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Steve W.[_4_] Steve W.[_4_] is offline
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Default Preserve wood trailer deck

wrote:
On Aug 15, 1:11 pm, Karl Townsend
wrote:
The wood deck on my heavy duty 5th wheel trailer hasn't had anything
done to it.

"The Kid" tells me to put a good heavy coat of used motor oil on the
two inch planks and let it weather. Good idea? better suggestions? The
trailer cost $7K and I'd like the deck to last.

Karl


Ferget that! You'll have a slippery mess forever, lubricating oils
never dry. Scrape it down, use some deck oil on it. Hit both sides,
road spray is worse than rain. Visit HD, Lowe's, wally world,
whatever you have. Can be had in 5 gallon buckets for really big
jobs, the tinted stuff will last longer under the sun. Unfinished
wood really soaks it up, plan on a couple of coats at least. Reminds
me to redo mine before the snow flies, needs to be redone every few
years. Nothing is forever if it sits out in the weather. My trailer
is fairly small, I use a 6" brush. Usually takes an afternoon to do
the bed, both sides, and the sides. For larger stuff, I'd probably
use a roller or sprayer. Takes about 2 quarts to do the equivalent of
an 8'x8' area, both sides.

Stan


I cheated when I did the deck on mine. I pulled the the old wood off,
drilled the holes in the new wood and then pulled it off, then laid a
cheap plastic tarp down on the frame making a shallow tank. New wood got
dropped in the tank and I poured a couple 5 gallon pails of deck oil in.
Went out and turned them every now and then while they soaked for a
couple days. Tossed another tarp over it to keep bugs/rain out. Drained
the tank back into the two 5 gallon pails. Lost about 2.5 gallons into
the wood. Bolted it all down and it has held up real well for the past 4
years.

--
Steve W.