Pressure treated bunk boards

[Livebait]

OK my toon lives on a trailer and it is loaded and unloaded a lot. Last Spring I noticed the carpet was getting pretty worn so I decided to replace the carpet and the bunk boards. I go to the local Lowe’s and get four 2 X 6 X 16 pressure treated boards for the job. A local Carpet distributor had a good deal on carpet so I covered the new boards and installed them on the trailer. That should have been the end of the story but then I started hearing some roomers about this new Pressure Treated Lumber causing pitting when in contact with Aluminum. From the information I can gather it would appear I need to replace the pressure treated stuff; I have no idea if it is the new stuff or old. So change or not to change that is the question?

[lakerunner]

The carpet is a barrier to prevent contact. If you glued the carpet it is another barrier.

No need to do anything.

[Stevestormey]

I did the same thing as you. Haven't had any problems.

[Livebait]

Thanks a lot guys I did apply glue and used the SS staples it is not the first time I have carpeted trailer bunks. So at the first signs of the carpet warring through I will replace the bunks. I am thinking I will use untreated lumber with a couple coats of polyurethane then glue and SS staples. The carpet usually wears through before the lumber fails anyway and if it is glued down it is quicker to start with new wood. Thanks again.

[Stevestormey]

Intesting that you say your carpet wears out faster than the wood. Mine was the other way around. My trailer came with non treated wood and after four years, the wood rotted around the bolt holes and a bunk would pop off when I was loading the toon. The carpet was still OK. Of the eight bunks, I've replaced 5 so far. The other 3 are still originals and are hanging in there. Although, I'm starting to wonder if my style of loading has an effect on the rate of bunk wear. I kinda think the way I line up and hit the bunks may be harder on some more than others.

[Livebait]

Steve, That is interesting I have owned pontoon boats for around 28 years(even before pontoons were cool) and the carpet was always the first to go for me. Maybe it is the way I load also. I have owned from 24 foot down to the current 17 foot one and in about four years from purchase the carpet was ready for replacement on all of them. Following my normal pattern in about a year after the bunk replacement I buy another one and the process starts all over again. I believe it is time to break from my normal routine and given my age I can still single hand the 17 footer and something in the 20 to 24 foot range would be more of a chore for me. It takes a year or so to get a boat just the way you want it and I don’t know if I want to do that again. I have never used untreated lumber for bunks before but using a couple of coats of polyurethane then the glue should hopefully give me four more years. At my age that is almost as good as a lifetime warranty

[Stevestormey]

Lifetime warranty....that's funny.

My carpet has wear to be sure, just not bad enough to replace. I have an extra board all made up, just haven't needed it yet. Who knows, I'll probably have two bunks pop off my first time out this year. Oh well, I can't wait to get on the water.

[jimrs]

I had read about the pressure treated lumber a few years ago and was wondering about my boat lift. I used 4ea 2X10's for the bunks on the lift. They had no carpet just raw treated lumber. I lowered them in the lake and let them soak then pulled them up and let them dry. Put the boat on them and have had no problems to date. The boat sat on them last year and I found no problems. Also my neighbor has the same set up on his and has for 3 years.

[HandymanHerb]

Just say no to bunks, I use rollers, I have replaced the back ones since I bought it as they get most of the load at first.

I like the rollers all of toons dry off and I can get to it to clean them if needed

[Livebait]

Well given the choice between rollers and bunks I would chose the rollers. I have never seen a pontoon trailer with rollers instead of bunks around here. I have no idea if the lumber I used was the new formula or the old formula I just wanted to stay ahead of the maintenance curve. The carpet held up well last year and I will probably get through this year as well. At my age I buy eggs now by the ½ dozen and I do not buy green bananas so I may not have to change them after all.