Help with replacement Wood Trailer Bed?

[JesterGrin_1]

The Treated wood that they have here when drying will warp like a wet noodle even if bolted down. And yes I know it is just a Trailer lol.

But I think I am just going to go with Pine and before bolting it down treat all sides with Boiled linseed oil and mineral spirits and then a couple of times a year do a re-coat.

Or would used motor oil cut with some kind of thinner work just as well? I ask since I have a few gallons of it lol.

[schutzen]

I use 40 year pressure treated 2X8's on my trailers, but I also do several other items. First I clean out the channels the boards fit in. Ideally they should be sand blasted, but a good wire brushing will do. Then paint the channel with a rust inhibiting paint. Next use spray-on undercoating to seal the channel. You are not ready to begin fitting boards. Fit the boards in tightly and screw them down with deck screws for flat-bed truck decks. You can purchase these from Fastenal. They are pricy, but you deck boards will last twice as long if they do not bounce going down the road empty. Next year seal the entire floor with a quality deck sealer and you should be good -to-go for the next five years. Every five years reseal and it should out last you.

[JesterGrin_1]

Shutzen can you be more specific about the Deck Screws from Fastenal?

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

As for wood I am pretty stuck with Pine Treated or non treated but I can coat it. As for Oak down here it is dang expensive and sorry I just can not spend those kinds of funds or wish to on a utility trailer lol.

Rough sawn white oak is what we uses around here. We get it from some of the local one man saw mills.

Jester,
In the late 90s and 00's, My folks lived just outside of San Antonio (in Hondo), Yeah, I suppose there isn't much sawmill activity in southern TX
like in MN or IA. And Yeah, the lumber yard gets an arm and a leg for Oak...nearby me, a sawmill cuts anything and everything...they make pallets. they set aside nice boards and premium varieties like White Oak and sell them on the side in "rough" form...Last time I bought some, it was cheaper then untreated 2x10 at the lumber yard.
Good Luck,
Jon

[dkf]

I redid mine trailer the other year. Used treated wood and treat it a couple times a year with water repellant. It looks like it contains silicone which helps the water to bead up and not soak into the wood.

[montana_charlie]

Or would used motor oil cut with some kind of thinner work just as well? I ask since I have a few gallons of it lol.

I don't have any experience to claim expertise in that area, but here is why I would not use motor oil.

Most gun oils are derived from petroleum products, as are motor oils.
We all(?) know that allowing gun oil to saturate a gunstock will ruin it.
The small amout of regular lumber I have observed that has been (accidently) soaked with spilled motor oil sure never looked very good to me.

CM

[oneokie]

The Treated wood that they have here when drying will warp like a wet noodle even if bolted down. And yes I know it is just a Trailer lol.

If the boards are warping that bad, they are drying too fast.

[plmitch]

Try some Ipê. We been using for decks and a couple of trailer bottoms. I’m thinking of using for my truck bed. It’s expensive but well worth it. PT lumber just looks ugly.

[jj850]

we use a wood called apitong for equiptment transport trailers and it lasts years even with track equiptment up to D8 dosers. It is straight grained no knots high resin hardwood no water treatment necessary. Semi trailers get 2X12 boards smaller ones get 1 3/8 shiplap with the deck screws schutzen uses. It's an expensive deck but cheaper than doing it twice and will outlast pine 3to1 for us but may be overdone for lighter trailers.

[DCM]

Try some Ipê. We been using for decks and a couple of trailer bottoms. I’m thinking of using for my truck bed. It’s expensive but well worth it. PT lumber just looks ugly.

+1 Great, Strong, Heavy, Pretty wood that will last a long time if you can afford it.
It is expen$ive though.
Decks and docks that last and last.

[cylinderman]

I use 2 x 6 rough cut oak or poplar, and I don't bolt them down they are held by a piece of angle iron bolted down at each end. As far as treating boils linseed oil is great because its not slippery when wet. But honestly if you get hardwood it will take forever to rot. I have a 16 ft car trailer with 18 year old oak on it, never treated and its solid. My experience with screwing them down is with the flexing of the trailer it will work them out or break them off. If you are worried about the bow, I place them with the bow down and they stay put.