Flatbed trailer needs new decking

[ryanshaw07]

I’m need some advice on what kind of decking I should redo my flat bed with. The wood only lasted two years.

Thanks in advance - Ryan

 

[Javajoe]

Damn termites 🫣

 

[LAPII]

Blackwood pro decking!

 

[TPC]

I want to re-do ours with the plastic fake wood.

 

[ryanshaw07]

Blackwood pro decking!

I’ll check it out. Thanks for the recommendation

 

[ryanshaw07]

I want to re-do ours with the plastic fake wood.

I’d like to do the same but not sure what works good and what does not. Im certain someone here will have all the knowledge.

 

[tostark]

I used pressure treated wood about 5 yrs ago but it is stored inside

 

[Wayn-o]

I did pressure treated and seems to last longer than normal wood. Cut the old boards to get them out. Get a buddy, some beer and a floor jack in the middle. Easy to bend them up and slide them into the ends. Amazon sells trailer deck screws made for going thru wood into steel.

 

[AEA]

Apitong?

 

[mjc]

Diamond plate.

 

[Sherpa]

Rumber is one source..... I think they're out of Texas.......

 

[Backlash]

I've heard products like "Trex" and other artificial decking aren't suitable for trailer decking. They don't offer enough "Support" and are fairly flimsy.

 

[JUSTWANNARACE]

I've heard products like "Trex" and other artificial decking aren't suitable for trailer decking. They don't offer enough "Support" and are fairly flimsy.

^^^^ this. Not to mention any water and its slick as fuk!

 

[JUSTWANNARACE]

-Clear Cedar and seal it
-pressure treaded works ok just keep it out of the sun when storing.
-expanded metal is always my go to though, last forever

 

[wzuber]

I've used 3/4" plywood on my trailer for the last 12 yrs. Still doing fine. I seal it both sides before install. The substructure is fab'd to support for cars/trucks etc. It's outside 24/7.

 

[DaveTic]

I used this https://www.advantagelumber.com/trailer-decking/. Very happy with it.

 

[ltbaney1]

pressure treated is the answer, DO NOT use trex, it does not have the structural integrity and it gets slicker than shit with any liquid on it.

 

[Mandelon]

Oak 2x6's. They will last decades. Of course they will cost more than the entire trailer did when it was new.

 

[COCA COLA COWBOY]

Your can buy diamond plate steel, but just the cost of the steel most likely will be about $1200. Easy to weld in if you spend a couple hours practicing on scrap metal of the same thickness.

 

[wzuber]

Weight of the new material should be a consideration in the decision. Solid steel sheet and composite type material like trex are heavy and significantly reduce the total amount of load capacity you can put on the trailer.

 

[dp70]

Find someone that takes out bleachers at stadium type seating, the aluminum planks work great for trailer decking. There was a guy in Phx selling them and offering installation on your trailer.

 

[rivrrts429]

Apitong?

Apitong is the best hands down. That’s what any heavy equipment semi trailer will be outfitted with. Probably the toughest wood you’ll ever find for a trailer application. Be careful getting a splinter though. That shit will infect wherever you got that splinter. The shit they put in it or treat it with is gnarly.

 

[evantwheeler]

I’m need some advice on what kind of decking I should redo my flat bed with. The wood only lasted two years.

Thanks in advance - Ryan

Looks like you just need to replace 2 planks? I put pressure treated 2x's on my car hauler a couple years ago. Some of it warped/twisted and faded, some of it looks straight and brand new.

 

[RiverDave]

I used to do mine with 3/4 plywood and then use Thompsons water seal.. It lasted almost 2 decades before I replaced it?

RD

 

[petie6464]

Apitong?

Was waiting for this reply Would be cheaper to buy a new trailer.

 

[Bajastu]

Was waiting for this reply Would be cheaper to buy a new trailer.

And it adds too much weight to a car trailer. We install it on our Murray lowbed trailers and the wood always feels like it has lead in it.

 

[wzuber]

And it adds too much weight to a car trailer. We install it on our Murray lowbed trailers and the wood always feels like it has lead in it.

That tight, dense grain structure is where it gains its strength and durability from and it comes with the price of weight. He could use 5/4 x 6", 8" etc and be good if the trailer structure is correct for that application.

 

[Good Stuff]

We used to dump a bag of concrete on our trailers and brush it in, hose it down and brush another bag in and hose it after a few minutes. Made the non-pressure treated wood from the factory last a long time. We hauled everything from cars to construction materials and they still looked good 5 years later. Would give them a touchup treatment when we felt like it needed it after all the winter rain and snow. Other guys would spray them down with engine oil in a pump sprayer and brushed in dirt for their own version of a creosote type treatment but the decking would get slick as hell in the rain and there was always some oil transfer onto loads. I do think they were all “redwood” decking but never really had that great cedar color.

 

[OCMerrill]

Doug Fir works fine. Coat it with Linseed Oil and those new planks will last a long time. Recoat every once and awhile.

That appears to be a captured mounting so you can soak the wood a bit with hot water so they can flex in the middle. Place something round in the middle and then you can bend the planks and tuck the ends back into the slots. Self tapping screws and your done.

 

[TPC]

This is fresh-replaced coated with that thick decking paint with grit in it.
Already rotting thru 6 years later.
I'm wondering if the wood was still too green when I bought it?

 

[Instigator]

Apitong or at least a hardwood 2x6 and then weld steel deck plate over it. You will never touch it again and the deck won't flex either.

 

[Good Stuff]

This is fresh-replaced coated with that thick decking paint with grit in it.
Already rotting thru 6 years later.
I'm wondering if the wood was still too green when I bought it?

Dilute Borax in water and spray or brush a couple of coats on the raw wood. Try 2 water 1 borax. It kills all the fungus in the lumber. Then just let it dry in the sun a few hours minimum and paint it. Don’t use the Borax over your lawn.

 

[Bigbore500r]

I'd just throw new pressure treated 2x6 in there, then cover the underside with moisute barrier fabric like they use on toy haulers / travel trailers. On the topside, have some sheets of 16 ga diamond plate laid over the deck. Silicone the perimiter and also the screw penetrations. Pump some dollops of silicone on the diamond plate every 12" so it adheres to the wood and doesnt rattle. Should last a long time and minimize weathering / water damage to the wood.

 

[petie6464]

We used to dump a bag of concrete on our trailers and brush it in, hose it down and brush another bag in and hose it after a few minutes. Made the non-pressure treated wood from the factory last a long time. We hauled everything from cars to construction materials and they still looked good 5 years later. Would give them a touchup treatment when we felt like it needed it after all the winter rain and snow. Other guys would spray them down with engine oil in a pump sprayer and brushed in dirt for their own version of a creosote type treatment but the decking would get slick as hell in the rain and there was always some oil transfer onto loads. I do think they were all “redwood” decking but never really had that great cedar color.

I've done many. I've always used cheap Doug Fir and a few gallons if used motor oil with a few glugs of diesel fuel, Just roll it on. It works and last quite a while.
Repeat as needed every year or two.

 

[petie6464]

I've done many. I've always used cheap Doug Fer and a few gallons if used motor oil with a few glugs of diesel fuel, Just roll it on. It works and last quite a while.
Repeat as needed every year or two.

Never heard of using concrete,
-Interesting

 

[02HoWaRd26]

I used regular 2x10’s on mine, then mixed some used motor oil and turpentine and sprayed them. Still looks great after 10 years. (Turpentine is what i believe it was, but was to basically harden/ keep the oil on the boards not on your shoes.

 

[Good Stuff]

Never heard of using concrete,
-Interesting

I have no idea if there was a real science behind it or it was a wives tale but every single trailer got the treatment the day we picked it up. We also detailed out all our open and enclosed trailers weekly and swept out daily and checked cracks for lodged debris. Maybe that’s really what made them stay in such good shape.