New floor boards for 16' + 2' dovetail 14K GVW trailer

I need to buy new floor boards for the trailer in the subject line. The 20 year old originals are 2"×8" treated pine.

I'd appreciate your thoughts on
1. Wood type,
2. Chemical treatment, and
3. Self-drilling screws.

Many thanks for your advice!
Dave

cottonwood if you load equipment with tracks frequently, otherwise white oak. Or treated wood if it doesn't see heavy abuse. Use an angle iron lip on front and back of trailer so you have no screws at all.

Sounds good! No tracked equipment, so white oak is the winner. I'll also add the angle iron lips you mentioned; clearly a better idea than screws. For chemical protection, I guess I'll just spray a commercial wood preservative on the boards.

Thank you very much for the help!
Dave

if its screwed down it doesn't warp and bounce as much. also stiffens up the trailer. i use these 5/16"-18 x 1-1/2" Torx Flat Head Flooring Screw (T-40) | K.L. Jack
except 2.5" long
its a bit of a pain because of how many steps, first drill through board and steel, then drill larger through the board, then rattle the screws in.They hold very well redid 3 trailers couple years ago would deffinently do this way again.
I have had those self drilling ones break off while installing or just break from the flex of loading something

I would go with treated lumber, much cheaper than white oak and will last for years. I put mine down with 3/8 carriage bolts. First deck of treated lumber lasted about 20 years. I loaded everything from lumber to machines to tractors, a small tracked dozer, cars truck, etc. The last treated lumber was all culls from the cull pile at work. We had a guy come and wanted tongue and groove white oak until he found out what it cost, he decided may treated lumber was a good deal. You don't want to use t&G because it traps water causes the wood to rot quicker. My experience with floor screws is the break off putting them in and as time goes on break in use. The carriage bolts have been holding up well. I bolted 2x2x1/4 angle the cross members the bolt thru, so I didn't any more holes in the flange of the channel crossmembers, didn't run into all the floor screws that broke off.
Ben

On my 3-ton tilt, I used 1/4" Simpson structural screws up from the bottom, thru existing frame holes. No screw holes in the top. Trailer has D-rings, E-track, and Unistrut so nothing gets tied down only to the lumber.

I used treated 2x12 pine, with clear UV poly on all six sides. Good so far, after 6 years. I'd like oak, but it's pricey and I already had the treated pine.

I have a trailer the PO redecked with apitong. They sunk all the screws about 1/4", then filled the counterbore with roofing tar to keep the water out.

I used carriage bolts, but not drilled thru the channel frame. I drilled next to it, then made a bunch of 2x2x1/4 square washers and put those on the bolt and over the leg of the channel. Clamp it down. No movement at all, and no drilling into the steel frame. This is on my flatbed dump truck. Hauls gravel, rock, logs, steel, parts, machines, you name it. Also, super easy to change. Just cut off the nut underneath and it pops off.

Sent from my rotary dial flip fone

I decked my flatbed with shiplap apitong (also known as Angelim Pedra or Keruing.) Seems to be a favorite for heavy haul low boy trailers and stuff. Dense stuff, tight grain structure, very hard, and impervious to rot. And when you cut it, its resin releases a funky chemical smell.