# treating pressure treated wood?



## mattech (Apr 26, 2015)

I bought a new utility trailer this weekend (5x13) with a pressure treated wood floor. I want to seal it so it will last as long as possible. How long should I wait before sealing the wood. I have heard about six months, so it can dry out, but also heard immediatley. So which is it? Also should I do a clear sealer or a dark stain? I also thought about putting some sand in it to help with traction. Do y'all think that's a bad idea?


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## Big7 (Apr 26, 2015)

It's already been through a wood drying kiln..

Dry as it's going to get.

Waiting only means absorbing water.

Put some Thompson Water Seal on it NOW..
That will do it.

If you want color, wait a few hot days, then paint.

There you go.


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## mark-7mag (Apr 27, 2015)

I just had a new deck built and the guy that built it said to wait about two months


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## Jeff C. (Apr 27, 2015)

I'd do a little research and see if someone sells a sealer with sand or that sand can be mixed with and hold. It might have to be some type of sealer with an adhesive incorporated to hold sand or non skid substance. 

If it has 'wet' pressure treated wood, I would wait several months before applying anything to it.


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## jimbo4116 (Apr 27, 2015)

Big7 said:


> It's already been through a wood drying kiln..
> 
> Dry as it's going to get.
> 
> ...



Not necessarily so.  Put down some last week that water ran out with every screw.  PT usually will shrink a little. 

Best thing you can put on the bed of a trailer is burnt motor oil or hydraulic fluid mixed with a little diesel.

As far as time when was the trailer built.  Three or 4 days of good hot dry weather will probably be plenty of time when you consider the age of the trailer.  Should be a MFG Date on the ID plate. Unless it is a homemade.

I would not waste my time with Thompsons unless you just want it to look pretty for a while.


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## mattech (Apr 27, 2015)

They finished building the trailer Friday night and I picked it up Saturday, it was custom built for me. I'm finding a lot of conflicting Info on the web about how dry the wood needs to be. The only thing I've seen that seemed scientific was to wait until the wood is at 12-15% humidty, and I don't have a clue how to determine that. The wood seemed pretty wet, but we also had a lot of rain recently, I don't know if they store their wood outside and it got rained on or not. Also the wood has a green tint, I guess that is from the treatment?


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## TJay (Apr 27, 2015)

I bought a new trailer a week or so ago.  I will probably hold off until the middle of May.  I'll put it out in the sun and when it gets nice and warm I'll put some sort of sealer on it.  I'm going to try and get the underneath too.  Of course if it keeps on raining like it has been I'll just have to hold off a while.


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## rjcruiser (Apr 27, 2015)

yeah...I'm not so sure on PT being kiln dried.  It probably is, but then it seems to be soaked in the treated substance....as my experience is like jimbo's....every board of PT I've ever used seems 3x as heavy as non-PT and has moisture coming out with every screw.

I'm not a huge fan of Thompson's....seems to last about a year at the most.


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## mattech (Apr 27, 2015)

With the research I've done, it seems some pt wood is kiln dried, but most isn't, I would assume this stuff isn't, just by how wet it looks.


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## FootLongDawg (Apr 27, 2015)

"Best thing you can put on the bed of a trailer is burnt motor oil or hydraulic fluid mixed with a little diesel."


Agree 100%.  It will last longer than any of the store bought sealers.


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## Havana Dude (Apr 27, 2015)

I have 2 trailers, both with PT 2x8 flooring. They sit outside 100% of the time. I have never done a thing to either one except pressure wash gently every couple years to rid of mold. One is 20 years old, the other about 10. If your goal is to make it slip resistant, set it out in the sun for a week or so, with no significant rain, paint, and throw sand to it as you paint. IF you are OCD like a friend of mine, this method will not work for you.


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## Killdee (Apr 27, 2015)

Havana Dude said:


> I have 2 trailers, both with PT 2x8 flooring. They sit outside 100% of the time. I have never done a thing to either one except pressure wash gently every couple years to rid of mold. One is 20 years old, the other about 10. If your goal is to make it slip resistant, set it out in the sun for a week or so, with no significant rain, paint, and throw sand to it as you paint. IF you are OCD like a friend of mine, this method will not work for you.



Ditto^ I haul gravel, mulch, lime and all kinds of construction debris in mine as well as my mowers and 4 wheeler, never even thought about treating or painting it.Mine is about 15 years old I guess and still just fine.


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## mattech (Apr 27, 2015)

From what I have read though, pressure treating chemicals are a lot different nowadays , and aren't as good. My buddy has a trailer that is about 8 years old and his floor is rotted out.


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## mattech (Apr 27, 2015)

Here is the trailer, and for anyone looking for a good trailer at an amazing price go to baggetts trailer in piedmont Alabama. They are slow and don't know how to return a call though. Lol


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## Havana Dude (Apr 27, 2015)

The only difference I have noticed is the newer PT does not do well with ground contact. It is my understanding, could be wrong, but they treat posts and such for ground contact (duh). Never seen a problem with the new stuff as long as it did not contact the ground.


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## Backlasher82 (Apr 27, 2015)

mattech said:


> From what I have read though, pressure treating chemicals are a lot different nowadays , and aren't as good. My buddy has a trailer that is about 8 years old and his floor is rotted out.



Yeah, I put a 5/4" floor on my utility trailer and had to replace almost half the boards last year. Decaying leaves caused the boards to rot. I let the new wood dry a couple of months then sealed with some left over deck sealer, Olympia I think, still looks good.


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## mark-7mag (Apr 27, 2015)

Did you ask the people you bought it from what they recommend?


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## mattech (Apr 27, 2015)

mark-7mag said:


> Did you ask the people you bought it from what they recommend?



No, I was gonna ask them about maintenance on the axle too, but I guess I just plum forgot.


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## jimbo4116 (Apr 27, 2015)

rjcruiser said:


> yeah...I'm not so sure on PT being kiln dried.  It probably is, but then it seems to be soaked in the treated substance....as my experience is like jimbo's....every board of PT I've ever used seems 3x as heavy as non-PT and has moisture coming out with every screw.
> 
> I'm not a huge fan of Thompson's....seems to last about a year at the most.



PT wood is dried at the mill and then treated.  Put in vats of chems under pressure i.e., Pressure treated.  Bundled wet and shipped. Use to get 4x6 runners and plywood for portable buildings treated in Moultrie.  

Depending on the level treatment PT pine on a trailer bed will last a long time.  That said there are many levels of treatment.

If you do treat the boards with something you will need to treat the turn over and treat the bottom.  Something else to consider the PT treated lumber will cause metal to rust.
Any fastners need to be hot dipped and the trailer frame needs a good coat of paint.


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## tree cutter 08 (Apr 27, 2015)

My pt lumber rotted out n my equipment trailer after 6 years. Put down 2x white oak and covered with diesel. It's holding up great and should for a long time.


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## T-N-T (Apr 27, 2015)

I have a trailer that sits out in the weather going on 7 years.  Still strong as new.  key thing is can the sun get at it the day after rain.  Or does leaves and shade hold water for a few days at a time?

New, wet wood will dry in a few days if it is sunny from what I have seen.  And i seem to find myself building a deck or two every year for someone, or myself...

But mainly, if you can keep it in a place that is not too shady and tilted for drainage you will be fine.


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## Big7 (Apr 27, 2015)

It will work..

Still better is the waste oil deal described above.

That is if you are just going to work it and never plan on painting
or making it purrty..

If that is the case, I would go with the waste oil..


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## GA native (May 11, 2015)

After the wood is kiln dried, it is placed in a pressure cooker, with the chemicals.

So generally you wait from three to six months, and the wood will accept stain.

However,

You don't know how long the wood has already sat. So you test the absorption rate in an inconspicuous area.  If the stain sits on top of the wood, then it is too wet. If the wood soaks it up like a sponge, plan on two coats.


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## GA native (May 11, 2015)

PS, use an oil based stain like CW Flood. Don't bother with that Thompson's junk. 

Personally, I use old motor oil to keep my trailer deck sealed... After a rain or two, traction is no longer an issue.


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## shakey gizzard (May 12, 2015)

GA native said:


> PS, use an oil based stain like CW Flood. Don't bother with that Thompson's junk.
> 
> Personally, I use *old motor oil *to keep my trailer deck sealed... *After a rain or two*, traction is no longer an issue.



The sheen on the pond will look purty too!


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## GA native (May 12, 2015)

shakey gizzard said:


> The sheen on the pond will look purty too!



My 84' Chevy used more oil than that trailer deck.


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## Bambi (May 19, 2015)

You can tell by the color of the wood if it is ready to seal. The amount of time is just suggestions. If the wood is green don't treat it yet. Once it's a yellow color it is dried out and ready to be sealed


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