I have a question, last year i replaced the bunks on my trailer with green treated lumber and then used cabelas carpet to cover the wood. Now someone told me that the chemicals in the wood will react somehow to the aluminum in the hull. Is there any truth to that and what will happen?

Do a search on: treated wood aluminum

You should find plenty of posts speaking about your question.

yea its true

dont do it

Depends on what type of treatment. In Mn they restricted the use and sale of CCA treated lumber 5 years ago and replaced it with ACQ treated wood. If the wood was labled AC2, ACQ or AC anything, it will corrode any aluminum it is in direct contact with.
If you used anything but stainless steel or double dipped hot galvanized steel bolts to attach the bunks to the trailer, the ACQ is eating through them.
The carpet may protect your hull, but with the carpet and boards being wet often I would worry about the chemicals leaching through the carpet and attacking the aluminum. John Mennard is a major investor in the company that developed the ACQ treatment, so if you bought it at one of his stores in any state it is probably ACQ.

Your best bet is to use Douglas Fir 2x's, DF will last several times longer than pine or softer wood. I would not use treated wood, most of it will warp badlly. Buy from a some lumber yard that carries this kind of wood.

You can also use cedar. I did mine last year and used cedar 2x6's, some marine varnish, black marine carpet, stainless staples, carpet glue, & stainless lag bolts. So far so good, but we'll see in about 2 years how they are holding up!

SLE,
I 2nd the comment on the use of Cedar.
When my bunks went out many years ago, I replaced them with Cedar - no issues.

I also added walking board from cedar - also no issues in many years of use.

Take care
REW

I know this is an old thread. Sorry to raise a dead horse but, I've been trying to reason with the issue of wood with carpet, or thermoplastic, like Ultimate bunk boards.

I'm the one that had the case of osmosis blistering and I had bunk slides installed in an attempt to stop future blistering.

Ranger supplies 2"x6" wood on their trailers. At least on mine they did. The slides fit 2x6's that are 1-1/2"x 5-1/2". The shop that installed the slides, told me they would remove the carpet, rip the boards down to size, reinstall the carpet and install the slides. Well, he didn't do what he said. They ripped the board down to 5-1/2" wide removing one side of the carpet. Now I can't just remove the slides. I've got to start over.

Why do I want to remove the slides? They have damaged the gel coat pretty bad. Why, I have no idea. Could be the weight of a Reata. Could be abrasive matter in the water acting like sandpaper. I don't know. If it's abrasives in the water then thermoplastic may not be my best choice.

I've been looking around the internet for a good grade of thick carpet like what came on the trailer. That good stuff is expensive being equal to the cost of the ultimate bunks. The carpets most outlets sell appears to be very thin and might not hold up very long when considering after two years the ranger carpet is close to needing replacement.

I like the sound of using Cedar wood. Does anybody have any idea what one would pay for three lengths of 2"x 6" Cedar, 12' long? Do any of you know of a supplier that I can buy good carpet from, reasonably priced?

I'd appreciate any input from those of experience and wisdom. I would like to fix this problem once and for all, if there is such a solution.

Thanks,

If I remember right I had about $200ish into mine. These might be off a little but this should get you close:

(3) 12' Cedar 2x6s - $60 (I think they're about $20 a piece) I have 2 6ftrs and 2 12ftrs on my trailer
(1) Quart Rustolium Marine Spar Varnish - $15
(2) Rolls Black Bunk Carpet From Local marin Shop $50
(1) Tub of indoor/outdoor Carpet Glue - $15
(1) Pack of 1/2" Stainless Steel Stables (Craftsman)- $10
(1) Pack of 1.5" Stainless Lag Bolts, flat washers, & lock washers - $80

I think I could have gotten by slightly cheaper but there was only one place in town that I could find the stainless lag bolts and I had to buy about 3 times as many as I needed since that was the smallest bag they had! I researched this subject quite a bit and this was what I came up with for materials. As far as construc tion: I cut the 2x6s to length, gave them a couple of good thick coats of varnish, slathered them up with the glue, laid the carpet, stapled the crap out of the back side (don't staple the side that you boat will slide on), and then bolted them to the trailer.

I highly reccomend using stainless hardware! Zinc coated or steel bolts will start rusting the day you launch you boat and will be complete garbage after a year or so. The ones that came out of mine, I couldn't even tell they were threaded because they had so much rust! Same thing with the staples. Also I had a heck of time with the staples in my staple gun, might have been my gun but these were the only ones I've ever had a problem with. For every 10 I put in I wasted 20 becuase the stack kept falling apart in my gun and jaming it up.

lastly, after installing them check the lag bolts every once and a while. I notice a couple of mine loosened up a little over time.

Good luck

I know this is an old thread. Sorry to raise a dead horse but, I've been trying to reason with the issue of wood with carpet, or thermoplastic, like Ultimate bunk boards.

I'm the one that had the case of osmosis blistering and I had bunk slides installed in an attempt to stop future blistering.

Ranger supplies 2"x6" wood on their trailers. At least on mine they did. The slides fit 2x6's that are 1-1/2"x 5-1/2". The shop that installed the slides, told me they would remove the carpet, rip the boards down to size, reinstall the carpet and install the slides. Well, he didn't do what he said. They ripped the board down to 5-1/2" wide removing one side of the carpet. Now I can't just remove the slides. I've got to start over.

Why do I want to remove the slides? They have damaged the gel coat pretty bad. Why, I have no idea. Could be the weight of a Reata. Could be abrasive matter in the water acting like sandpaper. I don't know. If it's abrasives in the water then thermoplastic may not be my best choice.

I've been looking around the internet for a good grade of thick carpet like what came on the trailer. That good stuff is expensive being equal to the cost of the ultimate bunks. The carpets most outlets sell appears to be very thin and might not hold up very long when considering after two years the ranger carpet is close to needing replacement.

I like the sound of using Cedar wood. Does anybody have any idea what one would pay for three lengths of 2"x 6" Cedar, 12' long? Do any of you know of a supplier that I can buy good carpet from, reasonably priced?

I'd appreciate any input from those of experience and wisdom. I would like to fix this problem once and for all, if there is such a solution.

Thanks,

I have an Eagle Trailer. The bunk carpet was worn on the 2 center bunks. I called them and bought enough to cover 2, 2"X6" bunks 12 ft long for $38 shipped. Its real nice carpet, the same as what was on it, I am real happy with it and it was less money then the stuff at West marine and its a lot nicer carpet.

The carpet was stapled (not glued thank goodness!!!) so i just ripped it off and stapled the new stuff on in the parling lot while the boat was at the ramp on a slow day at the ramp. The original staples were not stainless, but they were still in fine shape so i did not use stainless to replace them, because I could not find them at the stores I looked at.

I still have the packing slip in the garage, I can get the phone number for them if you want it or just search Eagle trailers online

I have a question, last year i replaced the bunks on my trailer with green treated lumber and then used cabelas carpet to cover the wood. Now someone told me that the chemicals in the wood will react somehow to the aluminum in the hull. Is there any truth to that and what will happen?

that lumber will eat aluminum and it does not have to be in direct contact with the aluminum, I know from experience. I had an aluminum boat and the manufacturer used that new treated lumber for the floor and it did eat a hole in my hull. The wood was not in contact with the hull, I guess the floor getting wet and the chemical dripped to the hull. I would take it off your trailer as soon as you can.

I glued mine due to the fact that the carpet won't tear just because you have one spot that may get a little worn. Also the carpet will wear less since it won't be rubbing/moving against the bunk. It does however make it more work to redo them.

I glued mine due to the fact that the carpet won't tear just because you have one spot that may get a little worn. Also the carpet will wear less since it won't be rubbing/moving against the bunk. It does however make it more work to redo them.

that makes sense

I stapled mine because that is how it was originally and i would hate to try to take the carpet off in the launch parking lot if i ever had to replace it again if it was glued down.