Utility trailer rebuild?

[Jason Fry]

Have a small utility trailer that needs rebuilding after all the wood rotted off. I have it stripped down to the frame. It has coil springs and shocks.

Talk me through pros and cons of wood vs. expanded metal. I’m tempted to haul the welder out there with a chop saw and some angle iron. Or I could go back with lumber. It had 2 x 4 frame on top of the metal, with plywood on top of that.


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[brushtrooper]

Wood-
its already set up for wood
Easy to install
never have to paint the wood

Expanded metal-
You are going to have to add more crossmembers to help support the expanded metal
Expanded metal will rust out-its hard to paint expanded metal you have to cover it on all 4 sides to slow the rust down.
It is a PITA to weld

[Burnadell]

^^^ this! Put expanded metal around the sides with 24" sides.

[Jason Fry]

^^^ this! Put expanded metal around the sides with 24" sides.

The previous arrangement was cattle panels on a wood frame 5” high to hold goats. It was simultaneously janky and ingenious, but was all rotted away.


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[trad"Doc"53]

I recently reflected my 5x10 with c perlin. 142.24easier to work with than wood and won't rot.

[kmitchl]

My 5 X 10 as the original treated wood deck I put on it when I built it 40 years ago. I prefer wood decks over steel. Stuff will always slide around on steel but not so muc on wood.

[S-3 Ranch]

Expanded metal is made of cheap alloys, designed to self consume its self , IMO no amount of primer and paint will make the metal last longer ( maybe sprayed rubber coating)
As said above wood is the standard for trailer flooring, and will be weight bearing
Wood is easier to work with and if walmanized / pressure treated and minimally maintained
Should last way longer