Had to redeck my trailer

[clemsonfor]

I bought a new car hauler typer trailer in 2009. I noticed some rot a few weeks back on some of the boards. I was told they were treated and assumed that but then i started to question that as the boards only lasted 6 years. Then i called the maker of the trailer and they said they never made the trailer i have with untreated boards...so i beleived them since why would they lie and i did not tell them i had rotted boards nor told them i wanted them to fix it or anything. Then i found a few more than the original 2 boards that were rotted so i made my mind up that they were not treated.

I was going to replace just the bad ones till i made my mind up that the trailer was untreated then i decided to do them all cause 4 of the 11 boards were rotted and one was split bad so i needed to do 5 at a minimum.

I could not find a treatment stamp anywhere on the boards nor a tag when i pulled the caps off the wood to remove the long boards. I was going to leave the dovetail as it looked fine but then it looked so bad compared to my new boards i pulled them off to replace them. Thats when i saw a tag on the ends of one of them. they were treated. I could not beleive that treated wood on a trailer kept in a sunny location and kept pretty free from leaves and mud only lasted 6 years!!!

Anyone had to redeck thier trailer or home deck in this short of a time? This new treatement chemicals makes me wish we still had CCA dimensional lumber!!!!

Pictures to follow.

 

[clemsonfor]

The pictures with the red circles are the rot boards. You can see the one flipped up that was the first one i noticed at the back. The one on the ground that was rotted was one of the boards that was rotted up at the front.


This trailer i kept the leaves off mostly the last few years i would oly get them off a few times a year but the only leaves were really in the cracks between the edge board and the metal. All the ones on the deck i removed or blew off. I would use the hose when i did clean it to get the leaves out of that area when i removed it. And when i say leaves sat in it it was just what would get hung in the cracks not like a giant pile of them.

 

[EddieWalker]

I bought my trailer brand new with what the owner of the company told me was with Wolmanized wood. I'm not sure of the spelling, but from what I understand, it's the standard type of treated wood they use for trailers. It lasted about five years, with a few boards breaking and others showing serious rot and decay. The worse part of it was at the end of the trailer where it was held in place with a piece of angle iron. I felt that the angle iron was holding moisture under it and allowing the wood to rot at the end grain.

I removed the angle iron and all the boards. Some of the screws just broke off, so I used my grinder to get rid of what was sticking up. I primed and painted the metal. Instead of using self tapping screws, I drilled through the boards and used galvanized carriage bolts. I know for a fact that I used PT lumber because I bought it myself. It's been about 8 years, give or take, and one board is showing signs of rot at the end grain. I did not put that piece of angle iron back on to hold down the ends since I wanted them exposed so they would dry out quickly after it rained.

I don't understand why the lumber on a trailer doesn't last as long as it does on a deck, but something is happening that tells me there is a difference. My long term goal is to build a place to get everything under roof. Trailer, tractors, implements and just everything I own. The sun and Mother Nature is just brutal over time and nothing will last if left outside.

Eddie

 

[oldballs]

In 16 years my trailer is on its third deck. The OE was White Oak treated with linseed oil. It last about 6 years until the ends of the boards rotted noticeably. The second deck of PT did the same. Both were treated with linseed oil at least once per year. But both were also used to haul gravel from the quarry and various other dirt/rock projects.

I don't haul rock etc. on this last deck and just use it to trailer my B2620 for mowing. I expect it to last longer.

Cheers,
Mike

 

[GreenYellow]

My trailer is on it's 2nd deck in 12 years. The current one only has a couple of years left... I keep the leaves off of it, but it gets full sun and rain. I use it at least once a week.
The current deck is regular PT 2x8's. They're not rotting, but they're getting very very dry and white.

My granddad used to paint his trailer floors with used motor oil. He'd just mop it on and let is soak in. The floors lasted FOREVER, but they were dirty. You wouldn't want to haul furniture on it. :laughing:
I would love to do that to mine, but sometimes I haul things that can't get stained up.

I guess $200-300 for a floor every 6-8 years is just the price of owning a trailer. It's less than tires...

 

[Old Junk Man]

Trees cut in the summertime when the sap is up will rot even if treated. You can cut in the winter when the sap is down and it will be pretty rot resistant without treatment. rot is caused by living organisms that must have sap or moisture to live. I use wintertime cut post oak and let it air dry for enough time it developes cracks. then paint liberally with used engine oil. stand it up and get as much oil as possible in the ends. think about this electric poles are treated and they sometimes rot.

 

[GreenYellow]

Another testament to granddad's oil treatment... In the 60's he built a doghouse out of regular scrap plywood. It's sitting right on the ground and under a lot of trees in a low area -- perfect for rot. he painted it with oil a couple times, and it's still there today, in pretty decent shape. The barn, built right beside it, fell in 20 years ago.

It just works...

 

[Old Junk Man]

the oil seals of the oxygen and rot spores cant survive. the termites live off eating rot spores. the termites bring in moisture and chew wood they create a ideal environment for their food (rot spores to live.

 

[aeblank]

My dad's trailer is probably 15 years old and he hasn't replaced a board. I think the key is storing it inside. His is in a polebarn when not in use. I'd bet anything that it lets the flat areas that support the boards (angle iron) to DRY FULLY. When outside, well, not so much.

We've used it plenty in the winter, so the paint is CRAP though.

 

[clemsonfor]

I bought my trailer brand new with what the owner of the company told me was with Wolmanized wood. I'm not sure of the spelling, but from what I understand, it's the standard type of treated wood they use for trailers. It lasted about five years, with a few boards breaking and others showing serious rot and decay. The worse part of it was at the end of the trailer where it was held in place with a piece of angle iron. I felt that the angle iron was holding moisture under it and allowing the wood to rot at the end grain.

I removed the angle iron and all the boards. Some of the screws just broke off, so I used my grinder to get rid of what was sticking up. I primed and painted the metal. Instead of using self tapping screws, I drilled through the boards and used galvanized carriage bolts. I know for a fact that I used PT lumber because I bought it myself. It's been about 8 years, give or take, and one board is showing signs of rot at the end grain. I did not put that piece of angle iron back on to hold down the ends since I wanted them exposed so they would dry out quickly after it rained.

I don't understand why the lumber on a trailer doesn't last as long as it does on a deck, but something is happening that tells me there is a difference. My long term goal is to build a place to get everything under roof. Trailer, tractors, implements and just everything I own. The sun and Mother Nature is just brutal over time and nothing will last if left outside.

Eddie

Mine two has the angle iron ends. there were three that had rot at the ends...see pics but all the others looked solid no sign of rot. I too painted the whole underside with rustoleum brush on paint. I only had about 6 screws to break. I actually reused all the ones i could and they tightened fine. I put the angle back on but having trouble getting some of the screw to pull tight i think i may use some bolts in those spots.

I wish i could have it under cover but i like you dont have the space currently. I guess technically the fastners are wrong cause there not dipped galvanized but the last ones showed no sign of unordinary rust so i used them. I got a box of new ones to replace the ones that were stripped/broken.