What are you using for bunks...?

[fogducker III]

One of my "winter" projects is to replace the bunks on the trailer......

So what are you guys using? Stock is wood 2"x6" covered with the black "fuzzy" carpet.....anything out there better?

I have heard of "plastic" wood?

If wood is used is pressure treated any better? What about the "carpet"? Anything better out there?

Thanks for any info, Jeremy

[MOP]

My last three trailers came with cedar bunks, my current 22 trailer has 3X6 cedar. Phil

[fogducker III]

My last three trailers came with cedar bunks, my current 22 trailer has 3X6 cedar. Phil

Ya, I think what I have here is cedar as well Phil, it is getting tired and I was not sure if there was anything better out there?

What do you use to cover the cedar and is it pressure treated?

[CHACHI]

Phil, you sure you don't have cypress?

My last trailer I used pressure treat.

I too need to replace my bunks, but it is going to have to wait until next
spring as the trailer is 300 miles away.

Will probably used pressure treat again but if I can I will increase the bunks to 2 x 6's instead of 2 X 4's.

Ken

[Tidbart]

I had this discussion when I had mine built. Ended up using PT. They did paint 3 sides and leave the bottom unpainted so as not to seal the wood. Then they used a high-grade marine carpet to cove them. Evidently there is big difference in the quality of the marine carpet you can buy.
Willy, the builder said he has seen no need to use cypress as he has had great success with the PT. Granted you should also use a high grade PT, one with straighter grain than the HD crap. It is out there.

B

[GBond]

I'm familiar with the composite material for decks. Worth looking into for trailer bunks. Who knows....Just an option.

[mrfixxall]

white oak..

[fogducker III]

white oak..

We use that for firewood up here.....:wink:

Salt water has a particular reaction to certain wood......local wood here is cedar, fir, hemlock, spruce and some others that are not good......

I was interested in the plastic composite type wood that some are using for decking, is anybody using it? I would have thought if it was any good there would be no need to cover with "carpet" because the hull would slide on it...? Just asking......:confused:

[mrfixxall]

We use that for firewood up here.....:wink:

Salt water has a particular reaction to certain wood......local wood here is cedar, fir, hemlock, spruce and some others that are not good......

I was interested in the plastic composite type wood that some are using for decking, is anybody using it? I would have thought if it was any good there would be no need to cover with "carpet" because the hull would slide on it...? Just asking......:confused:

What is nice abour white oak is it wont rot or take on water and add extra weight to the carring weight..

i would still use carpet on the bunks..

[Tony]

f I can I will increase the bunks to 2 x 6's instead of 2 X 4's.

Ken

Ken, are you putting the new bunks flat or on edge?
What is your thinking with changing the size of the bunks?

[yeller]

You can't use pressure treated wood. The chemicals are toxic.
Fisheries tend to frown on putting toxic chemicals in the water ways.

Composite wood is $$$$$$$$. I'd bet cedar would be 1/3 the price.

[CHACHI]

Tony, I would install the bunks flat.

My reason for the 2 X 6 (if possible), is more support for the hull.

My Minx rode on a MYCO trailer and those bunks were 2 X 6's.

Yeller, when I had my dock built 10 years ago, I wanted to use sheet

piling for the crib. The Army Corps of Engineers said no way, use pressure

treat to build the crib. Doesn't make any sense to me either.

Ken

[fegettes]

I have always used the Pressure Treated lumber. It works well and very affordable.

[Tidbart]

Here is a photo of my PT bunks. Fits like a glove.

[MOP]

I think cedar is used by many due to the light weight about 24 lbs per cubic foot it also dries quick, is rot resistant and easy to work. Oak weighs nearly 60 lbs per cubic foot much is stiffer. Another point when cedar is new it is fairly pliable, it takes the shape of the hull where as oak must be shaped.

[VetteLT193]

You can't use pressure treated wood. The chemicals are toxic.
Fisheries tend to frown on putting toxic chemicals in the water ways.
Composite wood is $$$$$$$$. I'd bet cedar would be 1/3 the price.

What the heck do they build docks out of then?

We always had pressure treated on our docks. There is actually a salt water rated pressure treated wood. More money, but better stuff.

[blackboat]

I just did mine with 2 pressure treated 2x10 screwed together and glued and wrapped with black carpet from Home Depot . I stood them up on end .
Also ,replaced fenders with aluminum and replaced tongue beam to move the boat 12" forward on the bunks.
I put bunks on end to keep them straight and hopefully to keep my bottom straight.

[yeller]

What the heck do they build docks out of then?
We always had pressure treated on our docks. There is actually a salt water rated pressure treated wood. More money, but better stuff.Maybe there are different types than what I'm thinking of. I only know the 'green' stuff that they sell at our Home Depot's here :canada:. It says not to use it near any water source.

[Tidbart]

PT should be sealed by painting or staining. And this should be done to dry wood. Once this is done and the wood is used on a trailer is won't give off much of anything. Think about it, you put you trailer in the water for a few minutes and all the chemicals leach out? If this were the case, the wood deck you made wouldn't last very long, would it.

It is perfectly fine for a trailer and won't effect the water supply. Now, if you put the trailer in a lake and it sinks, never to be seen again, you may have created other issues.

To summarize, if you are going to use PT, let it dry completely if it is not dry from when you bought it, seal it with paint or a similar product, cover it with carpet, install, and go. It will save you a bundle over some other woods and man-made products. If I have access to cypress or cedar cheaply, I would use that also. At least with the cedar, you would have a great smelling trailer.:wink:

B

[fogducker III]

So I got hold of some pressure treated cedar 2"x6", stainless staples, outdoor carpet and galvinized nuts, bolts and washers (stainless and I would have had to re-mortgage the house!!!)

Currently there is nothing in the boat, no motor, outdrive, seats etc....so I thought a good time to do the bunks.

I jacked and supported the boat off the trailer, removed old bunks, used them as a template and put together the new ones....time consuming but worth it.....turned out OK I think.....:confused:

The inside 12 footers were a PITA....:boggled:


Total cost, $67.......wood was $40, staples $15, bolts and nuts $12 and the carpet was free.....:yes:

Oh, and a case of beer...........:lookaroun:

[fegettes]

You did good.

[yeller]

Good job Jeremy. If you ever need to do stapling again, I have SS staples and an pneumatic stapler you can borrow.

If you ever need stainless screws, nuts, bolts, or fasteners of almost any kind, these guys are dirt cheap compared to anyone I've ever found. They sell almost nothing but SS.

www.pacificfasteners.com

....and if your patient, I can pick them up whenever I head to the mainland.

[fogducker III]

You did good.

Thanks......:wink:

[fogducker III]

Good job Jeremy. If you ever need to do stapling again, I have SS staples and an pneumatic stapler you can borrow.

If you ever need stainless screws, nuts, bolts, or fasteners of almost any kind, these guys are dirt cheap compared to anyone I've ever found. They sell almost nothing but SS.

www.pacificfasteners.com (http://www.pacificfasteners.com)

....and if your patient, I can pick them up whenever I head to the mainland.


Great link, thanks for the info and offer...:)

PS. I still have that box of material samples you brought up.....actually glad you left it because I started to rip the carpet out of the cuddy............:eek::yes:

[Cuda]

I did a recarpet on my fishboat I bought new in 1988. The cedar bunks were as solid as the day it was made. The V bunk was made of PT lumber. The only thing that was holding it together was the carpet. It crumbled in my hand. I used Monel staples my dad had bought 20 years earlier, and they still had the pricetag on them. They were $24.99 way back then.

[fogducker III]

I did a recarpet on my fishboat I bought new in 1988. The cedar bunks were as solid as the day it was made. The V bunk was made of PT lumber. The only thing that was holding it together was the carpet. It crumbled in my hand. I used Monel staples my dad had bought 20 years earlier, and they still had the pricetag on them. They were $24.99 way back then.

I thought your fishboat trailer had Cypress Joe...?

[Cuda]

I thought your fishboat trailer had Cypress Joe...?
It did. I built trailers one summer and left a bunch of cypress behind when I moved to Deland. I bought it at Axley Brothers lumber right here in Pinellas Park.

Cedar was just brain fade.

[Cuda]

Cedar Keys just north of here was the place they bought cedar for pencils. I've been there several times.

[joseph m. hahnl]

My Rolls Axle has Cypress bunks.
This link is what your looking for:yes:
http://www.ultimatebunkboards.com/

oops:bonk:!!! didn't realize you already bought something:boggled:

any way any one else who looking for plastic bunks here's the link:kingme: