Treating a wood trailer deck

[NHCharger]

What do you guys use for treating the wood decking on your trailers? I've tried a few different brands and they don't seem to last more than a year.

 

[pnora]

Lots of people just use old motor oil.

 

[sam dupont]

Boiled linseed oil

 

[70chall440]

Funny this should come up now because I am in the process of repairing the deck on my 16' open trailer. I have had this trailer since 05 and have used it quite a lot over the years. Since i live in WA state and the trailer is open, the deck takes a beating from the environment. I have tried quite a few things over the years, the first attempt was staining it with some Baer product from HD, lasted about 3 months. Then I tried something from Lowes (don't remember the name) but it lasted maybe a year. After that I left it for a couple of years and the wood was starting to look ratty so I tried the diesel fuel and oil deal, that "kinda" works for awhile, perhaps 6-8 months. I used a garden sprayer to apply it so out of everything that was the easiest.

Last winter I noticed that 2 of the boards were pretty rotted up towards the front so this week I decided to replace what I could (verses replacement of the entire deck) due to the current lumber prices. I have some long 2x6's left over from a fence I replaced so this allows me to replace up to 10 of the 16 boards, however I am going to replace 7.

This time I have decided to use bed liner on the deck. I looked at a variety of brands and looked at their marketing material as well as any reviews I could find. I elected to use Durabak which you can get off Amazon (~$123/gallon). You can get it in a variety of colors and by the reviews and their material is bonds well to wood, has a textured surface and is supposed to be durable. Now some might be thinking that I am probably crazy to put $300 worth of coating over wood that is 16 years old but I fire if it works and lasts me another 5 years or so it is worth it, however if it doesn't so be it.

 

[Richard Cranium]

Treat it to metal decking.

 

[Tony Tee]

I was thinking of mixing motor oil and mineral spirits so it soaks into the wood for my utility trailer.

 

[YY1]

Do you guys treat the sides and undersides of the wood?

I ask because I see people only treat the top surface of decks all the time.

Logic says the rot can start on the underside and work through.

 

[Slap Stick]

Do you guys treat the sides and undersides of the wood?

I ask because I see people only treat the top surface of decks all the time.

Logic says the rot can start on the underside and work through.

That would make sense since water and dirt from roads gets all over the underneath.

 

[Fran Blacker]

Must be some besides flammable products. Epoxy with grit so it isn't slippery?

 

[NHCharger]

Treat it to metal decking.

I don't like metal decks.

Been using thompson's water sealer the last few times. The top takes a beating with the sun/rain/snow beating on it 24/7.
Coating the bottom side makes sense but I think you could get away with it once every 5+ years since it isn't exposed to the weather.
I'll ask my Sherwin Williams rep what he would recommend.

 

[Fran Blacker]

They make dimple plate. It's around .020 to .030 thick it has 1/4 " dome with a 1/16" hole. Used around oily areas at rolling machines, mineral on the floor.
https://www.google.com/search?q=dim...oECBkQAw&biw=905&bih=524#imgrc=CGnY9mqq4xpYLM

 

[sam dupont]

I tipped a motor over on my trailer and figured the spilled oil would be okay. Never again, it got on things I hauled, then on me. Besides that, I don't care for the smell of waste oil.
I have about 2,000 square foot of Redwood deck that I oil every few years. I use boiled linseed oil thinned with mineral spirits. The deck was dry when I bought the house, but it's now 50 years old and still solid.

 

[YY1]

I like the dimple plate idea.

My small, 5x8 trailer deck was upgraded to diamond plate by the previous owner.

I'm pretty happy with that, although a slightly thicker plate would have been nice.

 

[dodgedifferent2]

Used motor oil on all our farm wagons and trailer.

Our 2 big wagons have solid oak boards so my father loves to use clean hydraulic fluid. Place near me changes their hydrauloc fluid every year in their seed corn harvesters. So he gets the oil from my uncle because he works for him

 

[69L48Z27]

I used roll on bed liner on a small utility trailer. So far so good.