Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Trailer Deck Treatment?

The wood deck on my 6x10 utility trailer is dried and bleached out. I figure now is the time to treat it with something.

What do you use?

Oil from cars trucks I’ve changed, slop on with a mop

used fryer oil.works great Cheap, and makes you crave some fries

I “renewed” the boards on the 14’ trailer i haul my ranger on a few years back.

I pressure washer the boards.

Then sprayed with diesel until in was wet on the surface. ( in the hot sun)

Took a couple gallons.

Always used used motor oil. Once used oil mixed with diesel.

When treated with oil/diesel etc. I’m wondering if there’s enough residue left on surface to contaminate mulch, compost and such. Anybody had any problems. Mine needs it bad and lawn & garden stuff is mostly what I use it for.

The former owner of my utility trailer installed those fake decking boards that never rot. So far it's held up well.

Having owned several lowboy trailers (they really catch hell from steel grousers) over the years, and frequently re-decked them, with everything from common Doug Fir, oak, high dollar Philippine Apitong...I'd say nothing works noticeably better than the next species or preservative. I had RB Browns in Medford Orygun replace a deck with just fir, they sprayed it with used vegetable oil..it lasted as well as any and was cheap. They claim petroleum base oils accelerate and host bacteria that eats the oil AND the wood. I do know that soaking fence posts in motor oil shortens the life of the post compared with untreated posts in the same soil. Nobody wants to deal with creosote, even where it's legal.

Those plastic deck "boards" made of recycled soda bottles are tough as woodpecker lips, and never rot. The next time my 16 footer needs bed wood, that's what I'm planning to use.

That’s one of the stupidest ideas I’ve read on here. They’re not even recommended to be used on a fucgkin deck unless the joists are on 16” centers or less.

Have you measured the steel crossmembers on my trailer? Jackazz molehill strikes again- - - -what a pathetic loser! Ask one of your wetback tax cheats for advice.

I resurfaced my 700 sf of deck with trex but wouldn't consider it for trailer boards. It would fail quickly.

White Oak or locust.
Let it dry for a few months, soak it with used motor oil (preferably diesel) cut with
kerosene or diesel. Soak it again, and again. Until it doesn't want anymore.


It'll last years outside without any more care.

Never seen a trailer with composite deck boards ever.
There’s a reason for that you stupid Fugk
Two of mine are 14,000lb and one is 20,000lb and all have 2”x6” oak boards. If you have cross members at 16”oc post a pic.