Options for trailer floor

[mr ed]

Don't fit the boards too tight. they need space for the rain to drip through so they will drain and dry.
Leave them a little short. I stuck one in that was a little tight on length and it stretched. Now I got a humped board.

 

[Parks 788]

Don't fit the boards too tight. they need space for the rain to drip through so they will drain and dry.
Leave them a little short. I stuck one in that was a little tight on length and it stretched. Now I got a humped board.

This. ^^^^^. Use an 6d nail in between the boards when fastening them down to use as spacers.

 

[dennishoddy]

This. ^^^^^. Use an 6d nail in between the boards when fastening them down to use as spacers.

If the pressure treated boards are not at least a year old and dried, butt them up tight on construction. I followed ^^^ advice on my first decking job and now have 1/2" gaps between the boards that everything drops down through. Pressure treated wood is swollen with the chemicals they treat it with. It will shrink drastically, you can trust me on this.

 

[SoonerP226]

I'm pretty sure my dad used pressure treated lumber when he redecked his 16' utility trailer almost 20 years ago. It's still in good shape despite sitting out in the Oklahoma summer sun for the last decade or so. (Before that, it usually stayed at my place, which is heavily forested.) It has hauled tractors, cars, utility poles, various assorted junk, and tons of hay over the years, and is still in outstanding condition.

 

[dennishoddy]

I'm pretty sure my dad used pressure treated lumber when he redecked his 16' utility trailer almost 20 years ago. It's still in good shape despite sitting out in the Oklahoma summer sun for the last decade or so. (Before that, it usually stayed at my place, which is heavily forested.) It has hauled tractors, cars, utility poles, various assorted junk, and tons of hay over the years, and is still in outstanding condition.

Pressure treated boards are pretty much guaranteed 25 years of ground contact before rotting. A trailer will not have ground contact, so they will last much longer.

 

[sleeperx4]

I re-decked our trailer about 10 years ago with rough sawn white oak. Then coated with diesel and used motor oil mixture. I try to re-coat once a year or so. It's held up pretty good.

 

[beastep]

Well I bought some 2x8s today. I wanted 10s but they only had 3 good ones. I bought untreated and Ill treat them myself with used motor or hydraulic fluid after they dry out some. Lot of good advice on here.