Another new floor needed in trailer

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flirtygerty

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For the second time in four years I need to replace the floor in my Ifor 505, last time it was done with marine ply with rubber matting on top, twice the floor has holed in the same place, luckily, we checked today, as we were going to go to the beach, but the trailer isn't used a lot and is cleaned out after every use, so what am I doing wrong and what do I replace the floor with, TIA
 
I have replaced my 505 with the ifor Williams aluminium floor.
It was £ 500, but they said it will last forever.
It was a lot of money to me but I'm so glad I did it.
Now travel my mare worry free.
 
If replacing the floor I'd do it with an aluminium one. Hard pushed to corrode that (not keeping on top of it and urine can corrode it over time).
 
Don't use marine ply! Horrible stuff that isn't really suitable for trailers (as you've found out). Go for the IW ali floor.
 
keruing half lap boards, from www. chiltontimber.co.uk (available elswhere just put this for you to look at )comes in 2 thicknesses check your thickness 1st or your partitions wont fit .Had it down in my regular used trailer for 8 years now and still going strong .The proper way is to put one layer down front to back, bolted to chassis cross members, then put another layer on top but layed side to sise (left to right ) and screwed down with stainless srews to bottom layer .expensive but was cheeper than alloy at the time.
 
neddy man said:
keruing half lap boards, from www. chiltontimber.co.uk (available elswhere just put this for you to look at )comes in 2 thicknesses check your thickness 1st or your partitions wont fit .Had it down in my regular used trailer for 8 years now and still going strong .The proper way is to put one layer down front to back, bolted to chassis cross members, then put another layer on top but layed side to sise (left to right ) and screwed down with stainless srews to bottom layer .expensive but was cheeper than alloy at the time.
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I understand the layering system, it makes sense, hubby wants to use wood again and paint it with something rubberised, but just the thought of what might have happened today, makes me sick, the hole was right where a back foot would be, thank god the brake light wasn't working, so I need to be sure of relevant facts
 
I would look at what I was parking my trailer on, concrete is best but if you're parking on grass it can mean your floor rots quicker as condensation will form on bottom of trailer. Also make sure you clean it out after use and jack the front well up so all water drains out - check it can and that the drain hole's not covered.
 
If it has gone in the same place each time, check for water ingress. Mine had a soft area near the jockey door (in front of the breast bar fortunately) and we found rain water was getting in on the join between the panels.
 
flirtygerty said:
I understand the layering system, it makes sense, hubby wants to use wood again and paint it with something rubberised, but just the thought of what might have happened today, makes me sick, the hole was right where a back foot would be, thank god the brake light wasn't working, so I need to be sure of relevant facts
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wood is best left to breath, dont paint it with anything.keuing is fine on its own ,if you want lay rubber mats on top for travelling remove them when trailer is stood a while , (make sure partitions will still move )
 
Has the trailer got a leak somewhere so that rainwater is getting in? You would be amazed at how rain can get through what appears to be the tiniest gap if a sealant has "given". Gaps around the ramp are also a bit culprit. In this instance, it sounds to me as though replacing the floor is just fixing the symptom, not the cause.
 
flirtygerty said:
I understand the layering system, it makes sense, hubby wants to use wood again and paint it with something rubberised, but just the thought of what might have happened today, makes me sick, the hole was right where a back foot would be, thank god the brake light wasn't working, so I need to be sure of relevant facts
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No don't paint with rubberised stuff - we did this when replacing our floor 2 yrs ago - seemed a good idea at the time but even having been painted with about 4 layers, it split and then held the water in the wood so it rotted quicker. We had used WBP board as suggested by the wood stockist but the glue disintegrated. Just redone it with Marine ply, (not sure now, reading others replies, that it's the right thing to do it with though!) and have painted with waterseal which is breatheable and water repellent so hoping it'll last a bit longer this time! Has rubber mats ontop but I'm lifting them completely off the floor when not using so it can dry out properly - And checking floor every time I use the trailer!
 
If I had to use wood, I'd use gorilla/buffalo board, definitely not marine ply. I did a trailer a few years ago with 24mm gorilla board and 3mm aluminium plates fixed front and back where the hooves go, with moveable rubber on top. The partition was snug with all that lot but it would move with a little effort. I sold it and it's going strong and much loved by a local family.
 
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