Wooden trailer floor?

[I don’t like mondays]

Would you buy a trailer with a wooden floor if you carefully examined before purchase and the seller said it had been recently done (2yrs ago). I now have a smaller trailer budget (due to needing to buy a pony for daughter no.2). Found an older (1990s I think) trailer that’s been really well looked after (and lots replaced 2 yes back) but the floor is wooden. My last box was a Fautras so I’m used to their rot proof plastic composit lol. I’m worried it could rot through while we’re driving one day (but would have annual services). Thanks ?

 

[paddi22]

no, I wouldn't. we had one years ago that we maintained to an excellent standard, it was stored out of rain in a shed. floor still broke up while travelling a horse. I would never get a wooden floored one again.

 

[I don’t like mondays]

no, I wouldn't. we had one years ago that we maintained to an excellent standard, it was stored out of rain in a shed. floor still broke up while travelling a horse. I would never get a wooden floored one again.

Thanks Paddi, gosh that’s awful. Ok that story is enough to stop me getting a wooden floored box

 

[CanteringCarrot]

I personally wouldn't, but the trailer that I typically use for my horse (basically permanent loan from a friend) has a wooden floor. Last year I noticed some spots that didn't feel right so it was redone last summer. The cost wasn't totally crazy, but I would've just used it toward a new trailer if I were buying. Many still use them with no issue, but since there are other options available now, I'd choose something else.

 

[Tiddlypom]

We replaced the keruing floor on my old Rice eventer trailer. OH did it to specification with all the pre cut materials supplied direct from Rice, so it was a like for like replacement of the original.

I later sold the Eventer to a friend. Without warning one day the floor gave way as she was loading a horse. The floor was only about 5 years old by then, and still apparently immaculate with no signs of rot.

So it's a no to wooden floors from me, too.

ETA If you can get the trailer for a good price and then replace the wooden floor with an aluminium one, then that's worth considering. Is it an Ifor? They changed to aluminium a number of years ago as horses kept falling through the original wooden floors. Replacement aluminium floors are, I think, still available for even the older Ifors.

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

Would you buy a trailer with a wooden floor if you carefully examined before purchase and the seller said it had been recently done (2yrs ago). I now have a smaller trailer budget (due to needing to buy a pony for daughter no.2). Found an older (1990s I think) trailer that’s been really well looked after (and lots replaced 2 yes back) but the floor is wooden. My last box was a Fautras so I’m used to their rot proof plastic composit lol. I’m worried it could rot through while we’re driving one day (but would have annual services). Thanks ?

Personally if the trailer was everything I wanted and no other would do, yes I would and then put a new floor in.

 

[scruffyponies]

Yes, but I'd give it a very good looking over. Contrary to the horror stories, most wooden floored trailers give good service for years. My first one which we estimated to have been built just after the war which was on it's original single-layer oak floor. The wheel studs gave out before the floor did. Stored outside in all weathers, but it did have drain holes drilled in the planking, which I think made a difference.

For anyone reading this with the same problem, my genius blacksmith fixed the wheelstuds unobtainable size, since so old) by drilling new holes in the drums 45degrees off from the originals, and fitting modern standard land-rover ones.
It's probably still going!

Watch out for plywood DIY floors. They're cheap to do, and if properly sealed can be OK, but unsealed and covered by rubber mats they rot very quickly.

 

[I don’t like mondays]

Thanks everyone. It’s a bit smaller than I wanted anyway and not hugely cheaper than an ifor. I think I’ll wait and save a bit more

 

[Leandy]

I wouldn't rely on my own examination of the floor, certainly not, I have no idea what I'm looking for and it is not just what the floor itself looks and feels like but also the adequacy of the supports it is sitting on. I wouldn't be adverse to a wooden floor properly inspected and confirmed sound by an expert professional who knows what they are doing though. I wouldn't believe anything a seller said unless they could produce the dated receipts for it or were someone I know personally.