Trailer Decking Question

[tmking66]

I would not bother with red oak.

Well, I've used it before but in 2 in thick boards and it lasted for 13 years. My question was not about types of wood but about the structural strength of 2 one inch boards vs one 2 inch thick board.

 

[RJKeith]

White Oak would be much better then Red Oak.

Not only is white oak stronger for this application, it also doesn't rot nearly as fast.

 

[RJKeith]

I agree but white is going to cost me $3.50 a board foot. I'm getting the red oak for .28 a board foot. That's $1000 vs less than a hundred

The $3.50 per board foot sounds like a select kiln dried price. Find a sawmill with a lower grade green white oak, should be less. Still more than $0.28 per foot, but closer to $1.00.

 

[tmking66]

Not only is white oak stronger for this application, it also doesn't rot nearly as fast.

Is it a $900 price difference than red oak? That's what I'm looking at with prices. Red oak will cost me $90 for the wood. White oak will cost me $1050 for the wood.

 

[tmking66]

The $3.50 per board foot sounds like a select kiln dried price. Find a sawmill with a lower grade green white oak, should be less. Still more than $0.28 per foot, but closer to $1.00.

I've looked. That's all I have been able to find within a reasonable distance. If I could find white oak for $1 a foot I would do that in a heartbeat. Sawmills that have been in business all my life are now shutdown. I guess because the economy is doing so great.

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

If 2 plies have to be glued up like plywood to keep water out of the middle of the plies to avoid rot, then that is a solid layer of glue over the whole trailer. I see bookoo bux worth of glue for that. So much for the good price of red oak. Cheaper to keep a tarp over it.

2 layers of red oak with overlapping seams, perpendicular, or at an angle without glue would outlast my lifetime. Putting down some torx head screws (like on decks) will keep it tight enough to keep some water out.

At the price you quoted, buy enough to do the trailer twice and save the rest.

A 5 gallon bucket of Titebond wood glue is $150. Hardly "bookoo bux." Still way cheaper than white oak.

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

Well, I've used it before but in 2 in thick boards and it lasted for 13 years. My question was not about types of wood but about the structural strength of 2 one inch boards vs one 2 inch thick board.

Two layers laminated will be stronger than a single layer of the same material of the same thickness.

Others have said to lay the second later crosswise... Adds ZERO strength and just gives water more places to sit.

Glue, or just saturate the boards with used engine oil where they will contact.

 

[wh]

Always heard, a job worth doing, is worth doing right. Your trailer, cut corners if you wish. Have built enough trailers and refloored enough trailers that i personally would use better wood and be done. One other saying comes to mind, you get what you pay for!

 

[bc]

A 5 gallon bucket of Titebond wood glue is $150. Hardly "bookoo bux." Still way cheaper than white oak.

Ok. I was thinking of caulking gun tubes of construction adhesive like liquid nails.

 

[tmking66]

Always heard, a job worth doing, is worth doing right. Your trailer, cut corners if you wish. Have built enough trailers and refloored enough trailers that i personally would use better wood and be done. One other saying comes to mind, you get what you pay for!

I agree, and if money were no object we wouldn't be having this discussion. But, my economy IS NOT doing great in spite of what the news media keeps telling us. So, if I can save several hundred dollars, be safe, and have a deck that will last 10 years with some care then that's where I need to be.

 

[DoubleO7]

I do not see where one would be able to achieve a 100% seal between two boards with two screws 16 inches or more apart.
The boards not being 100% flat with no twists, and not able to place clamps in between.
Maybe is you had screws every 8 inches?

ANY minor air space between the boards are gonna collect and retain water.
Wet wood attracts termites and other insects and mold that also hastens the rot and destruction of untreated wood.

 

[INCase]

A 5 gallon bucket of Titebond wood glue is $150. Hardly "bookoo bux." Still way cheaper than white oak.

make sure its Titebond III as its the only one water proof. looks like $30/gal depending on where you get it. looks like a gallon covers 250 square feet at 6mil thickness according to their info.

you can also water seal the wood or paint it with some good oil based exterior paint (not over the glued surfaces). that would help it last a bit longer. watch you don't get knots overlapping or too close to each other.

park it on a slope or raise the jack up high to help water run off and not pool on the deck.

I would probably do the same thing based on those prices. We do have a local sawmill here i occasionally get lumber from. they'll cut what you want. i usually get it planed to thickness and 1 good edge then i can easily rip to size without too much issue. that is in North Central Indiana

 

[cjunrau]

I agree, and if money were no object we wouldn't be having this discussion. But, my economy IS NOT doing great in spite of what the news media keeps telling us. So, if I can save several hundred dollars, be safe, and have a deck that will last 10 years with some care then that's where I need to be.

I would go the two layers in a heart beat. will be strong enough. price out glue like PL400 or similar and you will need a good bead on all four edges and bolt together, ads cost so factor that in. if it was me I would make the bottom board 1/4 inch narrower than the top. glue and screw/bolt them before installing. when installing make them as tight as possible and when they shrink that little bit and leave a crack the water will drip off the top one and not touch the bottom one. then make sure you do as some suggested, lots of used oil on top of deck. I am amazed how long my semi deck lasted with oil compared to no oil.

 

[Geo-TH,In]

I've got a source for some oak boards that are at a very good price. I need to replace my equipment trailer deck. Problem is the boards are just q inch thick. Could they be doubled (use 2 boards stacked) for the deck? Would this be weaker than a solid 2 inch board?

The AC2 boards on my trailer lasted about 11 years.
Special order from Menards, the good stuff CCA.
Not that expensive.
Some say CCA boards are outlawed in their state.
I think pole barns use CCA, It is structural building materials . So if you don't have a Menards, ask someone that sells pole barn packages.

I think using two layers of wood would trap water between the boards and the wood will not last very long.Bad idea.

 

[bc]

If you don't need it perfectly flat then add a third layer for where the tires of any tractors or vehicles will drive and park on. What the old bridge builders did. HF tarps and sheet plastic are a cheap cover when it is sitting most of the winter to keep the snow off. Ice and snow and freeze and thaw is the hardest on wood if you don't oil or prime and paint. If you go to any farm supply or trailer store, look at the cheap stuff they use for trailer decks and metal frames anymore.

 

[dhermesc]

I use red oak and coat it every year with used motor oil. A paint roller with a long handle makes the job easy. After the deck had dried, the first time it took 4 gallons of oil, in multiple coats on my 20 foot. Look at Zoro on line for the glue, cheapest place I've found to buy water proof Titebond glue by the gallon.

I agree that PROPERLY glued the two 1X will be stronger than a single 2X - but I don't know how well water proof glue holds up to oil products - especially oil motor oil spread every couple of years. A person might have to apply a real finish like poly urethane every couple three years to keep the deck sealed or find something else that won't ruin the glue bond.

 

[ss55]

I've got a source for some oak boards that are at a very good price. I need to replace my equipment trailer deck. Problem is the boards are just q inch thick. Could they be doubled (use 2 boards stacked) for the deck? Would this be weaker than a solid 2 inch board?

Dumb question: Does rubberized asphalt driveway sealer work as a trailer bed coating? Something like https://www.lowes.com/pd/Jetcoat-5-Gallon-Asphalt-Sealer/5013264041, or a maybe a roll on pickup truck bed liner product?

I've been impressed how well asphalt sealers seal small and large cracks in asphalt, wear well to traffic, stays flexible and provide good traction.

 

[kencombs]

Gluing wood with Titebond, and similar glues, requires a very good contact area between the two surfaces. That means a planed, smooth and flat with near 100% contact between the two. A lot of lumber doesn't meet that description and needs further prep to work well. Rough sawn will not work without some sort of gap filling glue. I do think two layers will be strong enough as it will be actually well over 2" total.

The issue is lifespan with the likely possibility of water being trapped in the gaps. If I had to do it, it would not overlap one layer on the other, but line them up, leaving a gap for drainage. Probably could just butt the tightly and let shrinkage take care of it.

 

[Buffalo Pete]

2 layers, outside, glue or not, moisture will eventually get in between them, and accelerate rot.

 

[jon f mn]

Two layers laminated will be stronger than a single layer of the same material of the same thickness.

Others have said to lay the second later crosswise... Adds ZERO strength and just gives water more places to sit.

Glue, or just saturate the boards with used engine oil where they will contact.

You are absolutely wrong about the added strength. Look at old floors in factories and barns for reference.