After 15 years I have to replace my trailer bunks and carpet. When fitting the carpet is it glued onto the wood? Also did y'all use treated lumber/.
I will be pulling the boat out in November, so I need to do some work on the trailer before then.

I used treated 6x6 lumber to make shims below the plain old lumber 4x6's on the houseboat trailer.

This was in '07, just got the boards from HD, they're just sitting in place...



This is 4 of the 12 shims I made, they progressively get taller with more angle to fit the deadrise-



This was a year later when I was assembling everything. The main boards on the frame
are already going silver...



This is a phone pic I took late last year while changing out bearings and races. The shims
held their color better, but notice the shim closest to the camera, there's a big chunk missing...
Almost all the shims are cracked, one not shown, half of it is gone.



--but the main boards are barely the worse for wear after 13 years. I never treated them with
anything either. This trailer's spent 99% of its time uncovered, out in the weather. The only time the boat
spent on top was to launch or retrieve. The boat spent the rest of its time in the water or on blocks.

Just based on my trailer, I would wholeheartedly recommend NOT using pressure treated lumber!

Definitely use treated wood. My experience has been that the carpet is NOT glued. But SS staples are used to hold it In place.

One thing to think is if you have lag bolts into the bunks to change it over to thru bolt them.

stainless staples on the carpet. I did not use treated lumber. I did use hand selected fir lumber and painted the wood before assembling. Researched thoroughly. Some of you have probably seen how green treated lumber is. It is also low quality lumber and gets worse as the wood drives.

I used counter sink carriage bolts with flat washers and split lock washers. I think things would have been better using nylock nuts on flat washers. Stainless hardware even better.

Paint the trailer while there is no boat on it, and all parts are accessible. I had great experience with several coats of rattle can RustOleum. Put it on, let it dry, wet sand, and paint another coat.

My advice is only good considering where we live. Other climates and how much time the trailer is kept in the humid or dry climate, and how much time is spent dunked in the water, all determine what needs to be done.

If you are boating in salt or brackish water, consider getting the best available of everything.

Bunk Boards


This is from when I replaced my bunks.
Bunk replacement

I did mine 12 or so years ago.

I used regular wood. Maybe redwood, but I can't remember.

I routed the edges to ensure there were no sharp edges.

I used all stainless steel hardware, through bolted with carriage bolts and double nuts.

I did not glue my carpet. Wrapped and stapled and then pinched in between wood and brackets.

I have not yet seen any indication that it needs to be replaced yet.

I used these way back when we had a boat trailer. Ultimate Bunk Boards

Great idea but pricey on the Ultimate Bunk Boards.

Funny related story.

One of my friends put those plastic guides you put on top of the bunks on his jet ski trailer. One day he was launching & removed the winch strap in the parking lot. While backing down the ramp he used the brakes & the jet ski launched it self onto the concrete ramp. Luckily there was not damage other than to his pride. My friend is no rookie boater & has probably launched more boats then anyone i know. Said he always took the straps off on the parking lot. Needless to say he promptly removed the plastic guides.

I found out a few years ago that spraying the carpeted bunks with silicon lubricant spray, things were slipperier, but not overly such. I sprayed them about twice a year. Frequency of launching was about once a week from May to through October. This was with a 17 foot boat.

Finally got around to replacing the trailer bunks. I used treated lumber as that's what came off it. Stainless steel bolts.
I did find the long bunks have grooves cut every 5" on the last two brackets where it curves around the hull.

I did the same to the new boards.