Trailer Flooring Question

I have a trailer frame that I'm trying to convert into something useful. It was originally an aluminum-skinned 1948 tandem axle "mobile home," about the size of a modern camper trailer, with electric brakes. The frame is square and tubular, and with the remnants of the mobile home removed, it's about 26 feet long.

That's the good news. The bad news is, it's just about 52-54" or so between the wheels.

My plan is to cut the frame down to a more manageable 16 feet, and keep the front/rear proportions at about 70%/30%. I'd like to put a wood floor on it, and use it like an over-length stepside pickup bed. It's a cinch I'll never have anything on the trailer as heavy as a car, since one won't fit between the trailer wheels...and I wouldn't trust that tubular frame to carry a helluva lot to begin with.

So I'm looking to buy some lumber for a trailer floor. Since the trailer won't have any more weight capacity than a comparable wood-floored truck bed...and I'm planning to see if I can afford white oak...I'm thinking that I could probably get by with 1" thick lumber, instead of 2" or more.

So to those who are more experienced than I am on the subject: does it sound like I'm on the right track here?

I'm figuring on oiling the floor boards with linseed oil, since I don't have used motor oil lying around anymore. Would I want boiled or raw linseed oil...or does that even matter??

Thanks for any and all advice.

I put 1-1/2" rough sawed white oak on my tractor hauling trailer about 15 years ago. It sits out some of the time, but is inside all winter. I have never treated it with anything and it is solid as can be. It'll outlast me I think. It wasn't very expensive, but you'd have to price it compared to treated stuff from the lumber yard. The oak will be a lot stronger size for size. Unless it's been really seasoned well it will shrink over time so you will have to allow for that and maybe refit it later if not. Mine was sawed a week before I put it on so it really did shrink, but I had allowed for a way to add pieces to take up the slack. Lumber shrinks mostly across the grain, not lengthwise. Just some thoughts.

I refloored a hayrack with 5/4 pressure treated decking, that turned out well.

An inch is kinda thin, but if you think outside the box you don't need full 2 inch stuff, go with something in between.

--->Paul

Best solution: Find a sawmill, have 1 1/2 inch white oak sawn, have enough sawed so you can pick out the boards with knots, stack up and allow to dry all summer, use linseed oil, dosen't matter whether raw or boiled, put it on lumer on bottom side before installing, put it on top after installing.

Since this is probaly not possible, 1 inch clear white oak probably will be enough, depending on the spacing between cross members. 18 inches should be fine, 2 feet is usual when you are using 2 inch thick lumber.

KEH

I have a 1951 house trailer that I need to trea down to the frame, tandem axle. It is 33 ft. What I plan on doing if I ever get time and money is put a third axle I have here under it and then put 2 x 4 treated lumber flat on top of frame members and then the same treated 2 x 4 as cross members like on a hay wagon and top off with deck boards. My loads would be more like hay rakes and the like so not that heavy. The standard deck board is 1" thick. I also have an old homemade trailer that I would haul the tractor on and I am going to use the Menards deck bords on that as they are 1 1/8" thick. And that is going to the enemy for them as my wife works for Lowe's but you have to go where the material you need is. If I ever get to doing that house trailer frame the bed will be the same 8' as the trailer is now.

Around here, treated 2x is cheaper and easier to come by. Most trailers I see use 2x6 or 2x8 treated boards.

James and I have bought lots of treated lumber over the years. Its not very good stuff - lots of shrinkage, warping, cupping, twisting.

If you do buy it for your trailer, try to select the driest boards available. The wetter the lumber the more shrinkage, twist, cupping, warping, etc.

James floored a trailer with it a couple of years ago. Cut the boards so they fit very tight. Within two months had to add more boards. Some shrunk so much they almost fell out.

If you go to a local sawmill, ask the sawyer whether he ever gets any Larch (Tammarack) logs.
It is strong and even more weather resistant than white oak.

Go to Tractor transporting forum, about page 4, had a Q there posted on 1-3-12 called "wooden deck preservation", got a bunch of good answers. Hope this helps. Ralph in OK.

When installing any type of sawn lumber, especially on flooring install the board "bark Side" up this will prevent the board from cupping and being tripped over.

When you dispose the used linseed utensils (rags, for example), be sure to stick them in a glass jar with lid closed and filled with water... otherwise your trash will start burning...