The Official TrailerDecking.com Blog
Welcome to the TrailerDecking.com Blog. We hope that writing our blog will help educate and inform our customers and community about our beautiful and natural wood products. Our ultimate goal is
help our customers make the right choices when using and specifying our truck and trailer flooring products. We have a long history of importing and selling both hardwood and softwood trailer decking
products - and now we can offer our proprietary APITONG OIL finish as well as a world class selection of fasteners and accessories.
Our products are often sold as part of a system designed to perform at the highest level possible. Utilizing high quality fasteners and finishing off
your project with the best exterior wood stain available is our solution to typical problems encountered with hardwoods used in exterior conditions.
We are the first company to offer a complete and comprehensive solution.
You've decided to replace the flooring on your trailer. Maybe it rotted out from the pile of leaves you left on it all Winter long? Maybe you have some holes and you're afraid someone is going to fall through the deck? Here are some options for you to consider when choosing trailer flooring. Listed from worst to best - we recommend any of the last 3 choices which are all fantastic options for long lasting trailer flooring.
1. Exterior Grade Plywood
Maybe your trailer started out with a plywood floor? It would seem to be a good choice just to put the same stuff back on it, right? No. Plywood is really not a good choice unless you only intend to keep the trailer for a few more seasons. About the only time plywood makes for good trailer flooring is when you're installing it in an enclosed trailer.
If you have plywood on a flatbed or utility trailer that sits out in the weather, you're basically going to have to replace it every few years. There are better choices. Read on.
2. Pressure Treated Lumber
Sure, you can go to your local lumber yard and pick up some pressure treated lumber to replace the rotted out trailer flooring. Almost all pressure treated today is treated AQCI which is less toxic version of the old CCA treatment. AQCI is also corrosive to most metal including the standard trailer flooring screws that are available from most retail trailer repair stores. You have to use galvanized or stainless steel screws which are both difficult to find and very expensive.
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By
Steve Getsiv,
08/15/23
Dedicated to combatting fires nationwide for the past four decades, Jaime Pickering and his wife, Rebecca, took the fight to the next level in 2015 when they launched Pickering Pyro Protection in Aumsville, Oregon. Starting as a The National Wildfire Suppression Association (NWSA) Certified Training facility with one truck, the organization has since grown to a focal regional training center that has since grown to include 12 vehicles and the training of thousands of firefighters annually.
Weve spent most of our lives committed to saving people, landmarks and the environment, said Pickering. We do what we can, when we can. In addition to the instructional courses, we all also lend our equipment and services to fire-fighting organizations across the country. As a result, we are constantly on call and always there to support our fellow brothers whenever were needed.
In recent months, this meant upgrading their services with the repair of the wood decking on a used, 25 ft. flatbed trailer that Pickering purchased in 2020 from a local associate. Nearly 30 years old, the trailers decking was warped and cracked, making it extremely difficult to haul our 17,000 lbs. bulldozer, bobcats and other equipment at least once a month to various sites located throughout the region and surrounding states, said Pickering.
After a Google search and several conversations with TrailerDecking.com in Forest Grove, Pickering drove more than 100 miles to purchase the companys Apitong 2x8 Full Sawn Rough Heavy Duty Deck Boards and ExoShield Apitong Oil.
We literally rolled into the parking lot and TrailerDecking.com not only brought out the material, but helped us fit the decking into the flatbed, explained Pickering. So, we knew exactly what we needed before we left their facility.
We are always willing to take the added step for customers, said Stephen Purdy, TrailerDecking.coms sales manager. But...
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By
Stephen Purdy,
04/24/23
Few companies know more about the transport of commercial glass than F. Barkow Inc. in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Founded in 1879, the company has spent nearly 150 years dedicated to the custom design and build of vehicles built to carry the glass, marble and granite sheets typically used for everything from large, expansive windows and store fronts to sliding doors, entranceways and luxurious countertops.
Starting more than a century ago delivering sheet glass to local dealers via horse-drawn carriages, F Barkow now constructs about 40 vehicles a year all custom-tailored to the needs of clients ranging from small plate glass distributors to leading industry manufacturers.
As a niche supplier servicing a niche market, we are dedicated to meeting the unique needs of our clients, which in many cases includes the transport of glass sheets that are typically 10 to 12 feet wide and 10 feet high, says John Weise, the companys owner and president for the past 25 years. Dependability, security and the safe delivery of these products are the hallmarks of our stellar reputation. A single chip in the glass during the delivery process would make the entire sheet unusable.
On a monthly basis, F. Barkow constructs 3 to 4, 9- to 20-foot-long trucks, vans and semi-trailers. This includes custom-tailoring each carrier according to the weight and type of the product being hauled. As a result, the entire design process extends from the specification of the racks and the space needed to safely haul each glass sheet to the vehicles hardwood flooring.
We tried other materials like oak, but found that Apitong shiplap deck boards work the best with our trucks and trailers. said Weise. Less dirt and grime seep thr...
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By
Stephen Purdy,
03/31/23
Professional installation tips from Tom Pole of Vanport Trucking
We interviewed Tom Pole from Vanport Trucking in Vancouver, Washington to learn the best techniques for installation of truck deck screws. Tom has many years of experience in woodworking and has repaired or replaced countless trailer floors over his career.
Replacing a truck floor with new Apitong boards requires several important steps as show below as well as discussed in the video interview between Steve Getsiv of TrailerDecking.com and Tom.
Apitong Oil FinishTrailer Decking ScrewsRough Trailer DeckingContact UsCall UsImportant Tips
Be sure to mark the new hole locations on the top of trailer deck so that you hit the cross members in the perfect spot. You don't want to re-use the old holes which are generally located right in the middle of the cross member's width. Mark the edges so that you can pre-drill closer to the vertical side or web side of the cross member.
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By
Steve Getsiv,
09/21/20
The Background
Recently Ralph Berthon, the founder of Camp Prime Time in Yakima WA called one of our salespeople to discuss how they could redo their tilt bed trailer.
This trailer was an important part of Camp Prime Times day-to-day operations because it was used to maintain the property, haul heavy equipment, remove fallen trees and carry out other heavy haul duties around the campground.
After speaking to Ralph and learning more about Camp Prime Times mission which seeks to enrich the lives of families with children who are seriously ill or developmentally disabled by providing an outdoor wilderness experience where families can enjoy themselves in a supportive atmosphere without financial burden, TrailerDecking.com decided to help.
We were moved by how Board Members, Staff and Volunteers bring light and joy to people who are less fortunate by letting them experience nature at its best, and teaching them about the outdoors in the beauty of northern Washington State.
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By
Chad Koehnen,
05/04/20
