Tee One Eleven siding question

[Pooh_Bear]

Is T-111 siding treated to be rot and insect resistant?

A local hardware store gave me 3 trailer loads of sheet material.
Most of it was 1/2 inch OSB, some luan, and some T-111.
I have a trailer that needs a floor in it.
I want to take a couple of sheets of the T-111 and put
it on the floor of the trailer with the pattern side down.
I want the smooth side on top. Do I need to treat it.

Wow did I ever hit the jackpot.
The hardware store did some year end cleaning and remodeling.
They threw out a bunch of old lumber and other stuff.
I got about 100 rough cut 2x6's 7 feet long.
I got about 40-50 sheets of OSB, 10 squares of mixed shingles.
I got some I Joists and steel roofing, half concrete blocks
There is a bunch of shorter lumber still left for me to get.
They just piled all the lumber up way out back and they
were going to burn it. I asked if I could have it.
I made seven trips yesterday. Would have got more today
but I had other stuff to do and only got one trip in.
I almost have enough stuff to build a barn for my tractor.

But what about the T-111. Is it treated or do I need to treat it.
And what should I treat it with.

Thanks.

Pooh Bear

 

[vallyfarm]

Yes, it has to be treated. Sounds like you hit on a great find. T-111 is made for exterior use, but I think the inside ply is interior rated, like ext. plywood is. Either way, the price is right, and T-111 is a lot more durable than OSB. Mike

 

[PeterT]

T1-11 is not treated and will not last to long as a trailer floor if left untreated,and left outside. I would put on some tompson;s water seal at a minum. and them it may get slick.

That was a nice score.

Good luck Petert

 

[dfkrug]

About 20 y ago I put some T1-11 on the side of my house in
Sunnyvale, CA, and I had termites in it within 10 years. The
drywood type. My T1-11 was painted and kept dry, too. I
ripped it out and went back to redwood.

 

[johnk]

I used 5/8 t11 4 OC when I built my cabin. I spray on Beyr stain every 4 yrs and it is holding up nicely. It is the same as plywood I would imagine. If you leave it out in the weather untreated it'll be a goner in 7-10 years.

 

[jjcc246]

The response in one word, No. T-111 is not good for anything. It is short term at best. No matter how much you treat it, it will warp, split and rot on you. I use it for underlayment for siding, but exposed to elements it won't last. For your trailer floor get some 2x6 pressure treated, bolt it in and away you go.

 

[Dusty]

I used some T111 and found that it wasn't very structuraly sound over the long haul. The grooves are what will be the weak spot as I learned. I would use it as a siding, but not for a flooring.

 

[Pooh_Bear]

This trailer isn't used to carry anything really heavy.
It was a home made boat trailer when I got it.
I quit using it as a boat trailer and added some cross pieces and sides to it
so I could carry OSB, water pipe, 2x4s, rebar, etc. Didn't need a floor.
Lately I have been collecting a lot of short pieces of scrap lumber.
I don't need strength in the floor. Just has to keep pieces from falling thru.

I have already cut the T-111 to fit. It was free. So if it rots out in a few
years I'm not really out anything. I will coat it liberally with sealer.
I have a couple of gallons of water sealer that someone gave me.

I would love to have a floor of treated 2x lumber.
But I have to keep the weight down for such a light duty trailer.

I'll do the T-111 for now, and by the time it rots out I will be ready
to re-inforce the trailer to carry heavier loads and rebuild it with 2x lumber.
It would be nice to carry 500 to 1000 pounds of gravel or sand, or other stuff.

Thanks.

Pooh Bear

 

[johnk]

It will work out for the stuff you want it for.. Good luck...Happy New Year.

 

[DieselPower]

I have a small 2 car garage I built about 12 years ago that is made with T1-11 for the exterior siding. I painted it with a good exterior oil base paint and so far no problems. Other than the paint fading a little in 12 years it looks as good as the day I built it. It should be fine for what you want to use it for.

My only concern would be that T1-11 siding is made to use as "siding", as in standing upright. I don't know how long it would last laying flat on a open trailer. The problem would be water puddles collecting and rotting it out. A good paint job or water seal/preservative would probably extend it's life.

 

[Pooh_Bear]

When the trailer is not being used it is unhooked.
I put the tounge on a concrete block.
This causes it to be tilted down so that water can run off of it.

Pooh Bear

 

[johnk]

Problem solved.................

 

[Knotbored]

I don't think the trailer floor is the significant use of all that great free material. I think your storage shed is way more important. It sounds like you have enough material (almost) for a couple sheds and lots of shelving. I envy you and would love to make such a find!
Good lock !

 

[Pooh_Bear]

I used one 4x8 sheet of T-111 and then one 10inch x 8feet piece for the floor.
I coated both sides with two coats of sealer. Used 3/4 gallon of sealer.
A neighbor offered me a few gallons of enamel paint to paint it with if I wanted. I may do that too. Cover it with paint real thick.

Made two more trips today. Got about 10 I-Joists and several more sheets of OSB.
Got a bunch of 2x4's and 2x6's of various lengths. Got a couple of 2x16 laminated beams. One is 12 feet long, the other is about 8 feet long.
Also got some pallets made out of treated 2x4's.

Gonna go back in the morning and get a set of steps that I saw.
These steps looked to have a rise of about 8 feet.
Still have to get all those bundles of shingles and a pallet of concrete blocks.
And a lot of short lumber 4 to 8 feet in length.
Still some OSB over there that looks like full sheets that broke in half.
And I saw a 1/2 sheet of plexiglass. Can't wait to see what else is in that pile.

At the back of the lot in some weeds looks to be an old building that has collapsed. It had a tin roof on it that is in good shape so all the lumber underneath is in the dry and in good shape. Lots of 2x4's and 2x6's. It was hid by some weeds and I didn't see it till they pointed it out to me and said I could have it if I removed it. I said sure. Soon as I can.

Supposed to be another real nice day tomorrow so I hope to make more trips. I feel like I won the lottery or something. Can't hardly wait to start using all this stuff.

Pooh Bear

 

[JBX]

Hi Pooh Bear,
On your T-111, find some exterior oil base or latex paint and slather it on the wood. Spray, roller or brush the paint on, just make sure you get lots of paint on the edges and in any cracks or seams on the wood. The more coats the better. The point is that the paint will block water from getting inside the plywood layers where it will start to decompose the wood cell fibers. "Dry rot" is not dry, it should rightfully be called "wet rot".
Note- on any piece of milled lumber, where a cut is made across the grain, as in lumber used for a flat-bed trailer, the ends of the planks will last years longer if paint is applied on the cut end until the wood can't soak it up anymore. That is why the ends of lumber left outside rot first, because that is where the rain or ground water is soaked up first.
Old carpenter wisdom.