Replacing my trailer deck

[bambam31]

Yay, I’m in the process of replacing my trailer deck while lumber prices skyrocket. I’ve got an 18’ deck with a 2’ dovetail. The boards are cut and now I’m trying to decide on board spacing and paint. I live in south Alabama in the second most rainiest part of the USA. And yes, very high humidity. My last deck rotted out from the bottom. I made the mistake of parking it in the shade over some ground that rarely dries out. It didn’t help that the deck spacing was tight and eventually got packed with pines straw, leaves and dirt. You live and you learn. So now I need to lay it out and decide on either 1/8” or 1/4” spacing. I’m hoping to make this one last so I will paint the deck top and bottom after the lumber dries this summer. What kind of paint should I use?

 

[je1279]

I'd see if I could find a bedliner paint that works on wood. It would be durable and limit any future water intrusion. If possible, I'd suggest covering the sides and ends of the boards as well.

 

[Motion]

As always do as you feel is best. You say the boards are cut, you didn't say what type wood or if treated. White oak in my opinion is the best for trailers after that .8 or 2.5 CCA treated works well. Maintaining a 1/8" to 1/4 " over that length will be difficult unless you joint and plane the wood to the final dimensions desired. Personally I wouldn't paint the wood especially the underside, the wood needs to breath and paint will be slick. I'd consider picking up a small 1 or 2 gallon sprayer and periodically spraying the boards with a good penetrating sealer. Even if you do everything you'll need to keep it somewhat clean. Boards are just one aspect brakes, bearings, tire condition, lights, hitch, spare, etc. needs to be ready to go. Just my .02

 

[GreensvilleJay]

re: spacing....
Cut 1/4" thick UHMW 'plastic' into 1.5 x 1.5 spacers or washers,dril and countersink a hole, Screw into deckboards every foot, this will ensure 'air' gap will always be there.
You could go 1/8" if you don't get a buildup of needels between the boards. I use 1/4" UHMW as I have lots of it here, machines real nice too !

 

[imnukensc]

I'm assuming you're using pressure treated wood----I'd use 1/4" spacing. After it's dried, I'd use linseed oil on it. Many folks even use diesel fuel.

 

[Magicman]

We usually use a nail for spacing because the lumber will shrink and any wet weather expanding will only compress and not cause a problem. Actually no space at all is OK. Don't paint. It would hold any penetrating moisture and cause rot. I would saturate both sides with a good fungicide/rot preventive product.

White/ Post Oak or Black Locust would be the best lumber species.

 

[GeoHorn]

Please don’t consider this post as argumentative... I realize you’ve already selected/cut wood... Next time, I suggest you consider using steel C-purlins from your metal bldg supply instead. They come in 4”, 6”, 8” widths...and 2” thickness.... making great replacements for 2X8 boards, etc.
They can be screwed-down... but I’ve done two trailers with them by welding them down and to each other with short beads (about 2” long) and they make excellent, long-term trailer decks.
They come primed with red-oxide primer and I’ve left them that way in one case, and painted with a roller the other with Rustoleum Red-Oxide primer for an even heavier, protective coat. Truck bed liner can also be used which will impart a skid-resistant surface as well as protect against rust/corrosion.... however I’ve not had any problem with the first trailer I did 19 years ago leaving the purlins with their original, single-layer of red-primer with no sign of deterioration.

PS: The 20’ long purlins were less expensive than 18’ long boards.

 

[PaulR]

Paint?
Not sure how southern weather effects things, but in New England I just did mine with PT and Messmers UV Plus.

 

[Henro]

Please don’t consider this post as argumentative... I realize you’ve already selected/cut wood... Next time, I suggest you consider using steel C-purlins from your metal bldg supply instead. They come in 4”, 6”, 8” widths...and 2” thickness.... making great replacements for 2X8 boards, etc.
They can be screwed-down... but I’ve done two trailers with them by welding them down and to each other with short beads (about 2” long) and they make excellent, long-term trailer decks.
They come primed with red-oxide primer and I’ve left them that way in one case, and painted with a roller the other with Rustoleum Red-Oxide primer for an even heavier, protective coat. Truck bed liner can also be used which will impart a skid-resistant surface as well as protect against rust/corrosion.... however I’ve not had any problem with the first trailer I did 19 years ago leaving the purlins with their original, single-layer of red-primer with no sign of deterioration.

PS: The 20’ long purlins were less expensive than 18’ long boards.

I heard, but have no experience, that metal decks on trailers are undesirable because they can become slippery. Is this a concern with those C-purlins geoHorn?

I guess covered with truck bed liner they would not be any more slippery than wood and perhaps even better.

 

[GeoHorn]

They are not slippery, even when wet, is my experience. But they DO allow things to slide easier than dry wood. (Wet wood is also very slippery.)
But so what? Don’t you tie things down? (Wink)

Here are some pics of a little utility trailer which has a 2” angle-iron underdeck...but originally had treated wood floor and sides which had rotted. I used the same technique as on my other trailers to replace the floor with C-purlins and then added angle-iron walls with expanded-metal inserts tacked into them. I used a roller to spread/smear Rustoleum Red Oxide primer on the sidewalls only...the purlins were left with the original primer as sold to me. It’s been durable, as you can see, as I’ve hauled old scrap metal off to the salvage yard with this trailer several times. This was done last year and it sits outside under trees as you can see by the oak-flowers which have fallen into the bed. I also modified it to have a dropping-tailgate. Hope this helps.

 

[bambam31]

I'm assuming you're using pressure treated wood----I'd use 1/4" spacing. After it's dried, I'd use linseed oil on it. Many folks even use diesel fuel.

Yes treated pine

 

[bambam31]

They are not slippery, even when wet, is my experience. But they DO allow things to slide easier than dry wood. (Wet wood is also very slippery.)
But so what? Don’t you tie things down? (Wink)

Here are some pics of a little utility trailer which has a 2” angle-iron underdeck...but originally had treated wood floor and sides which had rotted. I used the same technique as on my other trailers to replace the floor with purlins and then added angle-iron walls with expanded-metal inserts tacked into them. I used a roller to spread/smear Rustoleum Red Oxide primer on the sidewalls only...the purlins were left with the original primer as sold to me. It’s been durable, as you can see, as I’ve hauled old scrap metal off to the salvage yard with this trailer several times. This was done last year and it sits outside under trees as you can see by the oak-flowers which have fallen into the bed. I also modified it to have a dropping-tailgate. Hope this helps.

never knew this was an option. If there is a next time I might go this way. Thanks for the reply

 

[Donystoy]

I replaced the deck on my trailer a few years ago using pressure treated wood from Home Depot. I found it quite wet and decided to install them tight together since I expected them to shrink as they dried out. There is now at least 1/8" between them allowing water to drain. In my opinion it is more important to have them breath and stay dry. When I am hauling fine material I have pieces of 3/8" plywood that I lay down to stop it from been lost on the road.

 

[Hd883chopper]

I'm assuming you're using pressure treated wood----I'd use 1/4" spacing. After it's dried, I'd use linseed oil on it. Many folks even use diesel fuel.

My brother swears by transmission fluid mopped on top of pressure treated. He claims it helps keep the bugs and pests away too.

 

[Cathy Liebchen]

Yes treated pine

We use pt yellow pine and coat with used motor oil