[Shop-talk] 5x8 trailer decking ideas?

[David Hillman]

On Fri, 24 Apr 2015, Jim Franklin wrote:
> This is the trailer. The mesh floor is barely strong enough to support me,
> plus it lets in all the road spray/debris/etc. I'm at the very least going to
> cover it with CDX, if I don't find anything better, since I also use it to
> haul misc stuff, which right now requires a lot of "position engineering" so
> the weight is on the crossmembers.

    So, if I understand you correctly, your priorities are a solid, 
weather-resistant, inexpensive and lightweight floor?  That's gonna be 
tough, I think.  You might have to pick two or three.

    For what it's worth, since we're throwing out ideas, I just put a new 
layer of floor in my enclosed 20' car hauler.  The original floor was OSB, 
and not in terrible shape, but stained from various spills by the previous 
owner.  I covered it with 15/32nds plywood, and then coated that 
liberally with Herculiner.

    It wasn't stupid cheap ( although much of the ply was scrap I already 
had and I picked up 3 gallons for $40/ea on craigslist ) and I can't speak 
to the longevity yet as I just did it, but it's an idea.  The trailer had 
rubber coin-pattern interlocking tiles when I got it, but they didn't work 
for my use like I thought they would.  I transport a racecar that is 
almost always covered in ice and snow, so weather-proofing from the inside 
is paramount to me.

    If I were you, I'd probably put two coats of quality exterior paint on 
both sides of some plywood, then install it, and call it good.  In my last 
(enclosed) trailer, I used Behr porch paint on the floor, with play sand 
mixed in for traction.  That worked, too, but I didn't keep it long.

--
  David Hillman