Thread: Open trailer decking

Originally Posted by ND4SPD

I currently have an open trailer with a sheet of steel diamond plate for flooring and a built in chock that's in pretty rough shape. I'm considering ditching the diamond plate and putting down some 1"x6" weather resistant wood planks so that I can attach a better wheel chock and maybe a strapless transport system. Another big reason for the switch would be any potential weight savings by going with a wooden deck.

Thoughts?

How thick is the diamond plate? Steel or aluminum? Wondering if it'd be heavier w/ the wood planks.

The diamond plate probably looks nice, but is slippery as shit when wet.

It's steel. I haven't measured thickness but it's pretty hefty, probably 1/8" to 1/4".

1/8 inch diamond weight 6.16 pounds per sq ft.
1/4 inch diamond weight 11.26 pounds per sq ft.

1X6 wood is around 1.00 pounds per board ft.
2 x6 wood is around 2.05 pounds per board ft.
Please know that this is the accepted weights for math calculations for civil engineers... It will be hugely variable due to moisture content, treated, and etc... but the average.

So essentially it would be 2 pounds per sq ft for 1x6 (knowing that the lumber is not truly 1X6) and that 2X6 would be 4.10 pounds per sq ft.

So that gives you the numbers to calculate based upon your trailer size.

Is the plate from factory or just laid in by the previous owner? If it's welded, it's most likely part of the trailer's rigidity. May not be feasible or desired to remove it because you wouldn't get the same travelling characteristics with wood.

Originally Posted by seamus

Is the plate from factory or just laid in by the previous owner? If it's welded, it's most likely part of the trailer's rigidity. May not be feasible or desired to remove it because you wouldn't get the same travelling characteristics with wood.

I believe it was laid in by the previous owner. It's welded, but only on the corners and a few spots around the edges, not completely. I'll have to take another look underneath but I'm pretty sure there are several cross members so it should still be pretty rigid with a wooden deck.