Re-decking Gooseneck Trailer

[bungerag]

Howdy folks. I am pretty much completely restoring a 24ft gooseneck flatbed that's been sitting on the farm for nearly 10yrs unused. As the subject line suggests, I am going to be putting a new deck on the trailer and need some assistance hunting down some lumber.

The crossmembers on the trailer are in 24in intervals and is currently configured with a 2x10x18 and a 2x10x6 on each row (no dovetail). The crossmembers are too thin everywhere else for board seams -- basically only wide enough for a single row of screws with the exception of the crossmembers 6ft from either edge of the flatbed. This locks me into using the same 18ft + 6ft configuration (or single 24ft boards) without having to make modifications to the crossmembers.

The issue is that in my region, 2x10x18ft is non-existent in the pressure treated format. I can find regular dimensional lumber, but not the pressure treated yellow pine or otherwise. Oak seems to be pretty rare in that length as well. I have two questions:

1. Does anybody have a source in the south where I can obtain those 2x10x18's
2. If not, is there any way I can utilize the regular non-treated dimensional lumber and still make it last?

Unfortunately I do not have a welder, nor the knowledge to do so even if I did. I'd rather avoid that route if possible. Thanks for reading my long-winded post!

 

[Rustyiron]

White Oak is pretty much the decided (here) to best the material for this.....
but you need to find someone with a sawmill and has access to white oak logs.
If this is out of the question, you could always bolt a PT 4x4 to a cross member to support a joint between, say a 8' & a 10'.

 

[EddieWalker]

What part of Texas are you in? McCoys has stores all over Texas and their website shows that they sell PT 2x10x20 boards for $54 each

2 x 10 x 20 (Actual: 1-1/2"x9-1/4") #1 Ground

 

[alexpops]

Any 2x6 8 or 4 PT in those lengths near you? Would need to drill a few holes in the cross members to line them up but that should work. Just be sure the metal cross members are sound or you'll need to weld/bolt in new metal anyway. If you want the same 2x10 layout and can get the sizes you want in a suitable non-PT wood you could multi coat with a preservative like bora care & copper/naphthenate then diesel/used oil mix for waterproofing.

 

[arto98607]

For most trailers a used motor oil & diesel fuel mixture is pretty good alternative, if no pressure treated boards available.
Couple of applications with a broom works good.

I think it works better...

 

[Williy]

My dad built a frame for a porch for his trailer in northern WI
but; he never put any boards on top so just the frame and every
time they would go there he painted the frame with drain oil and
and no rotten boards after over 40 years

willy

 

[4570Man]

I redecked a trailer a while ago with 20ft lumber. None of the local places stocked 20ft but they were able to order it without issue. It’s a lot of work to strip one off and put it back. I kinda regretted ever messing with it by the time it was done. After completely redoing the first trailer I decided just to spot repair the second one.

 

[nyone]

A real lumber yard can order 24' lumber.

 

[Needville]

I've ordered 20 footers from HomeDepot/Lowes before--although this was pre-covid.

 

[5030]

Apitong if you want it to last..