trailer refloor

[wawazat]

We had some spare bags of mortar the last time I replaced a floor. I would stack the bags about a foot from the loose end of the board. Then I would jack up the middle until the loose end dropped in line. Then I could carefully align it and let the jack slowly drop back down while I used a couple of pry bars to keep the board above the floor support and below the retention rail.

I started off standing on it and having my wife swing a sledge to knock a support block out from under the middle of the board, but it made her really nervous I would get hurt. I had her go inside so she couldnt witness my trial and error to find a good process for a 1 person effort, haha.

 

[Oklahomabassin]

I use a cut off tool to cut the welds, then pop the strap out. Remove old wood, install new wood, replace strap and weld a bead every foot or so along the joint. Place a piece of cardboard along edge of strap and touch up the paint.

 

[dlbleak]

I use a cut off tool to cut the welds, then pop the strap out. Remove old wood, install new wood, replace strap and weld a bead every foot or so along the joint. Place a piece of cardboard along edge of strap and touch up the paint.View attachment 273212

Exactly the process I use also

 

[HiredHand]

One of those hobby oxy/map torches would probably be enough to cut the metal strap. Dad was a Flatbedder and used the same deck screws that are used on Semi-trailers. I don’t think they are cheap but they definitely last.

 

[OHJEEZE]

I used to help my brother mfg trailers.

He always made them where board in front tucked in, then flooring screws in about every other crossmember, lastly a angle iron covered the board on the rear and was drilled and countersunk for the flooring screws to hold it and the boards in place.

 

[Cowbaby]

The last one I did I cut the screws and pulled the lumber off and threw it away. Then I went and bought me some hat channel for a metal building and tacked that on for the floor worked great and installed way faster.

 

[Ready_fire_aim]

On mine I just cut the boards a little short. Just short enough they would drop down flat when slid forward all the way into the front. Then I slid them back enough to make it catch in the channel at the rear. Then pinned them in place with a few stainless self tapper screws into the center supports. That way they don’t slide forward or backwards. No metal work, no welding. Been holding up fine for 5 yrs now.

I coat the deck with used motor oil once a year. It preserves the wood really well and it’s free if you change your own oil. It will put stains on things for the first month though, so it might not be a good idea, depending on what you use if for.

 

[HiredHand]

FWIW back 15 odd years ago, someone mentioned that the lumber yard in Mazie had the best treated lumber for trailer decking. That’s where we got the lumber to replace the deck on our flatbed and it’s held up.