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Jeffry Skidmore

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I need to replace the wood and carpet on the inside of the fenders of my trailer. Also, probably the bunks next spring. My question is, what kind of wood? A certain type of plywood for the fenders? Pressure treated for the bunks? Indoor/outdoor carpet or indoor carpet? Should I paint or stain the wood before installing carpet? If yes, use latex or oil based paint, stain, or a product like a deck sealer(Thompson's, etc.)? Thanks ahead for reading and responding.:D
 
I'll let others chime in but I do know you do not want pressure treated anywhere near a tin rig!! It'll eat it like acid.



TOXIC
 
Good point Toxic. I was pondering that, with something bothering me about pressure treated. Then I remembered the last time I used pressure treated lumber and the warning I read on a label and heard from a store employee about using the right fasteners in it due to the chemicals. Not only might it react with a tin rig - it might also react with the metal trailer brackets and whatever fasteners you use to secure it. Pressure treated is more for keeping out termites and fungus, not waterproofing. I still had to put a stain / sealer on the pressure treated I used on my deck.



I'm a huge "do it yourself" kind of guy, but I also take into account that it may be more time consuming and expensive than buying replacements, and I take that into account. That being said, many manufacturers offer "treated" bunk boards, already assembled. Treated with what, I don't know. They don't say pressure treated, just treated. Looking at the price, taking into account that they already have the proper carpet on them, glued and stapled in place, etc... You might want to just buy them. Tie Down sells 3, 4, and 5 foot models, and I've found them as cheap as $21, $29, and $34 for pairs of each size. Check this link to see what I'm talking about:



http://www.wholesalemarine.com/p/T-D-86127/Replacement+Boat+Trailer+Bunk+Boards.html



I haven't replaced my own bunks, but I have done the fenderwells on a previous boat. I bought regular plywood of the same thickness as the originals. I used an outdoor paint on it, and put on several coats - ensuring I got the edges really good. When it was nice and sealed, I covered it with black indoor / outdoor carpeting I got from Lowes that matched the original. It's not the outdoor plastic feeling stuff - it feels like really short haired indoor carpet. I used the outdoor carpet glue they recommended - really strong stuff.



All the best,

Glenn
 
Thanks Guys!



The fender boards are my first project; the bunks I'll probably do next spring as the water level is at drawdown level and not enough to float the boat while I change them out. Glenn, thanks for the lnik; I'll check into that aspect, and probably go that route when I do 'em. I'm thinking I'll spring for stainlees hardware just because I hate rust. The next guy will probably think I'm stupid until he has to redo them the next time around.
 
Exactly what Glenn said... my fenders were "shot" and that is what I did three years ago. I painted and painted the plywood edges untill they were completely sealed by paint... Used some left over Benjamin Moore oil based exterior paint... Then used "krylon" flat black over that... Then some autobody wheel well sealer paint over that. Finally "gooped" up the boat side and covered with carpet. They still look nice.
 
Get the Monel staples, expensive but resists corrosion better than stainless. On my glass boat I used pressure treated and no problems. I glued the top of the carpet in addition to using the staples on the underside, did mine this spring and lookin' good. It is getting hard to find good glue but I found some in a caulk tube at Ace.
 
Just did the bunks on a buddy's boat this weekend (Nitro 18'). Went to Bass Pro in Richmond for the bunk carpet (three rolls of 12" x 12' strips), Monel stainless staples, stainless lag screws and pressure treated 2x4's for the bunks. Banged out the new boards cut to size, carpeted, stapled and mounted in about two hours (two of us working).



We went with pressure treated because his original bunk boards had rotted out at the screws. Two and floated off the trailer when we launched. Another broke in half when we tested it. Pressure treated ought to resist rot longer than the non-treated stuff. We didn't plan on it, but it ended up being a good weekend to do it.

 
Use HDPE (high density polyethelyne) on the fender bunks if you are going to replace them. Contact mark Miller @ PolyFab Plasitcs in MO for more info :)
 
Thanks Mini, for the tip! I spoke to mark miller on the phone just now, and my project jst got turned in the other direction! :D
 
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