Q/A Archives

March 2010

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Flooring

Featured Question

APITONG FLOORING 1
Posted by ROBBIE from GREESNBORO, NC, US on October 22, 2008

WHERE CAN I BUY APITONG FLOORING?

NEED: 1-5/16 TH X 7″ W ………470 LFT

1-5/16 TH X 5″ W ………280 LFT

CAN I GET IN 48′ LGHTS?

TO USE TO RE-FLOOR TRAILER BEDS.

ALSO CALLED “GHANA” WOOD / AFRICAN SPECIES??????

I would recommend you qualify what you are looking for with the following:

1. There are many repair shops that offer Apitong and some will offer substitute species for Apitong. Any one of these locations in your area can be contacted. You will typically find a wide range of prices. Much of the difference in price can be attributed directly to the quality of the flooring material.
2. There are only a handful of companies that will guarantee 100% Apitong. The others allow a mixture of species that could perform, but any many instances are not suitable for flatbed trailer flooring. In most cases, these companies will not know the difference in species.
3. Aftermarket companies offering truly 100% Apitong and/or “OEM Quality” would be the first ones contact. A reminder, not all OEM dealers offer “OEM Quality”. A few of the companies, who currently source 100% Apitong for aftermarket, are in no particular order – FleetPride, Fontaine Part Source, New Life, Trailmobile, Utility.
4. Other species (such as those from Ghana and others) will perform differently and may not hold up over time. A good rule of thumb is the cost of installation is 1.5 to 2 times the cost of the correct raw material, 100% Apitong. Therefore, having to replace poor performing, substitute, material will be more costly in the long run. If the re-floored trailer is expected to last over three years without extra flooring repairs, do not use substitutes.

With regard to full trailer length, any of the companies above have the ability to quote full length. If not, you can contact Overseas Hardwoods Company to find a dealer in your area.
Best regards,

W.R. "Bill" Schaffer
Vice President OHC

Where to purchase apitong trailer decking?
Posted by Deanna from McPherson, KS, US on February 8, 2010

Our company is based in Kansas. We would like to purchase some apitong wood to make a flatbed with wood flooring for a pickup. Any idea whre the closest place in Kansas may be?

Apitong has been used in pickup trucks in the past. Depending on the model and what you are using the truck for, you may need a special size. Most repair facilities, such as FleetPride, Great Dane, New Life and Utility have 1-1/8" Apitong available. You could procure your material from them and use is as is or have it custom machined to your requirements.

Best regards,

OHC

W.R. "Bill" Schaffer
Vice President Sales

APITONG WOOD
Posted by ROGER from MIAMI, FL, US on January 2, 2010

WHERE CAN I BUY APITONG WOOD 1 1/8 X 7 ” FOR A 48 ‘ TRAILER IN MIAMI FLORIDA

Purchasing Apitong to floor a flatbed in Miami is very easy, but be very careful. The most important thing you must do is make sure the people supplying Apitong are reputable and will stand behind their products. Many companies will call their trailer flooring "Apitong", "South American Apitong" or even "Brazilian Apitong". Others will allow mixed species - not all Apitong to sell at a lower price. Apitong comes from Southeast Asia and the most economical solution for strength to weight ratio and enduring performance for flatbed use. When you select a company to purchase from, make sure they have OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturers) quality Apitong. Three companies that offer OEM quality Apitong in Miami are and all have excellent reputations and will stand behind their products are (in alphabetic order): FleetPride, Great Dane Trailers and Utility Trailer.

trailer flooring 1
Posted by Bill from Shreveport, LA, US on December 18, 2009

I am going to replace the flooring on my 16′ trailer. Would it be better to use a 2 x 6 or a 2 x 8?

When replacing flooring on a trailer, one should evaluate the remaining usable life of the trailer as a whole. If the trailer has more than 60% usable life remaining, replacing major items such as flooring, axles, etc could be justifiable. With regard to which dimension to be used, you should determine the expense of the tow sizes of material as well as the additional time and material (screws) needed to cover the area.

Another key factor in deciding which size to use is the width of the material. A rule of thumb to follow is, the wider the board the more tendency to cup and/or shrink. If you are in an area with high temperatures, wider boards will move more and narrower boards will perform better in the long run.
Best regards,

OHC

W.R. "Bill" Schaffer
Vice President Sales

frame stretch
Posted by paul from edmonton, AB, CA on August 24, 2009

what is the procedure for adding about 24 inches to a tractor trailer frame

Extending the frame of a flatbed by 24" has been done by many companies over the years. As you may recall in the 70's and early 80's flatbed trailer lengths were 40' and 42'. Over the years we've seen lengths migrate to 45' for a while then 48' and now 53'. Based on the use of the trailer and the length of their equipment, companies have taken it upon themselves to retrofit trailers lengthening them by two feet. As any retrofit, there are numerous ways this can be accomplished. Prior to extending a trailer, I highly recommend the person or organization doing the work has complete understanding this change will have on the performance of the trailer. Trailers are designed to absorb and distribute the forces they are subjected to and a change could negatively affect the intended design. Keep in mind trailers can be designed differently bases on the original specifications of the end user purchasing the trailer.

The best way to extend a trailer is to contact the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) and review the proposed change. Many OEMs will have a recommended procedure that they may choose to share and will probably recommend you have the work done be a qualified repair facility.

Another option would be to higher a structural design engineer who can provide the required changes.

The worst case scenario would be to go it alone and have a failure and possible accident. Any changes to original equipment should be approved by the OEM and/or the company doing the work.

I hope this helps. Good luck with your project

Best regards,

W.R. "Bill" Schaffer
Vice President OHC

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