20 ft trailer decking

Ok I have a 14,000 lb trailer that needs decking . Do I go regular screws steel and regular boards 2x6 8ft and 12ft paint / stain once a year or go with treated 2x6 and 3 coated screws .. Im going to be hauling slabs and wood and maybe tractor later on . Need feed back??? ..

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2x6 or 2x8x20 PT no seams with a corrosion resistant screw. From the pic it looks like you will have to drill all the screw holes so I would use carriage bolts. Do it once.

 

Could use stainless steel self tappers...price not too bad if bought in quantity from someplace like Fastenal...

 

Fastenal part #32087

12-24 x 2-3/4" Phillips Flat Head Gray Spex Finish #4 Point w/ Wings Wood-To-Metal TEKS® Self-Drilling Screw USA | Fastenal

Used to work for them, and have helped many local farmers with these while re-decking trailers. Treated lumber and these should last a long time.

Or, carriage bolts like was said above


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As far as the decking goes....either way...once a year ..spray with used motor oil

 

I would use pressure treated 2x6,8,10 etc. Go with stainless fasteners. Todays coated/galvanized screws are garbage. Spend the little extra and give yourself piece of mind.

 

That trailer sure does have axles far apart. I'm no trailer expert, just looks unusual.

 

rut roh the tree huggers will be along shortly

 

for my future reference will those screws really drill thru those beams and actually go in?? I am sure the work well on thinner material but that frame is heavy steel.

 

I used these. Stainless is usually softer and the head might strip out. It's what came on my trailer 15 years ago and none of them were rusted out. You have to predrill the holes and then they cut their own threads. Mine was 1/8" or 3/16 thick steel though. Yours looks thicker. Might go with a slightly bigger bit.

(100) Trailer Floor Floorboard Deck Screws 1/4 x 2 1/4" 100 pieces | eBay

 

I’ve had great success with these drilling in 1/4” steel. They are a tek4 tip, you can also get them with a T5 which is rated for 1/2” steel. Just like drilling with a drill bit, the thicker the steel, the longer it takes to cut thru. But I’ve sold and installed thousands of these screws for this use and stripped/broken just a handful of them. I know of one regularly used 18’ flatbed that I helped on 12 years ago and boards are all still holding tight.

When I left Fastenal 11 years ago to come do maintenance at the school district I’m at now, I kept a solid relationship with that manager and store and use them for tons of products. If you have a need for some of these, pm an address and I’ll send you some to try. That way, you don’t have to mess with buying a bunch and not liking them.


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What jtstromsburg said... Fastenal or similar... case hardened self-tapping deck screws. Drill small pilot holes and they work well. Have decked trailers and crane trucks with these.

 

This is FHC ya know...

 

I wouldn't use treated lumber, it will react with the steel, which is why I went with oak for my flatbed side.
Oak will be stronger too than pine, just my not asked for 2 cents.

 

Coat the frame with POR15 first? (or another brand of the same kind of product, I just found out recently they have some good competition)

 

The frame in laying on top of hay wagon we used as a work table. There's 3-7000 lb each axles going on it.

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Rough sawn white oak boards are the best trailer decking.

 

What does "react with" mean in this context?

 

I know if you use PT with aluminum it basically dissolves it, never heard of an issue with steel though.