Substitue for white oak?

[Ljohnsaw]

Not a freebie, but at $130, a pretty good deal.  The name plate is a little mangled but I can make out "The Colson Company", a serial number (154?), 6,000 pound rating and that it was built for a specific military contract.  The date of service is messed up.  Anyone heard of the Colson company?




Looks like the deck was made from white oak and was coated with asphalt tar.  A little stinky and I don't think would make good fire wood (at least in the house!).

 Not like I need another project :

I would like to replace the deck with white oak (Quercus lobata) that is in range at my cabin.  I've never really looked at the oak closely to determine what I have.  Also, in my range, up there is Oracle oak (X moreha), Canyon live oak (chrysolepis) and Blue oak (douglasii).  Would any of these 3 be a good substitute for white oak in terms of durability to the weather?  If the Canyon live oak is anything like the live oak I have down here, I think that one is out of the competition. @GeneWengert-WoodDoc @WDH   @YellowHammer 

[mike_belben]

I know its outside the range of what you asked but for other readers benefit, i will share that a sawyer i bought decking from back in the northeast told me white oak and hemlock are the two most popular trailer tops he sells.  I went with red oak to save money and have learned from it.  That was put on fresh and untreated around 2015 and has split at the heart, taken in water and rotted there.



I now know any trailer decking species will last longer if it is narrower boards spec'd free of heart AND treated, even if just by brushing on dirty old motor oil every summer when the boards are dryest.  If they suck that oil in theyve got no room for the water needed by the microbes that compost wood. 

[WDH]

The valley oak, Quercus lobata would be a good choice.  It seems to grow quite large.  Blue oak is also white oak and should be a good choice too.  Not familiar with the west coast live oaks, bur live oak in the southeast is like a rock.

[KEC]

The wagon resembles wagons towed around at airport freight terminals  by a towmotor to move freight. I think I've heard that Black Locust is good for such decking.

[moodnacreek]

Grading out the heart planks is great if you have your own wood but I buy, saw and sell and I can not allow 2 planks to be refused from every log.

[Andries]

Moodna - would it take too much time to take the juvenile wood out of the two middle planks?

[GullyBog]

One of those tires looks like $130, nice score.