Trailer Re-decking

["S"-box]

I have a car-hauler that needs re-decking. It sits outside uncovered when not used but gets used pretty frequently. It's currently painted pine? I think, and needs re-decked. Do I replace the wood with wood and paint / treat it. Or do a little modifying and re-deck it with diamond plate steel? The sheet steel and such option would be @3times more than going with regular ole wood. But then I likely wouldn't ever have to do it again for the life of the trailer. I don't plan on being without a trailer for a long time, for a lot of different uses... I'm gathering ideas and prices before I do it in the spring. what do y'all think?

 

[CarnationSensation]

in the same boat. I was planning to just do pressure treated 2x6 or 2x8 so im interested in hearing what others have to say.

I believe they are similar to a deck on a house. If maintained they can last a very long time.

 

[TreeClimber]

Search. There's a in-depth thread here, somewhere.

(Search; Pressure Treated)

 

["S"-box]

I did. And in the nearly 5000responses I read, only 1 guy responded with a trailer decked with steel?! That was more the question... wood versus steel and the different opinions of people that have or know someone that has a steel decked trailer. I've now had both painted wood decked and pressure treated decked trailers and was leaning towards steel. But wanted to hear from people about the steel.

 

[TreeClimber]

Okay...

I have steel decked. The only advantage I can name, is it's more impervious when I drag **** across it. But not by much. It will probably last the life of the trailer, whereas wood has a life expectancy. Mine is a hydraulic tilt, and as such, I've never seen this model with wood.

It's heavier.
It rusts.
It need repainted often.
It costs more.

Prior trailer was pressure treated, and lasted 20 years before I threw some deck paint on it to help with preservation. Wood does get slick when the mold and mildew, and I hit it with the pressure washer periodically.

 

[CHOP SHOP]

Pressure treated is,,

Weak
Corrosive
Poisonous
Expensive

Doug fir is,,

Cheap
Strong
lasts long if painted
Not corrosive

Steel is,,

Heavy
expensive
Slick
can be louder


Green Fir rough cut is the best wood to use outdoor. It will last the longest.


One of my trailers is wood and steel and one is wood. My big truck is a steel diamond plate flatbed. My small truck is a steel expanded metal flatbed.

I run a sawmill and green rough cut doug fir is the choice for decking and dump truck side boards.

 

[Totalled]

What processes are recommended to maintain/preserve an existing wood deck? Mine's 4 years old and needs some attention. One of my friends swears by soaking it with cedar shingle oil?

 

["S"-box]

Okay...

I have steel decked. The only advantage I can name, is it's more impervious when I drag **** across it. But not by much. It will probably last the life of the trailer, whereas wood has a life expectancy. Mine is a hydraulic tilt, and as such, I've never seen this model with wood.

It's heavier.
It rusts.
It need repainted often.
It costs more.

Prior trailer was pressure treated, and lasted 20 years before I threw some deck paint on it to help with preservation. Wood does get slick when the mold and mildew, and I hit it with the pressure washer periodically.

How thick is the steel? Do you know how far apart the cross members are? Is the steel warping at all in between the members or is it holding flat?

 

[TreeClimber]

How thick is the steel? Do you know how far apart the cross members are? Is the steel warping at all in between the members or is it holding flat?

The steel is thin. I'd guess 1/8th, diamond plate. It's welded all the edges, plus, welded to each cross member from underneath. Lots, and I mean lots, of cross members. Never counted, but at least every two feet.

 

[kdo58]

Concrete form panels ? Strong and would last a long time.

 

[CarnationSensation]

Pressure treated is,,

Weak
Corrosive
Poisonous
Expensive

Doug fir is,,

Cheap
Strong
lasts long if painted
Not corrosive

Steel is,,

Heavy
expensive
Slick
can be louder


Green Fir rough cut is the best wood to use outdoor. It will last the longest.


One of my trailers is wood and steel and one is wood. My big truck is a steel diamond plate flatbed. My small truck is a steel expanded metal flatbed.

I run a sawmill and green rough cut doug fir is the choice for decking and dump truck side boards.

You have an estimated price for a 16' trailer?

 

[CHOP SHOP]

You have an estimated price for a 16' trailer?

Width?

 

[CarnationSensation]

Width?

Ill say 16'x8' to be safe.

I dont have a preference on the width of the boards.

 

["S"-box]

The lumber from one of the local joints by me is surprisingly cheep! like 14$ for Doug fir 2x10x20'. May end up going this route, and prime/paint. Just based on cost alone. For 5-4x8 sheets of 1/4" diamond steel it will cost me @650$. Obviously it would be cheaper for the 1/8" diamond steel but probably not much, certainly not as cheep as the lumber option.

Chop-shop did you paint your wood or stain it?

 

[fj401ton]

I redecked my trailer last fall with true 2x6 fir from a local (small) mill. I paid 190 bucks canadian for it.. i then set my router to work knotching where all the cross members go so the deck sat flush to the rails. if i was to do it again then it would be way faster with the 1.5 inch thick fir. I havent painted it or anything yet ( waiting for good weather) but will treat it with something when the sun shines. my old factory deck lasted 11 years and i did nothing to it. total cost was 22o bucks for wood and new hardware

 

[mark]

By current trailer is metal. Probably 1/8" thick diamond plate. I'd say the cross-members are every 12", maybe 16". I never have actually measured. I'm on the fence. I like it because its durable, but it dents, over time sags between the cross-members, is noisy dragging chains and the like over it and can be slippery when wet or snowy. But it will probably last the life of the trailer. I'm debating having it bed-lined for added traction and to 'soften it up', but I also know what that could look like in a few years of abuse if I drag things over it, or if the prep work sucks and it start pealing.

My previous trailer was wood. It was actually 'car decking' which is essentially tongue-and-groove 2x6, I've seen it at Home Depot. Even un-treated it lasted many years before I had to do some selective replacement. Never did redeck the whole thing in the 12+ years I owned it, and it was used when I got it.

If I could choose on my next trailer, I'd probably go wood. More forgiving, you can nail stuff down to it if need be and over-all quieter. I liked the way the car-decking held up and looked (no gaps or cupping), but I'd also check out what Chop Shop has to offer.