PT Trailer Decking - Install Wet or Dry?

Captain Slow

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Forgive me if this is not a good place for this thread...

I have a small, light duty utility trailer (approximately 4' x 8'), and the wood floor is in rough shape. Again..this is a LIGHT duty trailer that gets used half a dozen times a year to move a mower or some furniture or something for myself or a friend. I plan to use 5/4 x 6 PT decking from the big box store. I know this stuff comes dripping wet and will shrink, and I'd like to minimize the gaps that will inevitably show up between the boards.

SO, do you think it would be better to install it wet, straight from the store, or let it dry for a couple of months? If I let it dry a while, the gaps will be smaller, but I'm thinking the long, thin boards will warp like crazy.
 

ILENGINE

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Just remember that if it sits in the rain for very ,long the boards will be just as well as when you purchased them and will swell to their original size. If not enough gap is given can cause issue also.
 

BlazNT

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I redecked my trailer with 4x8 3/4 treated plywood wet. Much easier to put down when wet. I had very little to no shrinkage.
 

margohathaway66

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Can't you change the floor or make a profile out of plasterboard?
 

LaurenKelly

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Can't you change the floor or make a profile out of plasterboard?
The trailer doesn't need such a heavy floor. I would put special material there. It contains a variety of natural colors that convey the beauty of natural wood color. Maidenhead, Ascot, Marlow and Henley flooring has a deeply embossed wood grain pattern. This allows the board to be laid in a variety of directions and provides greater flexibility in application. The product is available with or without grooves that accommodate concealed fastener systems for quick installation. One of the advantages of composite decking is its amazing resistance to fading. Even the dark colors of the product hold their color long under the harsh rays of the sun.
 
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Rivets

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I hope the last two posters realize that this thread is 4 years old. I think the job has been completed by now.
 

slomo

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I hope the last two posters realize that this thread is 4 years old. I think the job has been completed by now.
Oh is there a time limit on helping someone out? Didn't see the stopwatch LOL.

Take one of those big deck painting brushes and your used motor oil. Slather it on the wood. It will soak in and stain the wood at the same time. Great way to recycle your used oil. I do it to my stockade fence. Still looks brand new after how many years now, forgot. It's a 100 plus year old farmers trick I found. Farmers use a 50/50 mix of Diesel and used motor oil. Bugs don't like it either. One guy in England does this on a 40 plus year old fence. Still looks new.

In the two videos, first guy is using oil from a Diesel engine. Notice it has a ton more black carbon compared to the bottom video. Lower vid the guy used oil from a gas engine. Makes a perfect stain color. The black Diesel oil will lighten up in a month or two. It won't stay black for ever.



slomo
 

bertsmobile1

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I think you will find it is very much illegal to do that.
back when I were a lad we use to paint the bottom of the pailings & the fence posts with old engine oil.
The fences around our place were better than 100 years old as great grand dad painted them with creosote when they were originally put up and successive generations repainted with old engine oil.
We had vegetable gardens against those fences and 4 generations all ate those veggies without harm.
However apparently those with a better understanding of these things than me tell me this is dire pollution and can no longer be done.
So now every 10 years or so , the wooden fence has to be replaced .
Apparently burning the old fence , or adding it to landfill then cutting done more trees to replace said fence is better for the planet than painting it with some used oil every 5 years or so.
I don't really understand how this works but who am I to argue with the EPA
 
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