Re-decking Trailer - what size 2-by

[peterp63]

Re-decking a 16 ft trailer. Debating between various sizes of 2x’s.

At 102” worth you’d need:

18.5 2x6x16 ($20 x 19 = $380)
13.6 2x8x16 ($27.50 x 14 = $385)
10.7 2x10x16 ($30 x 11 = $330)

Obviously will need a combo of some sort to take up the fractions.

I will likely be using the block/jack method to bend the last couple boards in place.

WWGSD??

[Dale Moser]

Wider boards mean less screws, rip the last piece to fit and drive it in the middle.

Buy your boards and treat them with a mixture of used motor oil and diesel several times. Do it before you install them so you can treat the edges too. Lay the boards out in the sun for several weeks so they can shrink up before installing. Look at the end grain and install with the grain up like an arch, not like a U.


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[mikemorvan]

10 - 2x10 and 1 - 2x6 in the center. That should give you just a little space between boards. That may still be a little snug.

[jaspermac]

Like usual, Dale is spot on. I just had some red oak boards cut for my small trailer. I’ll let them dry until the spring and replace my deck. Oil+diesel+ oak boards will give me a long time of use.

[brokeno]

Cut the boards out with a chainsaw and knock off old screws and use good stainless screws. With the crappy lumber out there do what Dale said.

[IvoryRoot]

Wider boards mean less screws, rip the last piece to fit and drive it in the middle.

Buy your boards and treat them with a mixture of used motor oil and diesel several times. Do it before you install them so you can treat the edges too. Lay the boards out in the sun for several weeks so they can shrink up before installing. Look at the end grain and install with the grain up like an arch, not like a U.


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Follow this and you’ll be fine.

[Tmag]

I bought oak from a local mill and treated them.

[trophy8]

Wider boards mean less screws, rip the last piece to fit and drive it in the middle.

Buy your boards and treat them with a mixture of used motor oil and diesel several times. Do it before you install them so you can treat the edges too. Lay the boards out in the sun for several weeks so they can shrink up before installing. Look at the end grain and install with the grain up like an arch, not like a U.


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Treated boards won’t work? Need to redo a couple and glad I found this thread

[Death from Above]

Use ten 2x10

Leave a gap in between each.

They will swell and shrink. No need to make super tight

[Bucknaked]

Treated boards won’t work? Need to redo a couple and glad I found this thread

They’ll work but they shrink horribly!

[talltexasshoote]

Treated boards won’t work? Need to redo a couple and glad I found this thread

Listen to Dale. You won’t have to do this but once ever two decades. Treated you will be redoing it in 5-7 years.

[Humper]

Find a mill that cuts old telephone poles. There is one in Sanger Tx called Harden Sawmill that millls them just for trailers.

https://www.hardensawmill.com/

[Buckshot-73]

Tag fer later

[peterp63]

Wider boards mean less screws, rip the last piece to fit and drive it in the middle.

Buy your boards and treat them with a mixture of used motor oil and diesel several times. Do it before you install them so you can treat the edges too. Lay the boards out in the sun for several weeks so they can shrink up before installing. Look at the end grain and install with the grain up like an arch, not like a U.


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Good info. Thank you, sir!

Now, if screws were limitless would you still recommend the wider boards?

[cwill]

Wider boards mean less screws, rip the last piece to fit and drive it in the middle.

Buy your boards and treat them with a mixture of used motor oil and diesel several times. Do it before you install them so you can treat the edges too. Lay the boards out in the sun for several weeks so they can shrink up before installing. Look at the end grain and install with the grain up like an arch, not like a U.


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I'm assuming you are using untreated boards for this? Thanks for the awesome info!