Wood for trailer?

[John Miliunas]

My best buddy stores his trailer out by us, and it's been a life-safer for us on many occasions. It's by far, not a new unit and the boards on the bed really show it. We plan on replacing them in the very near future. Here's the dilemma: He can get his mitts on some 6/4 White Oak real, REAL cheap! Structurally, it should be more than adequate. My question is really two-fold: One, I'm assuming we should probably seal the boards annually, right? Any recommendations for what may work the best? The trailer, as most trailers are, will continue to be stored outside, so that's it's exposed to the elements 24x7. I'm assuming some type of oil-based stain might be the best bet. Secondly, what should be use on the *underside* of the boards, which will obviously take the most punishment from garbage on the roads being kicked up into it. We both use it, to some extent, in the Winter months and this IS Wisconsin, after all. Yes, there's a LOT of salt used on the roads. I thought of maybe using the same type of undercoating used for cars, but am concerned that it may trap moisture weeping into the wood. Yes/no? Appreciate any insight, tips, tricks, etc.... :cool:

[Todd Burch]

1/3 boiled linseed oil, 1/3 spar varnish, 1/3 thinner or turps. One coat a day for 3 days. Both sides, then install. Or, nothing.

How cheap is cheap on the white oak?

[Michael Ballent]

They used to make the old ships with white oak so it should not be an issue to use it for this application :D and how cheap is cheap... Not that I can take advantage of it ;)

[Chris Padilla]

My grandpa used to make me slop used motor oil on his trailer's boards when they started looking dry...I did that every summer for many, many years....

[Dean Baumgartner]

John,
When I was in High School, my dad had an old 1 ton pickup with a wooden bed that had pretty much rotted out.

My task for the summer was to remove the bed and construct a new one. Made the bed out of 3/4" treated ply doubled up in the center. Then coated the bottom with the black roof mastic. The inside got 3 coats of spar poly. That bed lasted for the ten years he kept the truck and was still as good as the day we rebuilt it. The roof mastic gets spread on with a wide trowel and really seals and adhears to the wood. Works kind of like undercoating your car.

Dean

[Sparky Paessler]

The best sealer I have found for our decks around here is made by Benjamin Moore Paints. It will last all year out in the sun and still look good. Comes clear or in colors. The colors last longer than the clear. They block more of the UV.

[David Wilson]

John

White oak can be left unprotected and will last for many years. It will turn gray on the surfase but will remain uneffected internally. I'v read that quarter sawn white oak
tends to splinter if unprotected but I doubt you will be using quarter sawn.

[John Miliunas]

Thanks for all the GREAT info, guys! I guess we'll try to do something a bit "special" on the underside of the boards and just go with some heavy oil stain for the surface. I too have heard good things about the Benjamin Moore line. :)

BTW, for those asking, the WO we're getting is 8" wide by 6/4 by 9 or 10' (I forget, exactly) long and the guy is charging us a buck a foot! (NOT board foot, but still dirt cheap!) :D Thanks again for all the suggestions! :cool:

[larry merlau]

BTW, for those asking, the WO we're getting is 8" wide by 6/4 by 9 or 10' (I forget, exactly) long and the guy is charging us a buck a foot! (NOT board foot, but still dirt cheap!) :D Thanks again for all the suggestions! :cool:[/QUOTE]
hey john i think 1foot of 8inch wide 6/4 =ibf right? :confused:

[John Miliunas]

BTW, for those asking, the WO we're getting is 8" wide by 6/4 by 9 or 10' (I forget, exactly) long and the guy is charging us a buck a foot! (NOT board foot, but still dirt cheap!) :D Thanks again for all the suggestions! :cool:
hey john i think 1foot of 8inch wide 6/4 =ibf right? :confused:[/QUOTE]

HEY! Now that you mention it, yeah...You're absolutely right! Hmmmm...That IS a good deal! :D If it's decent stuff, I'll get some more for my own stash! I can always resaw it to thinner stock if'n that be needed! :) :cool:

[JayStPeter]

The ultimate would be LineX. But, it would probably cost more than the wood.

Jay

[Lou Morrissette]

I've used the used motor oil trick on trailer beds and split rail fences for years and it's stood up to New England winters ok.

[Michael Cody]

John, a little late, but the standard for all farm trailers where I grew up here in MI was green fresh cut White Oak, 8/4 -- but 6/4 will be fine in a small trailer. We never do anything to it, just slap it on the trailer & bolt it down. I can show you hay trailers that sit outside all the time that have the beds we put on them in the early 80's that are still as good as the day we put them on. It was about 30-40 years according to my late grandfather ... the trailers we did in the early 80's, he built in the late 40's.

I just re-did two car trailers and an utility trailer I got for peanuts, we just wire brushed them and painted them, then put on new beds.. 300bf of 8/4 White Oak flatsawn & still green cost me 125$ ... boards are 8-10' x 8-12" ... weighs a ton when wet, let me tell .... so you might want to save the WO 6/4 for a good project if it's good stuff and check out a local sawmill for some green wood, it's all you need for trailer.

[John Miliunas]

Thanks much for the insight, Michael! I don't think I could "steal", even green stuff, for that kind of $$ around here! Most of the mills around here are very much into maximizing their profit, so they slit it to 4/4, dry it and sell it for @$4.00/bd-ft. One of them even has a Logosol planer/molding machine, which he primarily uses to make t/g flooring. That's OK, though. The guy works HARD for a living, has done a ton of research in managed forestry and is ecologically responsible, so more power to him. :) At any rate, White Oak it is! I just hope the stuff is nice enough where I can scam up a little for my own piddley work! :cool: