Re-Decking my trailer.

So I found some rotten boards on my trailer when I was mounting tires. I saw some dark staining on the boards when I ducked my head under the back.

I was pretty sure this trailer had treated wood when I bought it. I even coated the deck in a oil/diesel oil combo a few times through the years. I bought it new in early 09 I think. Apparently the treated wood then was no good. I have heard there was some bad batches of wood early on but treated wood shifted in like 04/05 right...from CCA? This was years later.

I called the manufacturer and asked if they ever made any of these car hauler trailers with untreated wood they said no. They had no reason to lie as I told them I bought it 6 years ago and not like I was going to make them try to pay for it? And he didnt hesitate and said no. And this was before I told him about mine.

The pic of with the circle in the lower right is the first spot. I then started looking for a stamp on wood and noticed the spot in the center of the trailer where it was rotted. Then the next day noticed the spot in the front. I took the end cap off and couldn't find treatment tags on either end so then I started thinking maybe they werent treated. After all I kept it pretty good and it sat in the sun not shaded under 3"s of leaves.


I had a board crack where my tractor usually sits but it was from a big knot and wide growth rings. Look at that board and the difference in wood quality
(See next post)

And then I pulled the dovetail boards and saw a treatment tag!!! That was some sorry wood. It did have some leaves down the side rail by the edge boards for the last year it also may of had a few in the from or where the middle was but I dont think so?

Still got a few more caps to get back on. I tries to make it easy and have the old ones as templets and use the same holes. In reality new holes could of been easier? But pre drilling might not of been quicker? I am having trouble to get the screws for the caps to pull tight? I am waiting on new screws as I broke to many. Holes also stripped and I got tired of them so I walked away. Now j have several holes drilled next to each other. I will fill them or either turn the cap the other way to get a clean surface. Bit I am almost done!!!

 

Here is the cracked board and its replacement.

See the old dovetail boards. See the tag?

 

Any body had treated wood on a deck or trailer rot this quick?

 

Will have to keep an eye on mine...Hope it lasts longer!

 

We replaced the boards on our trailer at work and I bought new screws and predrilled new holes.

 

I replaced the screws that broke. But the others I reused. 75% went in and tightened down no problem. The ones that face me the most fits were the ones in the end caps. Going through the cap wood and then the lower support? Other than the wood sometimes not matching the old holes perfect the ones through the boards went pretty smooth. If they didnt match up just right I ran the drill from the bottom side to make sure the holes were aligned right and then the screw went through.

 

Mine is an 08 and it's fine but it was mostly garage kept. All I've done is replace some screws to keep everything tight.

 

New deck looks good. Nice work.

 

Thanks. I originally was just replacing bad boards. Then I found the bad 2 up front. Which made it 4 rotted boards and one split board to replace out of the 11. At that point I had convinced myself that they were not treated or if they were 40% have already failed so do them all while I am at it.

Was going to leave dove tail alone but it looked so bad with the old ones I decided not to half azz it and do it all.

I also wire wheeled all the under supports and gave them a brushed on coating of that thick nasty rustoleium paint for corrosion front section and some of the original paint or lack there of was minor rusting.

 

Looks great Clem. Trailers up here in Maine usually turn to rusty dust from road salt, long before the decking rots out.

 

Pine in general makes pretty poor trailer decking. I've always used white oak.

 

Back when they could use CCA to treat them they would last forever on a trailer.

I talked to the company that treated the wood they said a lot of the failures are from sunlight...the UV breaks it down!!

He said to use deck stain on it. I am thinking what good is treated wood then. I mean untreated if painted would last that long. Treated would last longer but still 6 years. I dont have very good hopes for this stuff then. He said with a stain on it for UV protection I should get 15 years!!! I was thinking thats bad. I know of people with 20-30 year old trailer decks back when cca was around.

 

Yes.

 

I redecked my 1988 Hudson trailer in 2008, many of the decking screws had rusted away. Sits outside allthe time, I know it has not moved in 4 years. I will check the deck at the end of the month.

 

Treated wood never does good for me. I remember my Dad using rough sawed Oak on his trailer years ago. Then it got the crap oiled out of it lol !! Lasted awile.

 

I hit the topside with water seal every so often. Helps but don't stop it.
water dilutes, washes away, the bacteria inhibitors over time.
The new stuff don't last as long but is better for the environment.
Coat the new wood with a copper solution like Copper Green will extend the life.

PS: When cutting, try to not breath the saw dust.

Wherever the wood touches other boards or the metal is a spot that don't dry out well.
Blow the dirt & leaves out of the cracks & corners.
Store in an open sunny windy location so it dries after rain (have heard that one before )

Keep you wood dry

 

I did blow or spray with a hose the leaves out of cracks. It had some sit in the side cracks for the last few year but never had any before that. But several times over that period I blew them out.

I didnt get brought sawn oak and oil it cause I didnt feel likemessing with the caps and other issues that the larger dimension. Would bring. Probably a non issue but I probably would not oil it enough to matter. This trailer got oiled 3-4x in its life as well. Used oil and diesel mixed about 40/60 to 50/50

 

Be aware that there are 2 levels of "treated" lumber. One is marked as treated to rejection. That means they were not able to make the board absorb as much as it should and is a seriously inferior product. The other carries a treatment grade, which means it really is resistant to problems.

 

Well the new ones came from lowes and have a lifetime warranty and are resistant to rot and termites above ground. Same as the old. Yet still had dry rot issues on the old ones

 

In the 1960's in my hometown there was a lumber company that had been in business for years that began to offer "permanent wood foundations" out of treated wood. Needless to say, they were not permanent and they went bankrupt.