To maintain the beauty and condition of marine teak decking and woodwork on boats, periodic sanding and refinishing are necessary. This process starts with the use of chemical strippers or abrasives to remove old varnish, discolorations, or stains. Then, the first coat of varnish is applied and left to dry, after which it is sanded with a fine grit (180 to 220) to remove any defects. This process is repeated 8 to 10 times, moving to finer grits, to build up a thick protective coat of varnish on any exposed wooden marine surfaces. However, the sanding step is skipped on the last coat to create a smooth, uniform surface.

To refinish marine teak woodwork on sailboats, sandpaper sheets, abrasive sponges, abrasive discs, and contour sanding products are used. Care must be taken to avoid sanding or abrading any fiberglass or polished stainless steel surface near the marine woodwork. Despite being a laborious process, the end results are beautiful and highly desirable.