Replace Teak Bungs

[Tayana]

I’m replacing bungs on my teak deck and as I remove old chipped ones it looks like they were maybe a credit card thick. I assumed bungs should have some “substantial” depth but I’m not sure what’s standard. y question is how deep should the screw be? How deep should the bung sit?
Also, confused about drilling after removing screw. Articles that I have read and videos that I have reviewed say to remove the screw and drill in with a slightly bigger drill bit. This means every time I replace one I need to size up on the bungs. I’m at 3/8” now I see 7/16” available and then 1/2”
Seems wrong to upsize the hole every time is this correct?
For completeness the process that I am looking to follow is 1.remove screw 2. drill hole slightly deeper 3. Add epoxy 4. replace screw 5. Add more epoxy 6. add bun. (Saw and sand) - i believe that this is the standard process. Please let me know if I’m missing anything.
I have seen some videos where they do not replace the screw but drill until you hit fiberglass then just add epoxy and the bung. This process makes me nervous. Although I wish it worked as I think it would be simpler.
Thanks for any assistance.

 

[Hayden Watson]

I have always replaced with the same size I took out. I do not drill out the old bungs. I drill a small hole in the center until I hit the head of the screw. I then screw a sheetrock screw into the hole which goes into the plug until it hits the screw. At that point, I carefully continue to turn the screw which causes the pull to be lifted up and out of the hole. If the hole needs to be made a bit deeper, I will drill it with the same size. I do not glue the plugs into place. I found that coating them with varnish will hold them in place and seal the hole. This also make removing them the next time easier.

 

[dlochner]

The problem is teak decks get thinner with age. Aggressive teak cleaners erode the wood and well as the normal wear and tear. At some point the deck need to be replaced. Replacing bungs is just a syptom of the underlying issue, eroded teak.

Sabre sailboats have the same issue with some of the decorative trim, eventually replacing the trim is the only solution.

How much wood is left on the deck, its been there a few decades now.

 

[jssailem]

Caring for a teak deck is a labor of boat love.
@Hayden Watson's screw trick works. I have even managed to do it without first drilling the hole, just screwing a sheetrock screw into the middle of the offending bung. Sometimes, the bung comes out in pieces. Then you need to clean out the pieces before you can proceed.

I would not epoxy the bungs unless you want to destroy the deck the next time you try to fix it.

As stated, you can insert the replacement bung and apply a touch of varnish or leave it raw on the deck. The water will swell everything.

Yes, bungs can be thin. They are considered expendable because they only improve the look of the deck.

If you need to address leaks, then you have a more significant challenge. You will need to dry the area below the teak deck. Fill the screw hole with a caulk (if there is moisture there the epoxy will not cure) Then insert the screw. When the teak is secured to the deck then you can insert the bung.

Many are not up to the maintenance challenge. They resort to removing the teak, sealing the deck, and painting non-skid to replace the teak.

Good luck.

 

[dLj]

Your bungs were more likely about 1/8" thick to start with. It's an indication of the amount of teak that has worn away.

Do you have a cored deck and do you know what kind of coring it has? Do you know if you have damage to that core if your boat has coring? It's my understanding that you drill larger holes so that you can then put in an epoxy plug to keep the core from getting moisture in it. But it's a big job...

dj

 

[Tayana]

The problem is teak decks get thinner with age. Aggressive teak cleaners erode the wood and well as the normal wear and tear. At some point the deck need to be replaced. Replacing bungs is just a syptom of the underlying issue, eroded teak.

Sabre sailboats have the same issue with some of the decorative trim, eventually replacing the trim is the only solution.

How much wood is left on the deck, its been there a few decades now.

Teak deck is original 1988. The spots I am able to measure (cockpit lockers) it’s about 1/4”. I believe the cockpit has had the most “upkeep” and is the thinnest part.

 

[Tayana]

Your bungs were more likely about 1/8" thick to start with. It's an indication of the amount of teak that has worn away.

Do you have a cored deck and do you know what kind of coring it has? Do you know if you have damage to that core if your boat has coring? It's my understanding that you drill larger holes so that you can then put in an epoxy plug to keep the core from getting moisture in it. But it's a big job...

dj

It’s a 1988 Tayana I believe the coring is plywood. I’ve used a water meter to test from the inside and it does not show any issues.

 

[higgs]

On my Nassau 34 I would used a 3/8 bit to drill out the old bung. If the screw looked good and was solid I would just put a new bung in with gorilla glue and cut it off and sand it. I left my decks natural and did not use anything harsher than a stiff brush and water to clean them each year. My boat was an 85. I was never sure if I did it right, but it seemed to work. I had the boat almost 20 years and the bungs and screws always seemed fine, though I did have the deck recalked. I never used a larger screw, just the same size. Had I experienced a screw that would not retighten I probably would have filled the old hole with West and then re-drill for the same size screw. When I sold the boat it passed the survey no problem.