Help with Replacement Wood Bed for Trailer?

[JesterGrin_1]

Well long story short some low life stole my 16 foot tandem wheel trailer last night and I know it will never be recovered. But I still need the use of a trailer now and then so my brother has a smaller trailer that will work of only a 12 foot trailer that uses 2 X 10 boards or did have boards lol. Should I use Treated Wood for the Bed or just use plain pine boards for the bed and coat them with something? And if so what would that Something be? I am in South TEXAS if that makes a difference as to what should be used.


Thank You for any help on this subject.

[CastingFool]

Treated would be the way to go. Haven't priced it, but two layers of 3/4" treated plywood would be stronger than 2x10's.

[Petrol & Powder]

The sun is going to be the big problem. Treated lumber would be my guess for an expedient fix. Maybe some type of deck stain with a UV blocker but in the end I think it comes down to money. At some point you just look at the wood as an expendable component.
I remember when a lot of pick-up trucks had wooden floors in the truck bed. Some folks would sand/stain & use spar polyurethane. They were practically show trucks! People with "work" trucks ( a little closer to my station in life) would just pour some used motor oil on the wood about twice a year. I think that was done because it was cheap and prevented the wood from drying out. If you were hauling firewood, rock and wire; you really didn't care what the floor of the truck looked like.

[WILCO]

Treated would be the way to go.

That would be my answer too.

[oneokie]

Another vote for treated wood. The floor in my open top cattle trailer is treaded wood. It was last replaced in 2004. The previous floor was installed in 1989, also treated wood. Here is a lot wetter than it is in S.A.

[Garyshome]

Treated wood will last longer with proper care.

[largom]

I have a 18 Ft. open trailer, 1998 model with treated wood. I have applied wood preservative to it twice and it is still in very good condition. 16 yrs. old now.

Larry

[Sweetpea]

Just something to consider, depending on what you will be hauling, and how far apart the supports are, you could also use composite decking.

Pretty spendy, but you'd only do it once...

Diamond plate steel would be good, too.

[turmech]

My understanding is pressure treated wood changed several years ago. It used to be cured with chemicals containing arsenic now that they replaced the arsenic with what every they use currently PT wood eats a lot of metals. That is why the screws you have to used have changed from regular old galvanized to stainless or epoxy coated.

For that reason I would probably use just common lumber and coat it with some sort of water sealer. I would not want my lumber to last while rusting out my metal trailer. I could be wrong on my info however you might want to do some more research.

[high standard 40]

If you go with treated wood, be sure not to use any with "ACQ" treatment. It is corrosive to metal. MCQ is better but does not hold up like the older CCA treatment. CCA is the best and can still be purchased if you do some searching. Most outlets don't stock it because it is banned for use in residential applications. I can find it here at a supplier who specializes in bulkheads. Also, depending on what you plan to carry, I have seen trailers with a bed of expanded metal.

[Bad Water Bill]

Unless the Insurance company is willing to keep reimbursing you "KISS".

You will only be tempting other thieves by making it purdy.

OLD Henry Ford had written into contracts with his suppliers just what type of WOOD had to be used on the crates carrying the parts for the assembly line.

IIRC they used oak on many of the interior bracing and floorboard pieces.

Well into the 60s those unpainted,untreated floorboards were still there doing their job.

PS All of the sawdust and scraps were thrown into the furnaces to heat the buildings.

[Petrol & Powder]

I think you have to ask yourself how long does it need to last and what does it cost?
Treated lumber would probably be the fastest way to get the trailer into service. Untreated wood & some type of sealant may work if the trailer doesn't go through a lot of wet/dry cycles. As for the chemicals in the treated lumber attacking the metal, that may be a factor but then just how long does it have to last? Sounds like the current trailer is free but in poor condition. I'm not sure how much money the OP wants to dump into that trailer.
I would go cheap unless the existing trailer was in excellent condition other than the decking.

[bear67]

I have 10 plus trailers and all but one have CCA flooring--the other one is steel. I can still purchase CCA lumber at several locations and you can get it in several treatment levels. The one used for decks ect is .25 treatment and you can find or special order higher concentrations. They are more available along the coast where they are used in harsh environments. The way we use our trailers, we put CCA on when new and just use until needs replacement.

My Dad was in the trucking business in the '40s to '60s, primarily LP transports, but he had several floats (flatbeds) from 32 to 40 feet and he was particular about his replacement floors. We would take rough sawmill oak lumber or sometimes pine and mop all edges with heated linseed oil. He had a homemade double boiler and we would heat the oil until it bubbled and mop the lumber. We would mop again after the floor was installed and at least every two years. The LP tanks and stuff we hauled would scratch and gouge, but his floors lasted.

When I left home and started farming, we built some flat beds for our trucks and I did them like dad and also replaced some floors in grain trucks where we used T&G to keep grain from spilling out of the cracks. It worked great and lasted, but it was a lot of work to treat. Now you would have to add the cost of Linseed Oil. As an aside, I built a flat steel bedin '69 on a '69 Ford one ton C&C and used the Pine/Linseed oil treatment and coated it a few times. Sold the truck a few years later in a farm sale and forgot about it. About a year ago, I spotted this bed on a mid 80s Ford truck in a neighboring town(had some design features that were specific to my use including a built in air tank out of 12" schedule 40 pipe and very custom under bed boxes) and the original floor was still there, but looked like they had spilt or poured used motor oil on it. I am not going to use the Linseed method today as treated lumber is just easier.

[Petrol & Powder]

If money wasn't a factor (wouldn't that be awesome! ) A metal or wood deck with some type of spray on bed liner would work (Rhino liner or lineX ) But that I think I would reserve that for a brand new trailer.

[DougGuy]

CCA if you can get it, worth paying extra for.

You can always use cheap untreated #2 pine, which will let you get away with using 14ga or 16ga diamond plate on top of it without having to re-design the trailer bed to convert it to a metal floor and it will be cheaper than thicker diamond plate.

I redid a 1953 U-haul trailer in the 1990s, it had a one piece bottom, 8'x5' plywood that was a full 1" thick. Talk about building a good trailer!

[Wayne Smith]

PS All of the sawdust and scraps were thrown into the furnaces to heat the buildings.

Oak, and specifically white oak if you can get it. For where you are you could use mesquite too, it will stand up.

Bill, I never believed I could educate ya! Not all the sawdust and chips went into the furnace, he also the first to make charcoal briquettes out of his scrap.

[Bad Water Bill]

Wayne

A wise man said "learn something new every day"

Yes I try to do that.

Thanks for making my goal for today.

[montana_charlie]

There are man-made materials being used to create 'lumber' that doesn't rot, shrink, or warp.
I think one of the first to hit the market was called 'Rumber' (rubber lumber) and was used in horse trailers.

CM

[starmac]

There should be some specialized trailer flooring places not too far from you. The closest I actually know about is on the east side of houston though, and they use what they call brazilion hardwood, and is either tongue and groove or lap and gap. What I have used on several utility and car trailers is purlin from any steel building outfit. It looks good and last forever.

[TXGunNut]

Oak, and specifically white oak if you can get it. For where you are you could use mesquite too, it will stand up.

Bill, I never believed I could educate ya! Not all the sawdust and chips went into the furnace, he also the first to make charcoal briquettes out of his scrap.

Yes, the origin of Kingsford charcoal.
The boards of the shipping crates were actually spec'd to use lumber that was later used in floorboards and such for trucks and automobiles with little modification.

[Bad Water Bill]

A little off track BUT

In 1961 11 of us gathered up STUFF and assembled (sort of) A model A roadster using only Muscle power and open end wrenches in about 15 minutes and it ran.:smile:

Ford heard about it and invited us to do the same thing at their national show the next year at Greenfield.

This time Ford furnished us with a nice WHITE tarp to put all of the STUFF on and assemble it again.

No more digging in tall grass for that ****** missing nut so the job was done in 11 minutes.

When we were done the announcer said WE (all 11 of us) had to climb on board and drive it off the field.

Well as we started off the brake linkage fell off followed by the accelerator linkage and here we were now heading into the audience accelerating every foot of the way.

Thankfully someone with loooong arms reached over the windshield and pulled the coil wire.

No we never told anyone about that ride toward 10,000 watchers.

[DCM]

Another vote for treated 2Xs with long lasting deck stain for dry rot protection. Treated ply is nice but it will de-laminate over time.

[Mausermeister]

We always used white oak on our lowboy trailers. Once a year during the heat of summer when they were driest, we would mop them down with used motor oil. They would last ten years or more with constant abuse from heavy equipment.

[JesterGrin_1]

While on the subject as I am heavily leaning towards plain Pine 2 X 10 wood planks.

I thought Used Engine Oil was Bad for wood? If not I do have a couple of gallons of the stuff lol. :)

So what would be good to coat the wood with without spending a ton of funds on?

And by the way the Trailer itself is in pretty good shape. Since I am in South TEXAS rust is normally not a huge problem.

[osteodoc08]

Treated with preservative after it's allowed to dry and no longer green. Use good quality fasteners and double check your wiring harnesses.

There should be a special place in hell for those that rob and steal.

[archmaker]

I actually use Pine boards, treated with used motor oil, The boards usually last a long time, but the problem is the areas where the bolts are, also the edges that is what causes them to be a no go for me.

So I tried something NEW a year ago (so I can't give you a report if it is working) and that was to do the following:

Drill holes and coat with used motor oil (so the motor oil soaks into the holes)
Coat frame of trailer with standard automotive grease (where the boards touched the frame, especially the angle iron on the ends)
Coat the bolts with the same grease
Coat the holes with some of the same grease
Coat the ends of the board with grease

Yeah it was somewhat of a pain to do, but I hope it does last a while longer. As I live near Houston and my trailer is outside all the time, I have had to replace my boards twice, in the past 8 years because of the rot at the ends, so I am hoping the above steps will work to make the boards last longer.

[Gator 45/70]

I used 5/4 deck boards and painted with the stained Thompsons water seal, Been holding up for 14 yrs. Also bought and installed a tongue lock.

[TaylorS]

If you have some used motor oil regular pine will be fine you'll have to put some on from time to time

[Petrol & Powder]

While on the subject as I am heavily leaning towards plain Pine 2 X 10 wood planks.

I thought Used Engine Oil was Bad for wood? If not I do have a couple of gallons of the stuff lol. :)

So what would be good to coat the wood with without spending a ton of funds on?

And by the way the Trailer itself is in pretty good shape. Since I am in South TEXAS rust is normally not a huge problem.

Yes, oil softens the wood a bit but not much. When you get down to it; who cares? It's cheap and easily refinished. The goal is to keep the water out to slow the wet/dry cycle and negate the sun damage a bit. It's cheap and certainly not the best finish but for something that lives outside and is used to haul old engine blocks or greasy tractors, it's plenty good.
You haven't said what the trailer is used for? landscaping equipment, building supplies, hay, straw, your mother in law,.......?

[jsizemore]

The problem with pine is how much it expands and shrinks over it's width and thickness, across the grain. When it gets wet and the sun hits it, it's got to move. A 5 1/2" wide pine board will expand 1/8-3/8" when wet. When you try to bolt it down then the end of the board wants split at the bolt holes. When it gets wet it wants to cup and split when the weight is applied. If it's flat sawn and has a thin cut across a ring it will peel. Treated pine is OK for a deck but blows for a trailer. When I rebuild a bridge or trailer, I use 2 1/2-3" x 6-8" white oak that's dry. I have a bridge I resurfaced in '96 that is regularly used by farm equipment. I've replaced 5 boards of the 120 over the years. No spliting around the 40 penny nails used to anchor the oak. I did not predrill holes. 32oz Estwing is the drill. Oak stands up to the steel drug across it from heavy equipment. Pine is easy to come by. I'm fortunate to have a hardwood sawmill close by and can pick the culls.

[Ehaver]

A few people have said it so far, Used motor oil.

I was laying some concrete footers for a retaining wall, I picked up two pieces of 2x6x10 cull lumber and coated them in used oil for the release agent, well I have been done with those boards for a while now, and they are laying in the back yard. They have been in the sun, snow and now rain and have yet to warp. I also have a scrap piece of treated wood laying in the yard, now that piece has been there less time than the others, and it is warped like crazy now.

If I were you, I would use two sheets of OSB and a garden sprayer to coat them in motor oil. Very strong, and pretty cheap.

also... This

http://www.amazon.com/Trimax-UMAX50-Universal-Hardened-couplers/dp/B000F3RYGA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1401145726&sr=8-1&keywords=trailer+lock

cheap insurance.

[jonas302]

Depends on what your hauling I wouldn't use pine or treated pine in any of my trailers rough cut hardwood is cheaper and considerably stronger and will last longer but if its just for lawnmowers and such than lighter wood would be acceptable

[winchester85]

not much hardwood in some places in the country.

i have heard that cottonwood lasts a long time, i milled some up and gave it to a guy, but it did NOT last.

white oak would be the best for long life and strength. otherwise in a dry climate use pine or whatever is available.

trex and other plastic decking is worthless. it is heavy AND not very strong. won't rot, but you better have supports every 12" or so.

[lancem]

Seen a couple here in west Texas that used 3" C purlin, for sure won't rot, not sure what kind of weight it will hold if that is an issue.

[texassako]

We always used white oak on our lowboy trailers. Once a year during the heat of summer when they were driest, we would mop them down with used motor oil. They would last ten years or more with constant abuse from heavy equipment.

Yep, a decent small hardwood sawmill will know exactly what you are asking for usually. Sawed out one or two from post oak myself. I bet there is not much of a small hardwood sawmill industry in South Texas to get the wood from though unless someone who cuts mesquite and cedar runs across enough logs.

[Bullshop Junior]

Well long story short some low life stole my 16 foot tandem wheel trailer last night and I know it will never be recovered. But I still need the use of a trailer now and then so my brother has a smaller trailer that will work of only a 12 foot trailer that uses 2 X 10 boards or did have boards lol. Should I use Treated Wood for the Bed or just use plain pine boards for the bed and coat them with something? And if so what would that Something be? I am in South TEXAS if that makes a difference as to what should be used.


Thank You for any help on this subject.

How long does it take for a pine board to rot here? I used pine boards on the trailer I built and coated them with used engine oil.

[Iowa Fox]

Rough sawn white oak from the saw mill is what you want. White oak resists rot and decay other species of oak will rot quickly. Around here its not that expensive from a pallet grade saw mill.

[Iowa Fox]

We always used white oak on our lowboy trailers. Once a year during the heat of summer when they were driest, we would mop them down with used motor oil. They would last ten years or more with constant abuse from heavy equipment.


Reminds me of the time one guy I knew just put new white oak decking on his low boy trailer and put used diesel engine oil on it while the wood was way to green. It was so slick he slid his D7 off the side of the trailer. One track on the ground and one track on the trailer deck.

[Bullshop Junior]

Reminds me of the time one guy I knew just put new white oak decking on his low boy trailer and put used diesel engine oil on it while the wood was way to green. It was so slick he slid his D7 off the side of the trailer. One track on the ground and one track on the trailer deck.

My boss here did that with a JD 450. Fresh oil and the dozer slid right off and into its side.

[JesterGrin_1]

I guess I will use the Pine and coat well with used engine oil and may even add some grease as suggested. As hard wood down here is not very cheap by any means.

I also leave a bit of good space between boards for expansion and run off along with air flow around the boards. Not good for hauling dirt or sand unless you wish to end up with an empty trailer at your destination lol. But if need be I throw a tarp down first. :)

As for a Tongue Lock I had one.They removed it but I do not know how because as of yet I have not been able to find the lock. So they must have taken it with them because of finger prints or something. But it was like the one pictured here on the forum except by Reese.

It is a small single axle trailer that I will use for just general stuff. Which means anything I need it for. From Engines to furniture lol.

I did not use the big one that was stolen very much but when I needed it then it sure came in handy. It has been used to haul an Ultralight Legal Eagle a couple of times and project cars or race cars or my Buggy.

I would delve into other stuff further but at the moment my outlook on things is pretty bad as it has been one dang tough month and I sure did not need some low life piece of garbage to steal my Trailer.

[montana_charlie]

I sure did not need some low life piece of garbage to steal my Trailer.
Any chance that your homeowner's insurance will cover that loss?

CM

[gkainz]

... As for a Tongue Lock I had one.They removed it but I do not know how because as of yet I have not been able to find the lock. So they must have taken it with them because of finger prints or something. ...
I'll bet they just hooked the safety chains up snug and drove off with it, to cut the lock off at their leisure elsewhere.

[archmaker]

Heck if it is key lock not the round tumbler style, the lock is easily picked.

I lost the key to mine once and in the rain, I picked the lock with some basic tools, and only got damp.

[Ed Barrett]

See if you can find a sawmill close by that works with oak and buy 2x10" barn flooring. It's fairly cheap around here. I built 3 hay wagons in the 80's and they are still doing fine.

[35 shooter]

Hate so bad this happened Jester. I know how it feels. As far as flooring for a trailer, pine can work, but white oak is about the toughest. And yes, burnt motor oil can be used for a finish, just need to touch it up with more coats over time. Had some friends when i was in high school that had wood fences around their folks pastures on the front side of their property. We used to recoat them with the oil every summer or two.

The trailer i use every day to haul some fairly heavy equipment on, came with a 1 1/2" thick pine floor in it 12 years ago. It's held up well but oak would have been even better.

[Frank46]

Bear67, the company I used to work for used red oak as the floors of their trucks. I had a red oak come down during hurricane andrew. That wood was so hard an axe would literally bounce off and that axe was sharp. Chainsaw was a little better but the chain was only good for a few cuts then file time. Finally got tired of messing with it so started saving my used motor oil. So each time I burned the tree limbs the trunk got a good soaking. Took a long time but finally went away. My little sears cart after 18 years of hauling dirt and tree stuff is finally starting to rust the bottom out. I'm putting the old CCA treated wood down and then coating with some water sealer. Lowes and home depot only stock the newer treated wood. But I know a lumber yard that has the older stuff. Frank

[doc1876]

just a little note of information, where you park it has a lot to do with rot. Here in the Midwest if you park it in the grass it will last less than half the time, as it rots from the underside, and you don't see it until you fall through!!
I used treated 2x6 and 2x8s on mine, and park it on the rocks or the drive. It was used, and with a bad floor which is why I got a great deal on it.

[SSGOldfart]

I am in South TEXAS if that makes a difference as to what should be used. Yep you better use treaded and spray it with waterseal bolt it down so as it dries it won't roll up on you,

[Wayne Smith]

Waterseal is basically a wax in a carrier. You will do better with something that penetrates.