Herculiner on sorta old wood trailer bottom: best prep?

[burlesot]

All,

I am preparing to undercoat my 1947 teardrop trailer. Fortunately or unfortunately, the previous owner/seller pit pressure treated lumber as the flooring. The good news is that it is new(ish). The bad news is that they did not do any kind of undercoating. So, before I go any farther on my restoration, I need to undercoat it. I looked into Line-X; a bit too expensive for my budget. I'm looking into three products and would like your advice about which is best for my 'specific' situation. Thankfully, the frame looks pretty good; very little rust. The wood itself is in good shape, a bit dirty, but not that bad at all.

So, here are my three choices that I 'know' of.

1. Roof Tar

2. Herculiner, or similar

3. Spray on (aerosol) rubberized material

Which of these would be best and require the least 'prep' work? I have jack stands and will use those to lift the trailer up and enable me to be under it.

Thanks so much for the advice.

Todd

[GuitarPhotog]

My 1948 teardrop has no undercoating on the 3/4" plywood floor.

It has survived 65 years without rotting.

Is undercoating really necessary?

<Chas>

[burlesot]

Guitarphotog,

My floor is pressure treated 3/4" ply. You think I should leave it as is?

T

[burlesot]

Really could use the collective wisdom of the board here.

I'm looking for the best material and application for a very mildly rusted frame; seriously hardly any, and an old, but mostly clean wood bottom.

Thanks
Todd

[burlesot]

Right now I'm leaning toward the Herculiner, because it is easy to get, can be applied with a brush and I should have more than enough to do the job.

I'd really appreciate the wisdom of those who have tried it.

Todd

[wagondude]

I would think the roofing tar would be the best bang for the buck. The Hurculiner would work as well. I don't envy you having to put it on the bottom of an alreadt built trailer, though. Whatever you do is bound to be messy, so dress out in a tyvek suit. The bottom of the trailer is likely to only see minimal spray, so you might be just as well to leave it alone.

[egads1]

Just paint it with motor oil. It will last forever. That is what my grandfather did for his wooden truck bed and the bed was still good 60 years later.

[GuitarPhotog]

Just paint it with motor oil. It will last forever. That is what my grandfather did for his wooden truck bed and the bed was still good 60 years later.

I'm not sure I'd like to spend my nights sleeping on the other side of a piece of plywood painted with motor oil.

<Chas>

[burlesot]

I've bought several different cans of spray on 'rubberized' paint. I'm going to give each of them a try. I plan to use them in the wheel wells and against any exposed wood. Based on how that goes, I may buy more, or give roof tar or Herculiner a try.

TB

[les45]

I put two coats of Henry's 107 over two coats of Zinsser oil based primer on untreated plywood deck bottom. That seems to be holding up well after nearly one year.
(used the primer because of the warning on Henry's that it may not work well directly on untreated plywood; I've had no damage or delamination with this system)

[CarlLaFong]

I find this rather amusing.
For a website where every other post has to do with weather proofing and where there are long, drawn out debates on the various methods and materials to use, ei: epoxy, fiberglass, glue and canvas, roofing goo, bedliner, rubberized sprays, housepaint, auto paint, ad infinitum, that anyone would recommend no coating or just soak it real good with motor oil.

[GuitarPhotog]

I find this rather amusing.
For a website where every other post has to do with weather proofing and where there are long, drawn out debates on the various methods and materials to use, ei: epoxy, fiberglass, glue and canvas, roofing goo, bedliner, rubberized sprays, housepaint, auto paint, ad infinitum, that anyone would recommend no coating or just soak it real good with motor oil.

I'm not recommending anything. I'm just saying that my 65 year old trailer has survived 65 years of use with no coating on the bottom of the plywood.

It came that way, from the factory. I'm not going to change it. I'm not telling anyone else what to do with their trailer, just relating my experience with my 65 year old trailer.

<Chas>

[burlesot]

And I was honestly asking for advice. I have decided to use the spray on rubberized spray. It's darn near impossible to get my arm up into the wheel wells on this darn thing. I should have done it when I had the galley ripped out, but I didn't. So...I'll try this. Also, I am all about over-engineering something. I figure, it can't hurt. I hear you though Guitarphotog; my trailer is 66 years. Someone replaced the wood flooring with the pressure treated wood, so I'm just doing what I can to keep it for as long as possible.

Thanks for your advice.

TB