Building an 8X16 thrower rack deck - stain?

rockyridgefarm · Sep 3, 2015

Hey all,

My thrower racks are suffering from neglect. The decks are just rotten. I'm building a new deck out of rough sawn Burr Oak. Do you all think I'd benefit from staining the stringers and crossmembers on the tops as I build it? The lumber is wet, so I hesitate to stain them all around. I'll use used oil once I get it completely built, but this is the chance to stain where the oil never gets.

Oh, and I'm building a new 40 by 80 machine shed and 40 by 80 hay shed, so they're not likely to sit outside after this.

scott mcintosh · Sep 3, 2015

I use old crankcase oil on mine every year.

D beatty · Sep 3, 2015

I do the same thing and just replaced a deck that was 40 years old and set out in the weather all the time.

JD Seller · Sep 3, 2015

Build it and take some used engine oil and cut it 50/50 with some diesel fuel. Then COVER the finished wood bed with it several times. Letting it dry a few days in between coats. When it is so slick you think you can't stand up on it your done with this coverage. The hotter the better too. After you have treated it this way the first time just do it once each year after this and the wood ill last for decades outside. Kind of a poor man's creosote.

DairyFarmerInMA · Sep 4, 2015

We did a couple in June.
My dad's generation would put roofing shingles
between stringers and cross members and
sometimes between decking and cross members
( anywhere wood laped over wood) in order to stave
off moisture in between rotting the wood.
The wagons we did this year we used 3m flashing
tape and grace ice and water sheild (bidathane sp?)
We needed the wagons right away so they will get
the crankcase oil treatment when were done for the
season. (soon)
So we'll see!
Good Luck!

rockyridgefarm · Sep 4, 2015

Thanks for the replies so far. Boards were sawn from green Burr Oak on Monday, so they have some warping issues that I hope to take out as I build it. I mocked up the bed. I'll take the boards back off and build it now that it looks the way I want it to. I'm making angle iron brackets out of some old bulk bin legs I have laying around. I'll bolt the crossmembers to the main beams with 4 - 3/8 carriage bolts. I'll bolt the back and the front boards with carriage bolts and use ring shank nails in the middle. Hopefully won't ever need to build them again. I have 5 to do.

Funny thing is that I bought this oak lumber for less than treated pine would have cost at the big box store based out of Eau Claire, WI.

showcrop · Sep 4, 2015

I learned on here three years ago to put aluminum flashing on top of the cross-members, although shingles or ice and water shield probably works just as well.

Building an 8X16 thrower rack deck - stain?

rockyridgefarm

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scott mcintosh

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D beatty

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JD Seller

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DairyFarmerInMA

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rockyridgefarm

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showcrop

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