Is there a lightweight alternative to 3/4" ply?

[James1979]

I just bought a sheet of 10x5 18mm marine ply for the bottom of one of mine - it hurt the cost - but did not want to make any cuts - one whole sheet...

Cheaper in the long run. It’s the edges and joins where they all go first.

 

[Bullet2012]

Use 3/4 ply and cut big holes in it. That will make it lighter and emit more light to the interior.

 

[brightspark]

Cheaper in the long run. It’s the edges and joins where they all go first.

sealed all the edges of my plywood before fitting then caulked the lot with silicone when finished had to drill 2 drainholes at the back or it can fill with water

 

[bricol]

1/2" Ply?

that was going to be my line

I built my Locust from 1/2" ply to make a good saving on building it from the suggested 3/4"

 

[winchman]

We have a local who sells off cuts and occasionally full sheets of Phenolic resin impregnated ply, as used on lorry floors, its fantastic stuff, not cheap but worth the extra

 

[Pete.]

Buffalo board?

Damn slippery. I nearly did the splits yesterday walking down a makeshift ramp outside. They put some kind of yellow firbeglass sheet with a grippy texture on it usually but they had run out. More grippy sheet due in today.

 

[cardiffrob]

Know anyone scrapping a Boeing 737? The flooring is proper honeycomb phenolic board. Light as a feather and very resistant to damage. I get it in sheets of about 1m x 2.5m for free since they have to pay to tip it.

 

[Bobupndown]

I use 19 mm pressure treated fence boards for the sides and floor of my trailer. Pretty sturdy and hard wearing. 1st lot lasted 15 years , replaced with the same again a few years back.

 

[JMS1972]

If you want something that doesn't rot the Recycled plastic board is reassuringly expensive... Not sure how durable it would be, but it's nice to work with - just use woodworking tools.

 

[James1979]

If you want something that doesn't rot the Recycled plastic board is reassuringly expensive... Not sure how durable it would be, but it's nice to work with - just use woodworking tools.

I think that’s what Kim used for her gates. Seems tough enough but different applications I know.

we have just bought some cladding for the house in the same type of stuff. Easy to scratch. I may put an off cut as dunnage if I remember and see how it gets on for future trailer repairs.

All the low loaders use oak I believe. Must be something in that. A lot of multicat decks are oak. They have ISOs on them in heavy seas with no restraint and they don’t move.

 

[Munkul]

If it's good enough for cows, it's good enough for most things

Livestock Board Prices | All Boards in Stock

Livesock Boarding Prices 3mm, 6mm, 9mm,12mm and 18mm Recycled Plastic Sheets from £22.47 per sheet no minimum order

www.solwayrecycling.co.uk

Expensive though, and not lightweight, unless you keep it thin!

 

[gaz1]

unknown on its weight

Single panels of 25mm Thick GRP Grating | single panel of Fibreglass grating

Single panels of GRP 25mm thick floor grating. Available in three different grating panel sizes and three choices of colours. Fibreglass grating with non slip surfacek or 1 inch fibreglass grating is available in different grating panel sizes and colours.

www.gratingdirect.co.uk

 

[James1979]

unknown on its weight

Single panels of 25mm Thick GRP Grating | single panel of Fibreglass grating

Single panels of GRP 25mm thick floor grating. Available in three different grating panel sizes and three choices of colours. Fibreglass grating with non slip surfacek or 1 inch fibreglass grating is available in different grating panel sizes and colours.

www.gratingdirect.co.uk

Have used that on various ship sand things to make steps etc. Its heavier than you'd think. Its weird the website doesnt quote a weight..... If I was buying it for marine use that's one thing I would want to know.

 

[clift_d]

Vorhinger board is a specialist lightweight plywood which gets used a lot for Campervans and Motorhomes. It is expensive so that might be a deal breaker, and while I know it comes in 15mm, I'm not sure that 18mm is available, but it is apparently significantly lighter than equivalent boards.

 

[hotponyshoes]

go find the local coach works , and see if they will sell you the side out of a lorry , often they replace a full side after an accident , leaving a fair bit of good stuff that can be bought worth the money.

I have got a couple of horse trailers that need to have panels replaced in the next month or so.
They are grp coated plywood. 14mm thick,
About 9/10kg/m2
They have both rotted but there might be some good bits coming out that are big enough for a small trailer if anybody wants them and can collect from Frome.
Or there might be some unused new bits left over or I can add new to the order if necessary

 

[Turbo]

6mm aluminium tread plate is both light & strong but be sitting down when you price it - £450 for an 8x4 sheet!

A cheaper solution is to lay 6x1" decking boards with a 2" gap between then & then you can get away with using 3mm tread plate over them.

 

[4String.]

I know you put dunnage under loads anyway but more important on a steel deck

10 out of 10 for correct terminology .

Not much winds me up but lorry timbers being referred to as "woods" comes close, and as for the weirdos in the North East who call them "kickers"

 

[James1979]

6mm aluminium tread plate is both light & strong but be sitting down when you price it - £450 for an 8x4 sheet!

A cheaper solution is to lay 6x1" decking boards with a 2" gap between then & then you can get away with using 3mm tread plate over them.

I did a trailer with tread plate years ago. First one I built. Shovelling sand etc out of the bottom was a pain in the ****. I think if I had to use it again I’d put it upside down

 

[skotl]

Aluminium planking

My 2nd hand trailer came with an aluminium board laid on top of the wood. Only thing is that I think it's hiding all the evils as it's not bonded so I suspect that water lies between it and the frame / underneaths