Trailer Bunk Carpet

[Deke]

What kind of carpet does everyone use to replace bunk carpet on a trailer? Is something you can buy at a home improvement center or carpet store? What is your experience with longevity?

For bunks... is anyone using anything other than pressure treated lumber?

Thanks

Deke

[Bobby Light]

What kind of carpet does everyone use to replace bunk carpet on a trailer? Is something you can buy at a home improvement center or carpet store? What is your experience with longevity?

For bunks... is anyone using anything other than pressure treated lumber?

Thanks

Deke

Here is what the local dealer uses.

http://www.bakesonline.com/detail.aspx?ID=1031

[bretski75]

I used pressure treated but some people are using a synthetic like trex. If your using lag screws wood is the way to go. Through bolt you could use either. Just make sure you countersink.

Don't forget top use stainless staples.

[DONTW8]

Bunk Lumber: Be Careful

Make sure you use #2 & Btr.

I owned a wholesale lumber company most of my life.

The Home Depot types will often carry treated lumber in a #3 grade 2x6. It is grade stamped on the piece. Look for it.

Conventional lumber for residential construction is typically #2 & Btr.

Not all DIY yards carry #2 & Btr 2x6 treated. It will vary by locale.

You may have to go to a real lumber yard if you do not find #2 & Btr treated at your DIY type yard.

The # 3 grade will possibly fail in a bunk application because of more knots, or rot, etc.

DF (Douglas Fir) Hem-Fir, and SYP will be the strongest woods.

If you have to you can go to a #2 & Btr Cedar untreated if you cannot find a Hem-Fir or SYP #2 & Btr treated.

Regarding Trex: I love the stuff. Used a ton of it for decking and concrete partition when I built my house.

It DOES NOT have load bearing capacity laid flat. It needs to be supported 16 - 20" on center laid flat for decking etc.

Trex will sag when heated unless supported at least 20" O.C.

#2 & Btr Treated 2x6 in SYP, DF, or Hem Fir will be the strongest for this application.

Edited April 28, 2009 by DONTW8

[Deke]

Trex... cedar... any thoughts on strength? Ok for the application versus the #2 pressure treated?

Deke

[DONTW8]

The Trex and Cedar are weaker laid flat than DF, Hem-Fir, or SYP.

If your bunk style has a steel support underneath or your bunk is supported every 16"-20" you could use the Trex. Trex will last past when your grandkids have your boat.

Cedar is an alternative only if you can not find #2 & Btr treated locally.

Contractor lumber yards will have # 2 & Btr treated 2x6 SYP or Hem-Fir which is a better choice than Cedar.

Edited April 28, 2009 by DONTW8

[Green_Giant]

I just picked up a roll of black marine grade carpet at Home Depot for a good price. Where have you guys been finding stainless staples? Need to redo my bunks also in a few weeks.

[vette-ski]

Home Depot has stainless staples.

[99response]

I've always used regluar lumber, not pressure treated.

As for using something else, the carpet will always wear faster than the wood can rot, and when you take those bunks off to recover you don't want to reuse those boards, they have a million staples in them and its not worth the time to pull them all out.

-Chris

[Skiline00]

I did mine last year. I didn't do anything but put the new carpet right over the old stuff.. My problem with the old carpet is that it was wearing more at the corners of the lumber so I figured if I just left the old stuff on it might help cushion the new carpet better.

[John M]

Champion Trailer Parts Supply in Louisiana has all sorts of parts for trailers.

I purchased bunk carpeting from Champion.

www.championtrailers.com

John

[skier92]

For those who like to hear it more than once, DONTW8 put it right. SYP.Doug Fir & Hem Fir (listed strongest first) On the East Coast, SYP is the most common species to be found with pressure treating. As for all the other species of lumber mentioned, they are more expensive and not as strong. As for the manufactured decking products, again as DONTW8 stated, they are just that, deck boards, not structural lumber.DO NOT use them. Knowledge base: 14 years engineered lumber design and lumber sales.

[BillFooter]

The last time I bought bunk carpet I got it from SMP. They used to build a lot of the trailers for the Malibu Tennessee plant.

Sweetwater Metal Products Inc (Smp)

103 Robbins St, Sweetwater, TN 37874-2324

Contact Phone: (423) 337-3466

[DONTW8]

skier92,

Thanks for the confirmation. As an old fart most people just think I'm a loony.

Near the end of my business we really specialized in MSR "Machine Stress Rated" lumber for trusses that we brought in from Canada. Mostly 1650F, 1800F, and 2100F. We moved about a truckload per day of the stuff. That was some of the best business we did and ultimately allowed me to retire. I loved the engineered lumber business because it gave us a little niche that the big boys didn't mess with us too much.

[bigwheels]

What is the impact of treated lumber to the water quality of the lakes and rivers we enjoy so much?

[Killer]

What is the impact of treated lumber to the water quality of the lakes and rivers we enjoy so much?

nil

I have a place on one of the cleanest lakes you'd ever enjoy & nearly everyone has a floating wooden dock due to a 6' change in water level from spring to fall to feed an inter-great lakes waterway (trent-severn).

our shoreline is incredibly rocky and steep so most people have to float their big heavy docks to secluded bays so they don't float away in the spring, when they dam the lake and the water level comes back up.

point: our docks stay in the lake from day 1 until they are decommissioned 10-25 + years later.

pressure treated lasts a lot longer and its not necessary to stain it (PITA) as much as a regular cedar decking.

not even worth discussing IMO... some green nazi will take it upon themselves to better the world by banning docks or something equally as stupid...

[chathamsolutions]

It's time I rework my bunks. Need to replace the boards and put on new carpet.

Two seasons ago I stepped on a bunk while attempting to trailer and the bunk split under my feet. Lame!

The resort people that ran the dock at Shasta were first rate and took care of me. But they just replaced the bunk with regular lumber.

Last season my front two cup bunks are starting to come loose. Literally loose to the touch before the boat sits on them.

I've known replacing the bunks was in the cards pre-sping. All good.

From this thread, this is what I've learned:

Bunk Lumber: Be Careful

Make sure you use #2 & Btr.

I owned a wholesale lumber company most of my life.

...

It DOES NOT have load bearing capacity laid flat. It needs to be supported 16 - 20" on center laid flat for decking etc.

Trex will sag when heated unless supported at least 20" O.C.

#2 & Btr Treated 2x6 in SYP, DF, or Hem Fir will be the strongest for this application.

The Trex and Cedar are weaker laid flat than DF, Hem-Fir, or SYP.

If your bunk style has a steel support underneath or your bunk is supported every 16"-20" you could use the Trex. Trex will last past when your grandkids have your boat.

Cedar is an alternative only if you can not find #2 & Btr treated locally.

Contractor lumber yards will have # 2 & Btr treated 2x6 SYP or Hem-Fir which is a better choice than Cedar.

OK, since my bunks are supported every 5 feet TREX is out. I'll need to look for #2 & Btr treated lumber.

I know I'm an idiot when it comes to this stuff, what does 'Btr' stand for?

I just picked up a roll of black marine grade carpet at Home Depot for a good price. Where have you guys been finding stainless staples? Need to redo my bunks also in a few weeks.

Home Depot has stainless staples.

It appears HD has the Stainless Staples and bunk carpet. So I'll look to pick those up there.

I'm going to drop my boat in the water, let the CFO sit in it and get some sun while I work on the trailer in the parking lot. I'll have everything I need with me to do the job. At least I hope I will. Trying to avoid trips to the hardware store since it's 30 minutes away from the water.

Without sounding too much like an idiot, is there anything I need to be prepped for that's not totally obvious?

I know I need to countersink the bolts.

Will I need to replace the bolts / hardware? Should I just count on that? What should I replace it with? Grade 8, Stainless?

Any help would be appreciated. Really don't want this to turn into a 2 weekend project.

[Ndawg12]

I think I did this for about $75 total last summer. (5) treated 8' 2x4's, stainless staples, and carpet, all from Lowes. My bunks were 8', 8', and 3' and I just cut and stapled the carpet in my garage. Threw it all in the truck along with a cordless drill, extra battery, and sockets, went down to the ramp, shoved my wife off in the boat, unscrewed the old ones, and installed the new ones in about an hour. I used the same screws. I didn't get worked up about the wood, if I have to replace it in a couple years, oh well. I would recommend rounding the edges of the wood with a sander or router to keep it from cutting the carpet. Mine hasn't yet but it looks like it might start soon and I think rounding the edges would help.

Edit-one last thing I just thought of. Bring socket extensions and maybe a wobble extension. Those cross member can get in the way.

Edited March 9, 2010 by Ndawg12

[chathamsolutions]

Thanks, ratchet extension - good idea.

[dalt1]

My bunks were bolted from the bottom with lag bolts. They were loose and falling out at the beginning of 3rd season. One bunk actually floated off when backing trailer in to retrieve boat. Lucky I noticed before pulling boat up on raw steel supports. When I reworked mine, I bought carriage head bolts, nuts and washers. Mounted them from the top and pulled heads down below carpet surface. Boards were still in good shape, just not good for lag screws to hold.

[MizzouMike]

Bring a hammer....You never know....

[tvano]

My bunks were bolted from the bottom with lag bolts. They were loose and falling out at the beginning of 3rd season. One bunk actually floated off when backing trailer in to retrieve boat. Lucky I noticed before pulling boat up on raw steel supports. When I reworked mine, I bought carriage head bolts, nuts and washers. Mounted them from the top and pulled heads down below carpet surface. Boards were still in good shape, just not good for lag screws to hold.

agreed, imho there is no place in the marine environment for lag bolts. everything should be thru-bolted.

Edited March 10, 2010 by tvano

[bnew03xti]

I'm getting ready to replace my bunk carpet also, Is there anything besides stainless staples I could use to fasten the carpet down??

[Ndawg12]

I'm getting ready to replace my bunk carpet also, Is there anything besides stainless staples I could use to fasten the carpet down??

Not sure why you wouldn't want to use staples. I bought a Stanley electric staple gun for like $25 at Lowes and the staples were around $10.

[Malibuswany]

I need to replace one of mine. It has already split and it is only two years old. Anyway, what kind of carpet did you get from lowes? I was thinking I would let the wife take the boat for a few trips around the lake while replace it if it doesn't take all that long to do.

Edited March 11, 2010 by Malibuswany