Teak is a tropical hardwood prized for its strength, its warm golden-brown color, and its natural oils. Those oils help it shed water and resist rot, which is why boatbuilders have trusted it for centuries. For a sign maker, that makes teak the classic choice for quarterboards and name boards. At our shop in Edgewater, Maryland, it’s the wood we carve most.
Teak Planks Milled to Any Size
Every boat is different, so every set of boards starts with the right piece of wood. We mill raw teak to any size to suit your yacht, from a short pair of name boards to long quarterboards for a large cruiser. First, we pick each plank for its grain and color. Then we cut it to size and carve the name by hand.
Hand-Carved Teak Quarterboards
A quarterboard is a carved name board mounted on each side of a boat. We carve the letters into the teak by hand and finish them in genuine 23 karat gold leaf, often with a painted outline. As a result, the name catches the light and reads clearly from the dock. For example, we carved matching boards for the yacht Carinya and for Calypso, a new Fleming yacht. We also made boards for Orion, Loki, and Mallard.
Teak Signs for Homes and Businesses
Teak isn’t only for boats. Its warmth and durability make it a great fit for house signs, too, like this address sign with gold leaf or this Nantucket-style house sign. Likewise, we carved teak restroom signs for Burr Yacht Sales in Edgewater. If you’d like to compare woods, see our guide to wood for hand-carved signs and our page on mahogany.
See the Work
- Quarterboards for the yacht Carinya
- Fleming yacht name boards for Calypso
- Name boards for the yacht Orion
- Gold leaf boards for Loki
- Yacht name boards for Eagle 4
- New and restored boards with gold leaf
Browse the full quarterboard gallery. Our What We Do page shows everything we build.
Contact Designs & Signs
Ready for a set of teak boards for your boat? Send us a message through our contact