Exterior Red Oak Finish

[Doug Walls]

I'm working on a flat-bed utility trailer (Winter Project) & I'm trying to decide on what type of wood to use for the floor! I got a good deal on some rough sawn live edge 6/4 Red Oak & was wondering if I could use it for the trailer floor?

Would have preferred White Oak since it's a better outdoor (decay resistant) wood, But for the price I couldn't turn the Red Oak down. Can the Red Oak be sealed (waterproofed) to last better in an outdoor environment?

Doug

[scott vroom]

I'm working on a flat-bed utility trailer (Winter Project) & I'm trying to decide on what type of wood to use for the floor! I got a good deal on some rough sawn live edge 6/4 Red Oak & was wondering if I could use it for the trailer floor?

Would have preferred White Oak since it's a better outdoor (decay resistant) wood, But for the price I couldn't turn the Red Oak down. Can the Red Oak be sealed (waterproofed) to last better in an outdoor environment?

Doug

Water will get into the porous end grain and rot the red oak fast. But if you got the wood cheap and have no other use for it and don't mind replacing in in a couple of years go ahead and use it.

White oak end grain is much less porous and a better choice.

[Jim Becker]

What Scott said...and there really isn't any kind of finish you can apply to prolong the life of the red oak. It's structure is somewhat like a bundle of soda straws. Nature of the beast.

[Jason Roehl]

Prime all edges, faces and ends of it with an exterior, acrylic, solid-color stain, then paint it all with a good acrylic porch/floor enamel. Give any end grain extra attention (pre-finish it, then do any touch-up after installation). If you drill any holes in it, saturate inside the hole with the stain before inserting the fastener.

[Doug Walls]

Water will get into the porous end grain and rot the red oak fast.

Yeah I knew about the end grain being porous & I planned to seal it & the bottom of the boards with something like West System's epoxy. For the top I was thinking about something like Penofin penetrating oil finish.

But if you got the wood cheap and have no other use for it.

No other plans at the moment, But a Roubo style work bench would be nice!

White oak end grain is much less porous and a better choice.

It will be a little while until I'm ready to install the floor, So maybe I'll come across some White Oak by then.

Doug

[Doug Walls]

there really isn't any kind of finish you can apply to prolong the life of the red oak. It's structure is somewhat like a bundle of soda straws.

Even if the end grain was sealed up?

Doug

[Doug Walls]

Prime all edges, faces and ends of it with an exterior, acrylic, solid-color stain, then paint it all with a good acrylic porch/floor enamel.

It's primarily going to be used to move woodworking machinery & equipment, So a painted finish would just get scratched up quickly. I was thinking more of something like a linseed oil or a tung oil finish, That could be touched up easily.

Doug

[Jason Roehl]

In that case, I would skip the porch/floor enamel, and just stick to the solid-color stain. Two thin coats is all you need, and it's easily touched up. Those other finishes you mentioned won't do squat for exterior protection, and would allow that red oak to rot fast, especially if the trailer spends much time outside.

I wouldn't use the epoxy on the underside--that's where you really need a permeable finish, like a solid color stain--it will allow any moisture that penetrates the top (due to damage in the finish) to migrate through and out. Epoxy on the underside and edges would just help turn the boards into moisture traps, accelerating rot.

[scott vroom]

If you decide to use the red oak for your trailer bottom, then you should position the mechanical fasteners as far from the board ends as possible since the rot will most likely begin in the ends and spread inward from there.

[Lee Schierer]

Yeah I knew about the end grain being porous & I planned to seal it & the bottom of the boards with something like West System's epoxy. For the top I was thinking about something like Penofin penetrating oil finish.

Even trying to seal the ends and backs with epoxy still leaves the top surface pores open. You may get 3-4 years from Red Oak, but you'll get many more with White Oak. There should be some mills in Southeast Michigan that carry White Oak. Try using Wood Finder

[Doug Walls]

You may get 3-4 years from Red Oak

Well if that's all I'll get, Then I would probably be just as well off getting 2" X 8" pressure treated lumber from the local big box store!

The red oak would make a nice work bench.

There should be some mills in Southeast Michigan that carry White Oak.

Yeah there's a few with-in a couple hours drive from me, But most of them have quarter sawn white oak which is not needed for a trailer floor & out of my price range.

Doug

[Dan Hahr]

There's nothing wrong with the PT pine. In the south that's all we use. If you want it to last a while, try and find some treated for below grade use or dock/sea-wall construction. Unless its junk, the oak is worth twice what the PT will cost.

Dan

[Matt Meiser]

Contact Steve at Hickory and Oak. He won't have his whole inventory online.


http://www.hickoryandoak.com/

[Fred Belknap]

IMHO pressure treated would be the practical way to go. Have a utility trailer that the floor rotted out in two years, I replaced it with PT several years ago and it is still good.

[Doug Walls]

There's nothing wrong with the PT pine. In the south that's all we use.

IMHO pressure treated would be the practical way to go.

Yeah I think that's the way I'm going to go!

Unless its junk, the oak is worth twice what the PT will cost.

Actually it's too good for a trailer floor IMO! Got it in 13'~15' lengths, Mostly 6/4 but had a few 4/4 pieces that I was going to use for the sides.

Decided the red oak would make a better Roubo style bench than a trailer floor, Cut it up into 7' ~ 8' pieces & stacked it until Spring.


Red Oak 1.jpgIMG_0829.jpg

Doug