Wood for trailer bunks

[tski97]

What kind of wood is recommended for trailer bunks. I would not think it matters but it is a dhm trailer.

[DanielC]

The wood does not really matter. 2x6 GDF is fine. On the DHM trailer I worked on, the bunks were held with lag screws up from the bottom. I recommend you use through bolts, but you have to countersink the heads on the top of the bunks if you do, and then cover them with carpet, and then put the bunkx on the trailer.

[tski97]

Is it recommended to use pressure treated wood or not?

[gride300]

why not use king starboard? it's pricey, but will last alot longer

[DanielC]

The last time I bought some 2x6-12 GDF, the price was $4.06 a board.

In my experience, most of the damage to trailer bunks comes from propeller, and tracking fins. Pressure treated wood wont protect against that.

[DealsGapCobra]

My last trailer had the bunks rot so I replaced with pressure treated wood. I figured it couldn't hurt.

[tski97]

So Daniel I assume that GDf is Douglas fir. What is the g for

[DanielC]

The "G" in GDF stands for green. Green wood is not kiln dried. The DF is Douglas Fir.
Pressure treating the wood will help with the wood rotting problem. But you need to realize the pressure treating is mainly on the surface of the wood, and anywhere you drill a hole, or cut the end of a board, you cut away the treatment.
Untreated wood is easy to dispose of. it can also be recycled into other engineered wood products, or ground up for mulch. You cannot do that with treated wood.

[Rick]

Pressure treated on my DHM trailer

My bunks for my 2000 196 on a dual axle DHM trailer is Pressure treated. I haven't had any rotting problems but I hve had to replace some of the lag bolts. If i were to recover them again I would go with through bolts recessing the heads.

[tski97]

If you do use through bolts do you fill the hole with something to prevent water from sitting in there or so you worry about the carpet wearing out around the hole.

[gride300]

i thought df stood for densityfiber?

[DanielC]

No, DF in lumber stands for Douglas Fir, at least it does here in Oregon, where Douglas Fir pretty much grows like weeds, just takes longer