New trailer floor treatment

[Alan L.]

Rather than put toxic waste on the trailer deck that is extremely slippery when wet, stinks to high heaven, and ruins rubber tires and shoe soles and ultimately the wood itself, I used a high quality house deck stain.
I know, imagine that, a DECK stain for a wood trailer DECK, who woulda thunk.
It would have been $30 a gallon but I bought a color mistake at Lowe's for $3.99 a gallon. Olympic Maximum Deck Stain guaranteed to protect completely for a minimum of 5 years. One $4 can put 2 nice coats on a 20' flat deck trailer. Looks exactly the same after a year and will likely be good for 5 as guaranteed. Bought 2 gallons so I'll throw a coat on after 5years and another 5 years down the line. Actually even at the retail price, still the best most cost effective treatment available.

The stain is probably a good idea, although I doubt seriously its ingredients are any less toxic than diesel and used motor oil. But the oil probably rubs off on anything that touches it, whereas the stain soaks in. I figure its also petroleum based. But it would remain more "dry" looking.

I have PT on my trailer bed that are about 5 years old so I guess I need to put something on them too. The original boards from 1999 were untreated and painted black and they rotted out after 5 years or so.

 

[clemsonfor]

My oil/deisel has soaked in, sitting on it in dark colored shorts does not leave spots oily stains or anything on them, the boards look dry but not cracked up. White shorts may be a different story , but then again i dont wear or even own a pair of white shorts.

 

[hawkeye08]

When we bought our trailer this spring from the manufacturer, I asked if we should do anything to preserve the wood deck (2x6). He said if you want it to last, use linseed oil or used motor oil. He said most deck stains or water proofing make it look pretty but the linseed oil will protect it. I should do something, but have not decided which way to go yet... (it is not out in the weather yet).

 

[wushaw]

I use used motor oil on my trailers also, I just brush it on and let the wood do the rest.

 

[Gem99ultra]

After looking at a couple of rigs that had been treated with diesel/kerosene and one with motor oil, I went ahead and rolled boiled linseed oil on it. Granted, the diesel, after mopping it on a couple of times, no doubt will protect anything. But, I didn't like the residue nor the strong smell. I have to keep my trailer close to the house, so diesel ordor 24 hrs. day would become a problem.

$10 worth of linseed should protect it for at least a couple of years. If it doesn't we'll do something else...

Thanks for the responses.

 

[oldballs]

I would say leave it alone. In my entire life I think I've seen just a handful a people who treated the wooden deck on a trailer, and most of the time it was for looks rather than preservation of the wood. I've also seen a few that were painted, but again it was done for the appearance value.
I just redecked my 16ft trailer that I bought used about 11 yrs ago, and it's got a 1998 date of manufacture on the nameplate. I'm pretty sure the PT deck on it was original, so it lasted 22 yrs with NO other treatment. Really, it could have gone longer but I went ahead and replaced it because a couple boards had been broken where the supporting angle joists underneath them were bent upwards from getting hung up on a stump.
If you do put anything on the wood, don't use something that will make it slick when it gets wet, that could be a bit unsafe.

Postscript.......Get this! Just after retreating the OE white oak deck that was 11 years old and had been treated annually with linseed oil....,,,I took the whole deck off. Yes...off! And replaced the whole thing with PT pine. Why???? I jacked the trailer up to do some brake work, and decided there was too much rot ( underside) on enough of the boards (especially on ends) to just replace all of them. To heck with treatments. The linseed treated top side of the planks looked great. But check out the underside! Now I'm with KEBO.

 

[Gem99ultra]

Well, after considering the suggestions, I decided to go with the linseed oil. Now I'm having second thoughts!

All of the linseed oil didn't soak in. Now I have large spots of linseed oil just sitting on top of the PT pine deck :-( I've left it out in this Texas sun for a month, and it doesn't seem to be getting any better. Now I'm wishing that I'd simply left it alone as some suggested. Live and learn.

 

[Hematite]

Swab the deck down with paint thinner (not laquer thinner). This will remove the excess on the surface of the wood and allow the BLO to penetrate the wood further. If I was going to use BLO, I would apply it mixed 50/50 with paint thinner. This will also encourage the BLO to dry much faster. :thumbsup:

 

[Gem99ultra]

Thanks Hematite! Paint thinner it is. You saved me a lot of aggrivation. (And perhaps an accident.)