Dekwerk

Dekwerk is a term used in shipbuilding and maritime contexts to denote the set of activities related to the deck of a vessel or offshore platform. It covers the construction, repair, maintenance, and refurbishment of deck surfaces and their associated structures, and may involve woodworking, metal fabrication, and composite decking depending on the material used for the deck.

In wooden decks, dekwerk includes laying and fitting deck planks, sealing seams, caulking, applying waterproofing, and installing hardware such as hatches, coamings, scuppers, and cleats. For steel or aluminum decks, it involves installing deck plates, welding or fastening, surface preparation, corrosion protection, drainage, anti-slip coatings, and the fitting of fittings and fixtures.

The work typically proceeds from planning and inspection to material selection, fabrication, preparation, assembly, sealing, and testing for watertightness and structural integrity. Maintenance tasks include cleaning, repainting, re-sealing joints, and replacing damaged planks or plates.

Dekwerk is regulated by maritime standards and classification society rules to ensure deck strength, watertightness, safety, and longevity. It intersects with carpentry, metal fabrication, welding, coatings, and marine engineering, and is performed on merchant ships, naval vessels, offshore support structures, and yachts.