Carpeting Bunks for Trailer Loading Guides

P

Pat Anderson

New member
OK, all the stuff for my heavy duty side load guides for my trailer has arrived from Pacific Trailers, but I have to provide the boards and carpet them. I think I need some kind of heavier duty carpet material than cheapo outdoor carpet. What is it called and where should I get it? Thanks!
 
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I have plastic covering my bunks, works great, but I'm not sure where to procure them.

And yes I know i need to do bottom paint, that project will happen soon
 
Salmon Fisher":1qr1bev4 said:
It is commonly called Marine Grade Carpeting for Trailer Bunks.
You might be able to make this work if your side guides are 6 feet long each or shorter.
I think I read that you want to attach the carpet material with monel staples or stainless staples.


https://www.etrailer.com/Boat-Trailer-P ... 11330.html

You may find it cheaper on good old Amazon.
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Thanks, Patrick. On the hunt now for "Marine Grade Carpeting for Trailer Bunks"! The bunks need to be eight feet long, seven feet to clear the double axles and six inches at each end past the uprights. I watched a YouTube on carpeting bunks, and it definitely calls for stainless staples, maybe a Harbor Freight pneumatic staple gun is in my future!
 
I ordered "marine grade carpet" from Wholesale Marine (CE Smith Boat Trailer Bunk Board Carpet).

I stapled it onto 2x6x8 using stainless steel staples. So far, so good!
 
HI Pat,

You DO WANT monel staples, unless you can get 316 Stainless Steel. When I was doing my carpet, the Stainless ones I found were 304 and they will rust in salt water exposure.

Staples, Arrow brand T50 Monel Rustproof 1/2". Arrow brand # 508M1

and I drove mine with a Stanley 2 in 1 Electric Stapler/Brad nailer #TRE550Z

I got both at our local lumber and building supply, Thomas Building.

Home Depot didn't have the staples, and the E Stapler they had wouldn't take the right size. And of course, nobody there knew anything.

I would start at one end, line the carpet up and use some clamps to roughly hold it up in position. get one end lined up, pulled tight and stapled then work your way down stretching as you go, to keep the carpet aligned with the side bunk board. I enclosed my side bunks but the lower, flat bunks are not fully enclosed at the bottom. I have heard that allows them to drain and dry better.

This is my third session with doing carpet. I got my carpet at West Marine. They have 2 sizes and three rolls were enough to do the long bunks and the short with a few feet left over.

Standard high quality boards are Douglas Fir. On the first trailer I did I kind of went overboard and used a tight grain mahogany (read EXPENSIVE) and then layered on I think it was 10 coats of satin Varathane polyurathane.


Harvey
SleepyC :moon

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Thanks, monel staples it is I guess. I don't know what monel is but I will find out I suppose. I will put the info on the staples and stapler in my phone. I have a great YouTube on carpeting bunk boards! I'm guessing that the best place to get these in Bellingham is Hardware Supply.

I have some time, the boat is in the garage until probably May 2022, but I want to get this done and not leave it until the last minute.
 
We just got our 16' C-Dory, and need to replace the trailer bumpers also. Isn't there some other material than carpet, like neoprene or something, that would last longer? Just a newbie here :)
 
zuunami":yl5uhugb said:
We just got our 16' C-Dory, and need to replace the trailer bumpers also. Isn't there some other material than carpet, like neoprene or something, that would last longer? Just a newbie here :)
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You can put "slicks" on the top of top bunks. This is a high density Polyethylene. Yes, I use Monel metal with an electric stapler.

I have used different materials, from artificial Turf to Ozite carpet material.
 
I used this type of bunk slick...

bunk-wrap-image-2.jpg


Had them on the King trailer for our C-Dory and put them on the trailer for the next boat. Boat slides on and off easier and eliminates the issue of getting sand/grit in the bunk carpet. Before loading, I'd still spray and wipe a bit of Mary Kate's Liquid Rollers on the covers.
 
Zuunami,
Go in my photos and look at some of the other camera angles and close ups.
I purchased an entire sheet of 1/2” King Starboard. Next, ripped it to fit the tops of the existing wood and also routed the edges. The plastic is mounted, by countersinking, 1/4” and installing stainless carriage bolts, with washers and nyloc nuts, on the underside.
Plastic is too flexible, to use it without the wood support. The King Starboard is extremely durable and should never need any additional maintenance, unlike carpet.
As a side note, I did consider purchasing off the shelf plastic covers, specifically made for trailer bunks, but after doing tons of homework and inspecting hundreds of trailers with them, saw that they were not as durable and not as slick as the King Starboard.
 
thanks all, will be checking it all out :) We have side bunks about 14" up on the sides of our Magic Tilt trailer for the 16' cruiser, not sure they're even needed?
 
JamesTXSD":3akhpk28 said:
Pat Anderson":3akhpk28 said:
JamesTXSD":3akhpk28 said:
I used this type of bunk slick...

bunk-wrap-image-2.jpg
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What are they called and where did they come from? Thanks.
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I posted the link earlier in this thread.
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Right, I see you posted a link to Overtons. I have rollers on the trailer, and I just need something for the side guides, and carpet is looking more and more like what I need.
 
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