Bunks with plastic on top

[HRG]

I will be setting up a new trailer for a 12 foot jon boat. The trailer comes with two 6 foot bunks but I figure that I need two 8 foot bunks to have the bunks support the transom.

My plan is to use two pressure treated pine 2x4x8' as the bunks. Then cover the tops with plastic pads. No carpet.

Should I coat the bare 2x4x8' bunks with 2 coats of epoxy? Or just prime and paint? If paint, what kind of paint?

Need recommendation for the plastic pads to use.

Thanks.

 

[Drcoffee]

I would not paint or seal the wood. It will stop the wood from drying after being soaked. Just use pressure treated wood.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Do NOT use pressure treated as the chemicals to treat the lumber will corrode the aluminum

 

[Scott Danforth]

Recommendation for the plastic pads to use.

Thanks.

Google bunk slides

 

[Drcoffee]

Put a piece of bunk plastic between the wood and trailer bracket or frame. Otherwise the wood will not last long.

 

[HRG]

I would not paint or seal the wood. It will stop the wood from drying after being soaked. Just use pressure treated wood.

One vote for not painting or sealing the wood. Thanks!

 

[HRG]

Do NOT use pressure treated as the chemicals to treat the lumber will corrode the aluminum

No aluminum on the trailer and the boat is wood with the outside of the hull fiberglassed and painted. Trailer is made out of galvanized steel. Will use stainless steel bolts or lag screws as appropriate. Thanks!

 

[HRG]

Google bunk slides

Have been Googling. Hoping that folks who used plastic bunk pads will chime in with brand and model they used. Thanks.

 

[HRG]

Put a piece of bunk plastic between the wood and trailer bracket or frame. Otherwise the wood will not last long.

Thank you for that valuable tip.

 

[HRG]

I will be setting up a new trailer for a 12 foot jon boat. The trailer comes with two 6 foot bunks but I figure that I need two 8 foot bunks to have the bunks support the transom.

My plan is to use two pressure treated pine 2x4x8' as the bunks. Then cover the tops with plastic pads. No carpet.

Should I coat the bare 2x4x8' bunks with 2 coats of epoxy? Or just prime and paint? If paint, what kind of paint?

Need recommendation for the plastic pads to use.

Thanks.

Forgot to mention that trailer will be going into salt water.

 

[HRG]

I will be setting up a new trailer for a 12 foot jon boat. The trailer comes with two 6 foot bunks but I figure that I need two 8 foot bunks to have the bunks support the transom.

My plan is to use two pressure treated pine 2x4x8' as the bunks. Then cover the tops with plastic pads. No carpet.

Should I coat the bare 2x4x8' bunks with 2 coats of epoxy? Or just prime and paint? If paint, what kind of paint?

Need recommendation for the plastic pads to use.

Thanks.

After more research, some customer reviews said the bunk sliders damaged the bottom of their boat. Guess that comes from "sliding" the boat on the plastic pads. Also guess the boat might have more tendency to want to slide off the bunks on turns.

So I decided to carpet the 2x4x8' bunks. Thinking of using this carpet on Amazon:
Attwood 11246-1 Trailer Bunk Padding, Weather-Resistant Polypropylene Marine Carpet Material, 8 Inches Wide, 12 Feet Long

Thanks.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Use cypress. Do NOT use treated lumber

 

[HRG]

Use cypress. Do NOT use treated lumber

Unfortunately, no cypress lumber in Hawaii at HomeDepot or Lowes per online search. I never saw cypress lumber at any Ace hardware store ever either.

 

[Drcoffee]

Great point. Who sells cypress wood?

 

[roscoe]

Home depot
Lowes
and 100's of real lumber suppliers.

 

[Drcoffee]

Home depot
Lowes
and 100's of real lumber suppliers.

Not here in the midwest. we have your cypress trees in mulch form but its a choice of either treated or cedar.

 

[jhande]

Never seen cypress here in New England either.
Only options for 2by lumber; Whitewood, Spruce, Douglas Fir (pine family) or Pressure Treated. Even or many lumber mills don't offer anything other than pine really.

As a side note:
Pressure Treated wood needs to dry out for at least a year before applying any finish.

 

[airshot]

When you cover the bunks leave the bottom side open to allow the water to get out. When I did mine, I just used regular ole pine 2x4 and they are over 5 yrs old and still going strong !!

 

[HRG]

When you cover the bunks leave the bottom side open to allow the water to get out. When I did mine, I just used regular ole pine 2x4 and they are over 5 yrs old and still going strong !!

Are the pine 2x4's bare or painted? How long are the staples you used to secure the carpet to the sides of the 2x4's? How far apart?
Fresh or salt water?

Thanks for helping me not reinvent the wheel.

 

[airshot]

Fresh water only in my area, no paint just carpet on 3 sides, keep bottom open to allow water to drain out ( no carpet)...just plain ole 2x4's are cheap, not a big deal to change them every 7-8 years, mabey longer if they can dry out between uses. When I built my house, I used non treated lumber for the deck floor joists, the county inspector had a fit, was not goung to approve my deck unless I used treated lumber....bank said it was my house didnt need the inspector approval, so I let it go, recieved numerous letters stating my deck wouldnt last ten years....it has now been 23 years and going strong with non treated lumber !!! However all my landscaping timbers that were treated lumber have rotted out and replaced years ago.... Treated is not always a plus !!!