substitute for trailer decking?

[Part_Timer]

GOI

I'll send you some small ones this fall if you would like.  I have about 30 of them growing in pots on the deck.

The only problem with decking in Osage is that the decking will eat up all of the GVW of the trailer.  There won't be any left for the equipment.

[Trax]

Have you got any locust down there ?

[Tom]

I worry about the invasivness of species that aren't naturally seeded here.  We have Chinese Tallow, Australian Pine, Brazilian Pepper, Melaleuca, Mimosa, China Berry, Chinese Ligustrum, Lantana, Kudzu, air potato, cogon grass, elephant grass and Johnson Grass, hydrilla and hyancinth just to name a few.

Before you plant something new, consider the outcome. 

[jpgreen]

We have Star thistle.

Some guy put a pike from South East Asia in a pristine resort town lake up in N. Cal, and the thing has taken over.  It litterly has fangs.

They have poison killed the lake 3 times now (the towns supply of drinking water), and will be doing it again as they're afraid the fish will migrate downstream to the Feather River, then the Sacramento- clear to SanFranciso Bay, killing off all the native species along the way. They can't seam to kill the darn thing.

I say it's already got out.

It's not nice to fool with mother nature..   

[getoverit]

Tom,
I worry about that too. In this case, this tree already grows here under a different name. Mock Orange is what the old timers call it, and I have seen it here, but  it is rare. It looks like small lots of pine trees down here are not of interest to pulp wooders any more. I have people calling me every day wanting to give me pine. Few want to buy the lumber though. Perhaps a fast growing hardwood that has the properties of osage orange would be a good cash crop and a good replacement for pine.

Part_Timer, I'd love to have a few to try out!

[Mooseherder]

Wonder how the invasive species of Australian Pine would work for Trailer Decking?
It is tough as nails. Impossible to split. And plentiful would be an understatement.
Have you ever sawed Australian Pine for any use?

[Tom]

I'll bet Australian Pine would make good trailer decking.

Yes, I've sawed it.  Rather, I've sawed at it.  It is so full of tension that a 1x6 will be a 2 1/2 x 8 on the other end.  Sometimes they raise off of the mill and the blade runs out of them and you go to nothing.  Sometimes one will jump off of the mill and chase you to the truck.

I cut some the best I could at 5/4 and brought it home and dried it.  the 5/4 and 2" dressed to some real pretty 3/4 and 1" boards.   My wife wanted a floor made from it.  Luckily, I didn't have enough. :D

If you could find out the secret to sawing it, it would make a beautiful floor.

[Mooseherder]

Here is a Picture of the Invader. You can see the chair beside it for scale.
It shades my fire pit well in winter.
I guess that would have some tension built into it. ;D

[Part_Timer]

Ken

Remind me this fall cause I'll forget if ya don't.  I have a serious case of forgettfuls anymore.  I also have a good source for seeds from them.  I just through them in a wash tub full of sawdust and let them set over the winter and in the spring WALA osage seedlings.

Tom

[mike_van]

I tried to buy some osage orange to plant here in Ct., the greenhouse told me it's not "hardy" enough. Yet, 20 miles from me grows a monster, over 30" dia, 80' tall, it has the look of one of those spooky trees you see in a movie. Deep furrowed bark, limbs that kind of twist every which way. Would like to have it in my yard. The lady said they gather up the fruit sometimes, the whole hose smells like oranges for a while.  One of those trees you just stare at.

[Ianab]

If you could find out the secret to sawing it, it would make a beautiful floor.

No secret, just use a swingblade  ;D

It's a popular woodworking wood in Aussie, and has been used for flooring etc. Density and hardness are about like English Oak, hence it's common name She-oak.
Sounds like someone should get into harvesting it  ;)

Cheers

Ian

[Tom]

A bunch of us have tried, Ianab.  So many of the big trees are gone now.   They used to be used for windbreaks in and around the orange groves.  The hurricanes blew them over.   Most that are left are in thickets and are 12 or 15 inches DBH.   The State would sure like to see them gone.  A fellow couldl probably get all he wanted for free.  (until someone figured out he was making money off of them  :D )

[Percy]

Do a search on "Rumber" ... ;)

:D :D :D I think I rike you. You make me raff :D :D :D :D

[jack]

Hello all,
Decking for trucks and trailers,  Here in the West coast,  i have cut Eucalyptus for trailer decking,  Bolt it down GREEN,  then in some cases,  we had to rebolt it due to the force of the wood pulling thru the bolts.  I told the guy that it might do that and gave him some extra planks.  He told me that Eucalyptus wore many times better than the other decking.  Aptong is good too but pricy.
One of my Customers bought Monterey Cypress for decking his semi , Flatbed truck,  his only comment (DanG hard,  had to drill every hole)  but he oiled it and it looks wonderful.

Jack

[rebocardo]

Just wanted to second not using sweetgum, it turns black with mildew very quickly then falls apart, if the bugs do not get it first if it is going to be parked for a week or more at a time. The other thing if left exposed to the sun and rain, it is going to twist, cup, and warp unless it is bolted down every two feet.

The problem is wood can not stand up to tracks and most trailers are built with their flanges so only store bought 2x can fit. 2x flexes a lot with heavy equipment on it, the flexing allows the wheels and tracks to dig in. If you can, I think 3x would be much better.

[customsawyer]

I would have to disagree with the use of sweetgum as I have used it several times. I lay it out like I am going to put it on the trailer take a old mop and a 5 gallon bucket of used motor oil and mop it down let it soak in for awhile do it again then flip it over and bolt it down I actuly use self taping screws that I get from a place called fastenal. Don't use a regular 3/8 drill for this as it will burn it up before you get done with half of the trailer I get best results from a 1/2" drive impact wrench. Once you have it bolted down then you repeat the oil process and then just do that oil thing ablut every 6 months or so. I have done this for trailers in the sod business and for low-boys in the construction buisness and as log as you use the oil every now and then you will be fine.
What you customer is looking for is something that he can put on there and never have to look at it again. Remind him that it is a piece of equipment and like a truck or tractor you have to service it every now and then. These guys will take the trouble to check and adjust the brakes on the trailer so why won't they service the top. IMO

[getoverit]

I met with the Southeastern Representative for RUMBER today and was impressed. I have a truck full of samples and it looks like I am going to become a distributor for this stuff.

I'll know more in a week or so after the paperwork arrives and I have a chance to look it over.

[rebocardo]

Rumber looks good on the surface, except the min. spacing. For flatbed trailer apps, they require 9"-12" MAX on center. Most trailers are 16"+.

So on a 16 foot trailer, where you might normally have 12 cross members (if that) you now need 16-21 !

Personally, I try to build my trailers to that anyways (just like my house stuff), but, that kind of spacing is very rare on commercial trailers, especially on the larger trailers with 5-6" high frame rails.

My store built skid trailer I just sold was 24" centers and used 2"x6".

[littlejack]

You might try Blackgum (Nyssa sylvatica).  It was used for switch ties by the railroad industry in the past because it held up very well.  I have not used it myself.

[ellmoe]

Ken,

   Like littlejack suggested, blackgum works well. Its main advantage is that it is very light when dry. The best success I have had is with water or laurel oak, regularily painted with burnt oil. The oak is strong enough to hold up to track machines and the heartwood is naturally durable. The problem with the PT pine was that it is usually only .25 teated and the treatment is not throughout the board. Once the treatment barrier is breached it will begin to rot. With the softness of most  pine that usually doesn't take too long. Dang is correct about the longleaf heart, but I don't think you will find much around your area. I try to explain to customers that the decking is a maintenance issue and that it will need to be replaced no matter what they use. Hey, we need rpeat customers too! ;D

Mark