Teak or Mahogany??

[gerhern]

Got me an '82 Hammond that needs some work. Recently, I asked about flooring and got some great ideas. Now, looking at the trim, I'm missing some and some is damaged...and very weathered. My question is: is it better to go back with teak, or would mahogany be more beneficial? The boat is tan and burgundy in color (2-tone hull), with tan upholstery, which also needs to be replaced. I love the color of the mahogany, especially with the current color of the boat.
Thanks for any tips!

gerry

[Landlubber]

Honduras Mahogany, would suit your colour scheme better than Burmese Teak.

The durability factor is irrelevant as the boat is going to be looked after now.

[PAR]

All naturally finished wood, exposed to the weather, requires a considerable amount of effort to keep it in good condition. If neglected, just for a short time, the protective coatings will break down and the wood will suffer. Both teak and mahogany are fine woods for use in your application. The plantation teak being sold is of much less quality then the good decking materials we've traditional used on boats over the years. Teak can be left to weather naturally (though it'll gray and get "wash boardy" after many scrubbings). Mahogany needs some protection (varnish, polyurethane, etc.) as it's not an attractive wood naturally weathered. The choice is really yours, both are good. The teaks will have a greater variance in color, possibly requiring stain to "even" things up, but generally being lighter in color without stain. The mahogany will be dark under finish, though could be bleached a little to soften it's color or stained to change it.

Mahogany is much easier to machine and bond. Teak is an oily wood and this can affect adhesion and bedding if not properly addressed. Teak is also more difficult to machine and tough on tools.