hi all, my daughters old trailer needs a new floor, the old one which is going soft has softwood planks going front to back with hardwood planks on top going crossways. does anyone have any recomendation as to what material is the best, and/or the strongest, longer lasting etc.

I have plywood in mind myself, say two sheets 25mm thick !!!!!

tim

Are you talking in the horse area? 

I will not even pretend to be an expert in trailer floors but I do know this much. Plywood doesn't do well when it tends to get wet and especially if it stays wet. I think you would be replacing it again soon. One of the reasons for a plank floor from what I'm told is any moisture in the horse area can drain out and the boards will dry and deteriorate less. Plywood would not allow for the drainage. I would think that if you are staying with wood, you would want to go back with treated planks like the manufacturer put in it. I'm sure there are reasons why they picked what they did.

Legal disclaimer:  This poster is completely unknowledgable in horse trailers and you should not take anything this poster says seriously. Always wait for someone that knows more than this poster to get the best advice.

The only pine you can consider is the southern yellow species which is commonly used in treated lumber. Regular pine found in the lumber yards, also sold as  fir/pine is too soft and easily rots. Use any number of hardwoods instead, oak, ash, maple, locust, popular etc. Do not use any boards with shakes, closed tight knots are acceptable.

Don't use plywood, even the pressure treated types. It will not wear well and as noted, does not allow drainage.

BOL   Gard

Rumbar is great but it will need a more support than wood.  The supports for a rubber floor must be closer than for a wood floor.

While you have the old floor out it is easy at add more support. Any high school welding class graduate can do it, but get the required amount of reccommended spacing from the flooring manufacturer.

It will last a loooong time.

thanks for all that advice lads and lasses, very helpfull, i didnt realise that plywood wasnt suitable, 2 by 6 planks of haredwood look to be best/easiest it looks. thanks.

tim

thanks again lads and lasses, it looks as if i am having 28mm hardwood, dont know how wide yet, but the cost will be about £260, apparently the supports arent in the right place for any kind of board (so they say).

I am going to start to take the old floor out in the morning.

tim

Your 28 mm lumber, with a loading of 1000# horses can only safely span a gap of about 30 -35 CM. If you could increase the thickness to around 40 mm, the floor joists span could be as far as 45 -50cm. Can you purchase unfinished (rough cut) lumber? It is less expensive and usually is available in thicker sections.

Gard

thanks for that Gard, i shall look into that after i have removed the old floor, i will be  able to measure the gaps between the supports more accurately then, hopefully i dont find the supports are rusted through themselves .........

a sample of the timber i have seen is both planed and  rebated  halfway through along the edges so they slot together side by side. i havent measured the width of them yet !.

tim