Bolting down the bunks - lag bolts or recessed carriage bolts?

[SilentSeven]

Have to replace my bunks. DHM lagged them in from the bottom...which of course over time caused the bolts to fall out. I'm thinking of replacing with with a recessed carriage bolt setup but have some concerns with possible damage if/when at some point a nut drops off (that I don't see) and a bolt gets somehow wedged under the carpet. While I realize this is a long shot, I also would prefer not to have to worry about it.

What have others done?

[markj]

Countersink carriage bolts through pressure treated wood, use nylock nuts and put silicone around on the tail of the bolts to prevent any significant slippage of the nut.

[SilentSeven]

So..then you add the bunk carpet after the rail is mounted? Or are you mounting the the bolts in advance, pulling the rail back off, adding carpet and then remounting?

A bit concerned about the carriage bolt head spinning freely while trying to torque the nylock nut to the bolt.

[Wildcat04]

The carriage bolts should bite hard enough that they don’t slip while tightening. If they do when you are initially threading them on before it’s tight you can grip the bolt with some vice grips or needle nose to prevent rotation until the bolt is seated.


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[SilentSeven]

Decided to lag them down. The prior bunks were lagged down and lasted years. While carriage bolts is are a more elegant and durable solution, decided they didn't warrant the addition effort.

Thanks everyone for the input!!

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[cmerritt]

I've had both before. Mine now has carriage bolts and double nuts on the bottom. As the wood gets wet and dries over cycles the lag bolts can loosen over time. Either will work though. Carriage bolts are just more secure over the long run.