Pine or Oak Flooring

[broman78]

I recently purchased an 871 and the floor was ripped out. I'm going to be installing a new floor but noticed most commerical trailers have oak flooring. I haven't recieved a quote for oak but a treated pine 2x8x16' is 16 dollars a board. Does it really make that much of a difference if I use pine instead of treated oak? How much longer will treated oak last over treated pine?

 

[Carl_in_NH]

Oak is much harder than pine - the floor will hold up much better. Also, make certain you get white oak - not red oak; red oak is open cell in its nature and will allow water to enter much more easily than white oak will.

If I were doing the job, I'd spend the money on white oak and do it once and likely never have to worry about it again.

 

[whyme]

agreed, pine is too soft and not nearly as strong as oak.

 

[NDT]

I don't know where in the great state of Texas you are, but in Houston, Olson and Guerrera Lumber Company has 2" x 12" true dimension oak trailer decking for $2/ft. They come in 12', 14, 16' and 20'.

 

[maddawg308]

Oak. I have a trailer here I'd love to get rough-cut oak for a bed, or even locust (very hard, and very slow to rot). But there are no sawmills near my area, and asking around, noone has any leads, except for the furniture-grade oak at the local Lowe's. Too thin, and too expensive for decking...

 

[runk]

Also in the Houston area, you can often find various tropical hardwoods (although not very "green") for trailer flooring. A couple of years ago I bought a 20' 2"x12" purplehart board, to make furniture, for about $20 ! (add at least one $0 at at a specialty hardwood yard) Look up trailer flooring on craigslist.

 

[mdlbldrmatt135]

Oak. I have a trailer here I'd love to get rough-cut oak for a bed, or even locust (very hard, and very slow to rot). But there are no sawmills near my area, and asking around, noone has any leads, except for the furniture-grade oak at the local Lowe's. Too thin, and too expensive for decking...

If you head to Ccolemans sometime... I'd be willing to bet there's some Amish sawmills up that way. White Oak & Locust are great, and Larch is fairly rot resistant for softer wood.

IIRC from an active army buddy.... The were usinfg purpleheart or something as a replacement decking on some of the trailers where he was stationed at the time.

 

[zout]

If you have any trucking companies around you - check with them where they purchase their parts - they should have semi trailer tounge and groove flooring - oak.

If they would, ask them if you can purchse through them and pay cash and get their discount ??????????

Not knowing your exact location I am shooting in the dark here.

 

[ken]

If your close to houston. There is a company in La Porte that does flat bed trailers. They quoted me $1150 to redeck my M127. That was installed.