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replacing trailer floor

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Liteitup

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Thoughts on material for replacing the floor on a car hauler trailer? 18ish ft, including an approximate 2ft dovetail.
Presently wood and likely to remain that way due to economic concerns.

Pressure treated? Some research says newer PT isn't compatible w/some fasteners.

Oak, pine,....? Painted, water seal treatment,...?

Lumber yard, big box store,....?


Good time to upgrade to LED lights? What's that cost?

So many questions for what should be such a simple topic.
 
White oak is a good choice. I have heard of getting railroad ties sawn by someone with a bandsaw mill. I don't know about the fastener compatibility.
 
The last couple trailers I replaced the floor on I used 6" C Purlin, welded them from underneath. I left space between the C Purlin and painted with red primer with sand mixed in. Things slide more than wood, but if you tie things down you want have to replace the floor again. Just my 2 cents.
 
I've known several that used resawn bridge timbers. There is a place west of Weatherford that they bought from that I will try to get the name of.
 
bigman said:
The last couple trailers I replaced the floor on I used 6" C Purlin, welded them from underneath. I left space between the C Purlin and painted with red primer with sand mixed in. Things slide more than wood, but if you tie things down you want have to replace the floor again. Just my 2 cents.
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My little 10' trailer has the same. The only difference is that I used an enamel paint, then sprinkled quite a bit of sand on top, and finally put another heavy coat of paint on top of that. It is less slippery that wood or even rhino lining. If I were to do it again I would go this route in a heartbeat.

Not to mention that pressure treated wood is probably more expensive that c-purlin and won't last as long.:trust:
 
bigman said:
The last couple trailers I replaced the floor on I used 6" C Purlin, welded them from underneath. I left space between the C Purlin and painted with red primer with sand mixed in. Things slide more than wood, but if you tie things down you want have to replace the floor again. Just my 2 cents.
Click to expand...

Since we're in the same town, where to source purlins? Pioneer Steel? Metal Mart?
Lack of a welder is a hiccup, but not one that can't be overcome.


Thanks for all the replies, keep 'em coming.
 
there is a sawmill on the western edge of TOLAR, TX (closest to you that i know of) that re-saws telephone poles, into lumber

the wood is typically pine that has been pressure treated/soaked in creosote

it is very rot resistant & i have been flooring trailers w/ the stuff, for many years

the only issues i can think of would be a sensitivity to the creosote

as for the c-purlins, i've been giving serious thought to using them on a current project

they come in various widths, which would make fitting easy

as for making any surface tractable, use saw dust sprinkled on wet paint then re-coat the surface & voila...

sand has an abrasive nature

the saw dust wont cut into your skin when you are crawling around on it

IMHO...

shiny side up
 
Liteitup said:
Since we're in the same town, where to source purlins? Pioneer Steel? Metal Mart?
Lack of a welder is a hiccup, but not one that can't be overcome.


Thanks for all the replies, keep 'em coming.
Click to expand...

bigman may know of a place, but I will give this tip. Source it from places that build steel buildings and most of the time you will save quite a bit of money over the places that just specialize in being a metal dealer.
 
Liteitup said:
Since we're in the same town, where to source purlins? Pioneer Steel? Metal Mart?
Lack of a welder is a hiccup, but not one that can't be overcome.


Thanks for all the replies, keep 'em coming.
Click to expand...

I would go to either of the places you mentioned. I think I went to Pioneer Steel the last time. Either one, whichever is cheaper for the same gauge material.
 
I read about someone using aluminum bleacher seats. Long and about the same dims as a 2x12. Lasts forever. Got them from a surplus dealer online.

Steve
 
I know you concerned about cost. I have a 16' and a 10' both with 1" galvanized bar grating. It will be the last floor the trailers will ever need.

If you look at the cost of timbers and mill work, you might be able to locate an industrial scrap yard and pick up some grating at a bargain.

Lights will run about $60 for a set LED tail lights with harness and about $6 each for clearance lights.
 
Plain 2X lumber coated with Thompson's will last for years if you store the trailer so that it doesn't hold water. Pressure treated lumber should outlast you, but the new stuff will need stainless or other corrosion resistant fasteners. Advantages of wood are that it's always readily available, workable with the tools that most of us all ready have and if you want to add tie downs or holding jigs, all it takes is some nails or screws. The holes they leave behind aren't a big deal, but recoating with Thompson's occasionally wouldn't hurt.
 
That's my thought as well. Of course, I'm a woodworker, not a metal worker . . .
 
mbrew said:
Plain 2X lumber coated with Thompson's will last for years if you store the trailer so that it doesn't hold water. Pressure treated lumber should outlast you, but the new stuff will need stainless or other corrosion resistant fasteners. Advantages of wood are that it's always readily available, workable with the tools that most of us all ready have and if you want to add tie downs or holding jigs, all it takes is some nails or screws. The holes they leave behind aren't a big deal, but recoating with Thompson's occasionally wouldn't hurt.
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This is probably the direction I will take, for the reasons listed.
Unless someone has an easy, affordable source for the bleacher seats... I had a 10' trailer w/that flooring in the 80's and it's still around(someone else has it, but it's still around). I'd go that way in a heartbeat if I could.


Thanks for all the replies.
 
One caveat with the wood.... You will still want the use of an angle grinder and a welder. Most original wood trailer floors are captive under lips at the front and back that are just angle steel with the horizontal side on top of the boards and the vertical side in front or back of the lumber, welded to the frame. It looks like a flat strap until you grind the welds and lift one off. Good news is you generally only have to lift one. The back is easier on most of them.

Being a car hauler its dovetail portion is probably just a short version of the same captive system. Touch up with rattle can brand of your choice and it will be good as new.
 
ed29 said:
One caveat with the wood.... You will still want the use of an angle grinder and a welder. Most original wood trailer floors are captive under lips at the front and back that are just angle steel with the horizontal side on top of the boards and the vertical side in front or back of the lumber, welded to the frame. It looks like a flat strap until you grind the welds and lift one off. Good news is you generally only have to lift one. The back is easier on most of them.

Being a car hauler its dovetail portion is probably just a short version of the same captive system. Touch up with rattle can brand of your choice and it will be good as new.
Click to expand...

In this case, the strap is missing. It was removed by the previous owner because his headers hung up on it.
 
Your trailer is set up for 2x so the real question should be what wood. If you are just doing the big Box stores you'll be using pine and the question would be treated or not. I just did mine with treated but plain is OK but will take a lot more work to keep in shape. Untreated wood needs to be treated or painted, kept cleaner and drier. Bigger boards look better but in use it makes little difference. I used 2x10's and 2 2x8's and I'm real happy. I had ratchet straps that I used to squeeze the boards together after I laid them on the frame. Stainless or coated 1/4" x 2 1/2" self tapping screws are good.
 
Remember too that there are different grades of treated lumber. Some of the yellawood stuff is OK for decks but you really need the higher grade. They make hardware specific to this purpose also that will not react with the treated lumber.

Protect your lungs with a dust mask too and keep the kids away when cutting it, it's not as bad as the old arsenic based stuff but it's still nasty. Saw a bunch of guys roasting hot dogs over a fire made with pressure treated wood once. Bad idea.
 
Here's the (almost) finished project. Treated 2x10's treated again w/Thompsons water seal.
Thanks for all the suggestions. Ease of availability and ability to work w/it played the most important roles in the decision process. Crappy cell phone pic.

Waco-20120219-00017.jpg
 
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