Trailer Decking - Diamond Plate vs. Wood

orange150

orange150

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 20, 2005
Location
Fairfax City, VA
It's time to upgrade my trailer.
I'm looking for one in the 8k-10k, 20' range that can handle my Mustang, my tractor w/ implements, and any misc. materials I might need to haul.
I've been looking at Kaufman Trailers, specifically their car trailers. They seem to be nicely optioned and the same price I can get a used one on Craigslist.

My main questions is with decking materials, I was thinking diamond plate would be a better option, but my father says wood is much better.
The diamond plate is cheaper and has D-rings welded to the deck of the trailer.
The wood is more durable and tends to hold materials in place better.

As far as keeping materials from sliding around on the diamond plate I could always have a bed liner sprayed on.

What do y'all think?
 
I've had boards break before hauling skidsteers and machine tools. If I had it to do over again, I'd go steel. Wood is pretty easy to slide stuff on too, the stability should come from the position and placement of your straps or chains. Wood is easier to replace, but will also inevitably rot out. If you keep the steel painted and clean it should last as long as the rest of the trailer.
 
Steel
 
If the cost is the same go steel.

When I built my trailer (22') the diamond plate would have cost $600. I have about $100 into wood. Wood takes a little more maintenance, but its not a big deal for me. I let the wood dry for several months before is screw it down. Then I stain with an oil based stain top bottom and sides. Every spring I restain the deck. Takes a gallon and a roller. I can knock it out in less than an hour start to finish. I"m going on about 4 years on mine with no problems.

My dad built several trailers in the 80's. Never had to replace a deck. We always stained it every year. When he moved down here from philly 5 years ago he sold a trailer he had built 20 years ago and it still had the original deck.

I also wanted lighter weight at the time I was pulling a 22' trailer with a 1/2 ton. Like I said if price was the same I would go steel though.

Stuff will slide on both decks, that's why they make straps.

*edit*

I looked on Kaufmans site. The wood is cheaper not the steel on the same trailer. But if the $300 is not that big of a deal I'd get the steel.
 
hadfield4wd said:
Then I stain with an oil based stain top bottom and sides. Every spring I restain the deck. Takes a gallon and a roller. I can knock it out in less than an hour start to finish. I"m going
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This is what I've done to keep ours alive and lasting better, except that I use waste motor oil. Working good for about 3 years now, hopefully will last a lot longer than that.
 
I've experienced how slippery steel decks can get when wet and covered in mud from my buggy. I landed right on the fender and had a limp for a week.


Wood for now on :)
 
I went with wood because I figured that if I had to lay on the deck to strap down the Jeep, wood wouldn't be as hot on a 90 degree day as black steel.
 
rockcity said:
I've experienced how slippery steel decks can get when wet and covered in mud from my buggy. I landed right on the fender and had a limp for a week.
Wood for now on :)
Click to expand...

VortecJeep said:
I went with wood because I figured that if I had to lay on the deck to strap down the Jeep, wood wouldn't be as hot on a 90 degree day as black steel.
Click to expand...

These are arguments I've seen over the years for both. I think, like anything there are good and bad to both options. You can also slip on a wood deck and get a splinter on your butt.

One think I like about my wood deck is when I'm loading or unloading late at night or early in the morning it's not as loud. But this by itself is not a reason to buy one or the other.
 
Ah, noise is another! I have neighbors that would get pissed with all the chains and noise if I had a metal deck!!! Wood is good for no noise! :)
 
I have an open-center Kaufman with diamond plate steel on both sides. I decked the open center with pressure treated 2x12s soon after I bought it. Gives me the traction of diamond plate where the tires go and the wood underneath for working on things. Best of both worlds and keeps the trailer lighter than a full wood deck.
 
I used to build trailers and haulers for concrete septic tanks. People wanted both for all the same reasons here.

I think wood offers more traction and would still be cheaper for the do it your self install. I say that because if the deck ever rots or sees abuse that leads to swells and large buckles or dents replacing wood verses cutting off steel is tons easier and cheaper.

Wood either springs or bust if over loaded or beat on metal just warps and bends. But I'm speaking about really abusive points of view.
 
Wood Quietier tie downs, lighter, can be replaced easier, Cheaper in most cases. Last pretty well if not abused and kept out of weather or treated with something to prolong life. It can get slick if wet or loading alot but that is usually pretty easliy cured by throwing some sand on it. Can break but usually not a big issue if the cross members are
Fairly close together. In our cases i have seen one of ours breaking or cracking before it ever fell threw.

Steel Usually never have to replace. Can be slick as well especially if loading steel on steel. Easily cured by placing wood strip under item before tieing down. Cold or hot depending on season if you have to lay on it to work on something. Loud when chaining down. More expensive in beginning. less to maintain.

Have each for flat bed 22 foot equipment trailers and it really comes down to prefrence. Not alot of diffrence either way.
 
I've had both, I honestly prefer the wood deck over the metal.

The wood deck with out question has better traction than the steel, I had to be in 4wd lots of times to even get onto the steel deck with muddy tires. It is quieter, and lighter also.

I left, by accident a coiled up log chain on the front of my wood deck trailer, drove from Greenville SC, to Winston and it was still there when I went to unload. Arguably, on a steel deck it would have vibrated off and been lost on I-85 somewhere. Take that for what it's worth.

The down side of the wood deck is, I do have a broken board and I do have a warded up piece also. Big deal.

I do pressure wash it once a year and then spray it down w/ Thompson's water seal and so far it's held up really good.

My 2 cents...
 
Check out the load trail trailers that Rigsbee auto parts has in knightdale.
I am from Raleigh and bought my trailer from there over a kauffman.
 
Another vote for wood deck. If taken care of will last forever. Treated wood is good, but with laws these days, it's really not enough. I know of a wooden decked trailer that has had the same deck for 30 plus years. I remember when he built the trailer. He got rough cut oak boards. laid them out and painted them several times in the hot sun with a mixture of old motor oil and kerosene. Stunk for a good while, but it went away. He has re-treated the deck a few times over the years, and it holds up fine. It is used primarily to haul a tractor with implements, so not a light load at all.
While not a trailer, my hauler deck is metal diamond plate. Has held up fine, but won't hold paint where it's traveled. If I were going to put a metal deck on a trailer. If funds were there, I would use a traction type of epoxy paint. or, maybe even a rhino liner type surface.
That would turn into big bucks though.
 
We have one trailer with an aluminum tread plate floor and dove tail. It is nice that you don't have to worry about paint but it is noisy when moving chains and slick as ice when wet or muddy. it really is bad if loading on a side hill. Our wood floor trailers hold up good with just a coat of linseed oil every few years this is the same way we care for the flat bed semi trailers at work. When hauling some things it is nice to be able to screw chock blocks down to the wood floor to keep something from moving even if is tied down.
 
For an anti skid surface put down a coat of paint then cover with black coal slag (any place that has sand blasting supplies will have it) after that dries you can put anouther coat of paint on top to help it stick. This is what we do on lift gates and it holds up fairly good being used every day.
 
I'd go with the steel deck if the price is the same, maybe Line-X it if you are not going to be hauling alot of stuff that would scrape the liner off. OR, as mentioned above, paint with sand in it seems to work really well, and would be very cheap.

I have a 6x12 (single piece of aluminum) trailer with an aluminum deck, it is definetly noisy when hooking up stuff with chains, but I like not having to worry about wood maintenence. The aluminum seems to not be as slick as painted steel when wet as well, also doesn't get hot in the summer. I doubt you will be asking for an aluminum deck though...
 
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