the construction process of their synthetic decks, made of Permateek, a high-tech English product of which they are exclusive importers in Italy.
This innovative material requires no gluing. Everything is possible by welding, which makes this material different from all the other existing solutions and able to produce surprising results.
Refit Style can take care of the entire process, from measurement, assembly until final installation or, as an alternative, it can offer a digital measurement service or provide with ready-to-use panels and specific assistance.
The first step allows to obtain perfect digital measurements of the area that needs to be covered and the consequent creation of the Permateek carpet. To do that, Refit Style uses a particular tool, produced by Proliner, which, thanks to an electronic pen, reveals the shapes of the surfaces in 3D and transfer them in digital format (the video below shows this step very well).
This way, a rendering reproducing the final result is produced and the templates of the surfaces can be printed.
These templates are then stretched in Refit Style’s establishment and later the panels will be placed on them to form the final decking. Teak is available in 12 different colours and 3 three different caulking lines: black, white or grey.
- reproduction of the boat and preparation of the pieces to install
The most delicate step is assembly and welding. Permateek consists of a particular mixture of 100% recyclable PVC made up of a lower percentage of rubber (compared to other similar materials), which makes it more strong and resistant to sun warmth.
Panels are then welded at 600-700 degrees (this step, too, is evident in the video below). Finally, a unique stable surface is produced. It is an advanced PVC which keeps stable and doesn’t melt.
Sometimes, it is also created a perimeter frame, which is another delicate step. In particular, when corners are welded, Refit Style generally chooses to use the same colour of the material and not that of caulking lines for a better aesthetic result. Before the installation, the surface is cleaned and polished.
So, the product can be finally installed aboard. The technique changes according to the different supports used: fiberglass, wood, aluminium or steel. Each material requires a special mono-component glue. This is why a serious and constant work of research and test is carried out. After the final cleaning and finishing touches, the result is a perfect custom-made decking as that of the video below.
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