New floor for old Rice trailer - advice please

[pennyturner]

The old double layer of plywood in my Rice Beaufort is starting to rot (suspect it was standard marine ply, which isn't great), so I need to replace it.

I understand that folk these days just use a single layer of 18mm buffalo board (phenolic ply). Is that really enough?
Local sawmill has quoted £350 for a double layer crossways of 25mm green oak, which is a bit closer to what the thing would have had originally. I'm tempted, but the ply is half the price, and the oak will be heavy.

What would you do?

 

[Tiddlypom]

Originally, your Beaufort would have been fitted with a keruing double floor. We replaced this in our Rice Eventer, and it did very well. There's talk of double floors trapping damp, so maybe a decent meaty single floor would be better? I don't trust laminates such as marine ply, because of the delamination issues.

 

[wench]

Hardwood. Lasts forever

 

[Equi]

I always put a sheet of aluminium on top of any wooden floor. Might have to change the wood more if it gets wet and can't dry properly, but they are much less likely to go through the aluminium than just wood! You can then check the aluminum and any soft parts will be wood under it that needs replaced.

 

[kevd]

if using a phenolic plywood always make sure you reseal any cut edges.
hardwood would be the better option 20-25mm planks depending on your frame underneath.
or you could go with a aluminium plank floor, this would probably need extra steel welding on the frame.
I personally wouldn't recommend marine ply it never really lasts long.

 

[Celtic Fringe]

Ours was redone with thick solid wood planks - like scaffolding boards - similar to what Kevd describes. A small gap (2-3mm) was left between each plank. Our horses pee like drains in a trailer or lorry so the gap meant it all went down between the planks and the floor dried out quickly. It also meant we could keep a close eye on the condition of the floor - nothing hidden between the layers. A hoofpick or flat-headed screwdriver run between the boards every now and then soon got out any 'residues' of hay, straw or poo and it stayed in great shape.

 

[dollyanna]

We've just redone mine with a double layer of keruing. I decided to stick to wood because I can more easily check and monitor the state of it, and the previous floor lasted 20+yrs, so this one should outlive my use of the trailer easily. I believe it gives a better ride to the ponies as well. We just ordered it from the local woodyard, one didn't stock it but the other had most in stock already. Nice stuff to work with too!

 

[spacefaer]

We replaced an original Rice floor with longitudinal softwood planks (like scaffolding planks) running front to back. Then laid keruin planks laterally on top.

We put rubber matting on top which gets lifted regularly.

If you put aluminium directly on the steel frame, you will get a reaction between the two metals which will result in the breakdown of the edges of the metal planks - so no safer than wood!

 

[Mike007]

Your local sawmill is having a Giraffe !!!!!!!. Thats about 56£ per cubic ft .It should be about £24 .Trust me ,I sell the stuff in Surrey. Green oak is great because apart from lasting ,it leaves gaps for drainage and drying. I did my horsebox floor with it 10 years ago ,it is still like Iron. Each year I drill a little test hole or two to see if there is rot at the bum end of the box. I also dont trust ply. Incidentaly the weight of green oak is similar to the weight of a Keuring floor which was probably the original floor.Its not that heavy.

 

[pennyturner]

Thanks everyone. I checked out kering... my local trailer builder priced it at about £600!
Scaffold planks are super-cheap, but I thought softwood wouldn't stand up to exterior conditions, road spray etc.

Interesting comment from Mike007 - the quote is for a double layer, so seemed reasonable to me. If you know any cheaper suppliers in the surrey / hants area, please pm me.

 

[turnbuckle]

Get the keruing from a timber merchant, you may need to Google, not all local ones stock it. There's a reason it was used rather than oak. But £600 is a MAD price, utterly infuriating when tradesmen think horses=££££££.

Buffalo board will do perfectly well and give a weight saving, but edges must be sealed, pref with epxoy varnish.

Try a commercial vehicle body builder? Where are you?

 

[Alibear]

Another who has a hardwood planks as a replacement rice floor. Been in 10 years and still in great condition, although the trailer hasn't had a lot of use. Just had the trailer roof mended and they think the floor will outlast the box.

 

[Notimetoride]

I have a 20 year old (ish) Rice Europa. We had the floor replaced last year as the existing marine ply rotted (rather quickly!!). So we now have buffalo board. It seems fairly indestructible to me. Its only single skin and we religiously wash out the trailer when pony has peed. (forgot to mention we have rubber matting on top)

 

[kevd]

I think 28mm x145mm keruing is about £2 per foot but would have to check.
Prices really verary.

 

[dollyanna]

I certainly didn't pay £600 for my keruing!! The original plan was to just do a single layer of that and a layer of cheaper softwood that was more disposable (to keep cost and weight down a little) but it wasn't nearly as much as expected so splashed out and did the lot in keruing. Maybe £250 max I think? Pretty sure it was less. Can't think of thickness offhand but can find out. I suggest ringing round the woodyards rather than trailer builders. I remember it being pretty comparable to any other option that I was happy with (decent buffalo board isn't cheap, and couldn't get a piece big enough to do without a join which I wasn't comfortable with having down the length of the trailer - damp guaranteed to get in however well you seal it, and I'd rather know my wood was damp than have it hiding away getting rotten under a layer of phenol).