Posted: 7/28/2017 11:11:45 AM EDT
|
Hey guys, I just acquired a car trailer with a wood deck that's totally shot. Replacing the deck is easy enough, but any input on what wood I should use? I was thinking basic pressure treated, but I'm not sure it's hard enough to not bow with weight on it. The curent deck looks like some type of hardwood (sorry, I'm a metal guy, not a wood guy).Attached File The deck is made up of 2X6's. They span 36" at the longest, but there are supports at 24" where the vehicle would sit. |
| Pressure treated works great. My car hauler required a handful of 8" wide boards and a 6" wide board that went dead center. You will need a box of of those self tapping 'Trek' brand heavy duty screw bolts that are designed for fastening wood to metal that Lowes sells. I predrilled the holes for ease, forget about re-using your existing holes. Buy a few drill bits and dip the tip in motor oil before drilling. A big pry bar and reciprocating saw will be your friend. Once you have the boards off take the few minutes to repaint anything within reach...grinding any rusty spots first. Trailer will look brand new when finished. |
| I have used pressure treated on a couple trailers. I would try to find "ground contact" instead of "above ground" use wood. They changed the chemical make up of the pressure treatment about 10 or so years ago and PT wood seems to suck now. I have a fence and deck that are less than 10 years old that are rotting. Many trailers are built without the wood bolted down. They lay it and weld flatbar over each end. those self tapping screws work great but may not be necessary. |
|
Quoted:
Pressure treated is full of salt and will rust the trailer at the places it contacts. I would use cedar or cypress. I second the thought of finding a local sawyer who has some true 2" oak planks. Check the materials section of your local Craigslist. |
|
Quoted:
Pressure treated works great. My car hauler required a handful of 8" wide boards and a 6" wide board that went dead center. You will need a box of of those self tapping 'Trek' brand heavy duty screw bolts that are designed for fastening wood to metal that Lowes sells. I predrilled the holes for ease, forget about re-using your existing holes. Buy a few drill bits and dip the tip in motor oil before drilling. A big pry bar and reciprocating saw will be your friend. Once you have the boards off take the few minutes to repaint anything within reach...grinding any rusty spots first. Trailer will look brand new when finished. Spray each board with a 50/50 mix of used motor oil and diesel before installing and then again after installation. Should make it last a lot longer. |
|
Quoted:
I had some black locust sawn to redeck my gooseneck. It should outlast me. |
|
I used pressure treated on my old 20' car hauler, worked fine - guy that I sold it to abuses the hell out of it and it still works fine.
You can cut the steel at the front or rear and lay the boards in then re-weld. or You can use blocking, bend them into place, and knock the blocks out. The last board will be tricky but it's doable. |
|
Quoted:
You got one life to live bro. If you want to drive around with some pine boarded piece of shit trailer that is on you. I use curly black walnut and ride around knowing I got the fanciest fuckin trailer in the county. Deal with it http://www.pngmart.com/files/1/Deal-With-It-Sunglass-PNG-Clipart.png ^ this man is one classy motherfuckah. 
|
|
OP...the wood isn't as important, as what you coat the wood with.
I would suggest that after you have cut all the boards, COAT the wood before install with either a deck renew with texture, or a something like textured durabak-18. It will coat pressure treated lumber, and it can be repainted/fixed when it gets jacked up. Basically....it's a poor-man's rhino lining. DURABAK-18 RUSTOLEUM TEXTURED DECK RENEW _ |
|
Quoted:
I'd bet the schools get a little pissy when you haul them off though. 
 Quoted:
Quoted:
Bleacher seats work great! And they never fall apart like old wood....!
|
|
This stuff is great but you may have to weld in additional cross members to avoid flex.
Rumber |
|
Quoted:
OP use carriage bolts rather then screws, on boards that thick, stainless or galvanized..on stainless make sure you use anti sieze on the threads... |
|
I like the carriage bolt idea. I got most of the self tappers out, but had to cut a few.
I ended up with douglas fir on the recommendation of the guy at the mill. I. I can replace it 5 times for the cost of more exotic woods and its the same deck that was originally on it. I'll probably only keep this trailer a couple years before I get an enclosed. I've had several recommendations for the used oil/diesel mix. I have plenty of both on hand. I think I'll try that out. Because the boards are 2X12's I don't think I can bend them into place. I think I'll go ahead and cut the welds on the header piece, then re-weld. Depending on how far I get this weekend I may reinfoce between the supports. Right now it feels like a hell of a long span. |