Quality trailer decking gives you a stable surface for loads and extends the life of the trailer. For many trailer owners, hardwood decking stands out as the top choice due to its durability, strength, and ability to withstand heavy loads and harsh weather conditions.
Whether you’re hauling heavy equipment or lightweight cargo, we’ll help you understand the pros and cons of different trailer decking wood types, their properties, and how to choose the best material for needs.
What Are the Benefits of Wood Trailer Decking?
Hardwood has been a go-to material for centuries, known for its reliability and strength. Modern hardwoods used in trailer decking are even more durable, withstanding heavy loads and extreme weather conditions. While hardwood can be more expensive than some alternatives, its longevity and performance often make it a cost-effective choice in the long run.
Some key advantages of wood trailer decking include:
- Natural resistance to weathering
- Ability to handle heavy loads without warping
- Variety of options to suit different needs and budgets
- Easy to repair or replace individual boards as needed
Laminated Truck Flooring (LTF)
Laminated Truck Flooring offers more options than traditional hardwood decking but has limited applications. It’s primarily used in dry van trailers due to its inability to withstand prolonged outdoor exposure.
LTF options include hardwoods from Southeast Asia and domestic woods like Red Oak. They come in a wide range of sizes and widths to suit various trailer configurations.
7 Trailer Wood Decking Options
When selecting wood for trailer decking, consider hardness, strength, and stiffness. These properties determine how well the wood will hold up under various conditions. Here are seven popular wood options for trailer decking, along with their key characteristics:
Types of Wood Decking
For the past 25 years, Asian Keruing or Apitong trailer decking has been a top choice for trailers across North America. Apitong hardwood trailer decking is traditionally sold as solid plank flooring in shiplap form and comes in varying thicknesses and widths.
While this is a common trailer decking material for truck trailers, it is best used in lightweight flatbed trailers.
This wood is considered to have the best strength-to-weight ratio of any hardwood that gets commercially harvested. Apitong offers a hardness of around 1,520, making it reasonably resistant to denting and marking. In addition, it has a strength of 19,900 psi and a stiffness of 2.07 million psi, which keeps it from bending easily.
Angelim Pedra, also called Brazilian Apitong, is another wood trailer decking material to consider. This wood comes in a medium-tan color, with a deeply defined grain and small mineral deposits, called Pedras, that give it its name. Angelim Pedra is commonly used for industrial hardwood trailer decking and even exterior residential decking.
Angelim Pedra has a hardness of 1,720 pounds, a strength of 18,255 psi, and a stiffness of 2.05 million psi. This, along with the price, makes it a competitive option.
Purpleheart can be a good option for industrial trailer decking. It is one of the best wood types for trailer decking due to its natural durability and stability. Purpleheart wood has long been a popular option for hardwood trailer decking and the shipbuilding industry.
Purpleheart wood offers a hardness of 1,860 pounds, a strength of 21,300 psi and a stiffness of about 2.42 million psi, making it stronger than both types of Apitong.
Douglas Fir has always been a popular hardwood in various applications, particularly construction, and is also very affordable. However, unlike other options, Douglas Fir is not the most durable option for truck decks in the U.S.
Douglas Fir only offers a hardness of around 660 pounds, a strength of 12,400 psi and a stiffness of 1.95 million psi.
LTF offers many more options than hardwood trailer decking. However, LTF has minimal applications. This flooring is used primarily in dry van trailers because it cannot withstand outside exposure.
LTF options for trailer trucks include hardwoods from Southeast Asia to the domestic Red Oak and come in a wide range of sizes and widths.
One wood commonly used for LTF is Red Oak. Red Oak is a more durable option than Douglas Fir, but it’s not necessarily the best wood for trailer decking. This is because, compared to other woods, Red Oak is not the most stable wood available.
Red Oak wood has a hardness of 1,290 pounds, a strength of 14,300 psi, and a stiffness of about 1.85 million psi.
Another common LTF wood is White Oak, which, unlike Red Oak, has closed pores. It offers a little more durability than its counterpart, but it is still not ideal for industrial and trailer flooring applications.
White Oak has a hardness of 1,380 pounds, a strength of 15,200 psi, and a stiffness of 1.78 million psi.
How To Choose the Best Wood for Trailer Decking
Keep these factors in mind when choosing decking for your trailer:
- Load requirements: Heavier loads require stronger, more durable woods such as Purpleheart or Apitong.
- Exposure to elements: Trailers frequently exposed to weather need woods with natural resistance to moisture and UV damage.
- Budget: While more durable woods often cost more upfront, they may prove more cost-effective in the long run due to their longevity.
Woods like Apitong, Angelim Pedra, or Purpleheart are excellent choices for heavy-duty loads and frequent outdoor exposure. These woods offer superior strength and durability, ensuring the trailer floor can withstand heavy use without bending, breaking, or deteriorating quickly.
For lighter loads or trailers that spend most of their time in enclosed spaces, more affordable options like Douglas Fir or LTF can do the job. However, weigh the initial cost savings against the potential need for more frequent replacements.
Environmental Considerations
When choosing wood for trailer decking, the environmental impact is worth considering. Look for woods certified by organizations like the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), as these come from responsibly managed forests. Additionally, sourcing wood locally or regionally can reduce the carbon footprint associated with transportation.
Some trailer owners might also consider composite decking materials, which often incorporate recycled materials and can offer durability comparable to hardwoods. However, these alternatives may not always provide the same strength-to-weight ratio as traditional hardwoods.
Installation and Maintenance Tips
Proper installation and maintenance can significantly extend the life of wood trailer decking. Here are some useful tips:
- Ensure proper ventilation: Allow air to circulate beneath the decking to prevent moisture buildup.
- Use appropriate fasteners: Stainless steel or galvanized fasteners resist corrosion and won’t react with the wood.
- Apply a protective finish: A quality sealant helps protect the wood from moisture and UV damage.
- Regular cleaning: Remove debris and clean the deck regularly to prevent damage and extend its lifespan.
- Inspect regularly: Check for signs of wear, loose boards, or protruding fasteners, and address issues promptly.
