Type of Lumber for Bunks ???

[Brad]

What type of lumber do you recommond for adding or replacing bunks, treated (aka. wolmanized (spelling ???) or good old kiln Dried ???

[Husky]

Brad,

Wolmanized lumber (treated southern yellow pine) is a very soft wood, does nnot support the boat as well as other species, and also does not last as long as it does out in your backyard. So the advantage to Wolmanized, as I see it, is nill.
Right now, the best wood to use would be western red cedar. It is a rather oily wood and has natural insect and decay resistance, yet has much more stiffness for support than pressure treated pine.
Hopefully in the near future, we will see the use of bunks made of composite materials (plastic and wood fiber) like those beginning to be used in the decking market. Right now the deck boards of these materials bend like nooodles, and would offer not support other than at the points where the brackets attach to the trailer frame.
I hope this helps

[mbrandt]

I have used wolmanized 2x6's for years when I converted my roller trailer to a bunk. Supports the boat great. Never rotted, split or cracked. Don't see the problem with it.

Mark

[Husky]

I never realized how much wolmanized lumber flexes and bends until I replaced a set of bunks with it. Later I did the same job with cedar and relized I was gaining more support for the hull.
Try flexing two eight footers, one cedar and one wolmanized, next time you are at a lumber yard. It is suprising.
As far as rotting, more than a few paople I know have found their wolmanized bunks to get soft and offer less support rather early on in their age. I do not know of anyone who has let them go long enough to rot out.
Check and see what type of material the better trailer manufacturers are using, like Eagle.

[Jose]

Gettig ready to change my bunks also...any other +/-'s I should expect with Cedar?

Jose

[Husky]

Not really anything else.

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