Help Preserving Teak Deck

I have a 1951 Grenfell with a teak front deck.
The previous owner screwed plywood on top and it has ruined the teak.
I have all the seams out (they were barely there)!
I've been told to resin and paint, but I would rather try and restore it instead.
I'm open and appreciative for any advice.
Thank ypu

 

Is this a planked teak deck or a thin layer of teak over plywood or planking?

 

Welcome to the forum.

There's really no such thing as wood "restoration". You can save wood, if the finishes are shot. You can repair wood to remove rot or other issues, but if it's dead, it's dead.

How thick is the teak decking and what is it's condition? If it has deep checks, popped out bungs, rot, splits and deeply weathered grain lines from scrubbing or abrasion, then you're looking at replacement. If the finish it marred, you might be able to sand below the worst of it and start over, but your decking needs to be thick enough for this and the damage slight. Post some pictures and more information about the type and depth of damage.

 

It is a thin layer of teak ~1/4" over plywood
Thank you for responding

 

What is my best method of waterproofing what I have until next summer??
I want the deck to look the best it can until I do replace it.

 

Without a better idea of what's wrong with your deck, I can't advise you. All you told us is that's it' s been under plywood and that it's ruined. This suggests you already know the response we'll provide.

A 1/4" teak deck is a veneer, not laid, which means it has a usable life span, then it's replaced. Repairs or restoration on such thin stock typically isn't possible. You might try sanding what remains of the deck, but removal of just a 1/16" which is really easy with a sander, leaves you with a 3/16" deck and this will likely just split, crack and cup once exposed to the elements. Try sanding below the damage. If it's been under plywood for a while, the rot will easily exceed the depth of the teak veneer, but you might get lucky. Once cleaned up, use a Dutch oil, liberally and hope for the best, until next year.