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Another Trailer Floor Option

FatDogX

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Well..............Yet again another discussion on trailer floors!

So, I've got an inline 7X29 Legend enclosed trailer and I was to the point I wanted something on the floor to protect it. I've looked at different coatings and recently was running ski slips which works well but obviously adds another factor every time you load and unload. I just wanted something that was simple and worked!

I started doing more research and came across a flooring tile that is actually an option in the Charmac trailers. It's a vented, flow through tile system made by Mateflex. Here's a quick video on the product,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BiH9ESV57K8

So after watching that video, I started looking at several different brands of these type of tiles.

I reached out to different companies including Mateflex, Race Deck and Swiss Trax. All three of these companies offer a flow through tile designs. After speaking with each of these three companies I received samples of each.

Here are some links to each of the three different products,

Swisstrax, Ribtrax
https://www.swisstrax.com/flooring-tiles/ribtrax/

Race Deck, Free Flow
http://racedeck.com/racedeck-products/free-flow/

Mateflex 2
http://www.mateflex.com/products/mateflex-ii

For some quick facts on these products,

Swisstrax is the thickest at 3/4" and is the largest tiles at 15.75" by 15.75"

Race Deck and Mateflex are 12" by 12".

All three offer a flow through design and snap together when installing.

Once I received all three I started some testing on each of them. One of the main tests was running the carbides across them. Surprising all them did very well. I also ran a studded track across them and it appeared as if the Swisstrax held up the best with only leaving small dimples in the tile.

From there I starting comparing dimensions of each and how they would lay out in my trailer. Basically looking how much tile would have to be cut and what it would look like.

I then contacted Race Deck and Swisstrax, which both of them have never come across this type of use, with regard to snowmobiles. Both companies were very helpful and offered additional information as well as a discounted price from the advertised price.

In the end, I decided to go with Swisstrax. Some of the reasons include the thickness as they were the heaviest and they seemed to hold up a little better with the tests. The size of the Swisstrax also worked out better for my trailer width. I basically could fit 5 tiles across with very little trimming.

The install went very smooth and I trimmed out for all my floor D-rings. I used a jig saw for the trimming and for the edge cuts, I used a table saw but I think a tile cutter would have been better for the longer / big cuts. The saws leave some burnt pieces behind but they can be pulled or trimmed off pretty easy.

If you need to pop a tile out, they unsnap pretty easy and snap back together without issue. If I wanted, I could actually unsnap one entire side and the front pieces and the entire floor could probably be pulled out!

Obviously this is still an "experiment" so to speak but with the information I obtained, I'm confident the stuff should hold up pretty good.

If you are interested in the Swisstrax contact them and ask for "Eddie". He was super easy to deal with and informed me to pass his name along for any questions and a forum discount.

I attached some before, after and progress pics, and if anyone has more questions, shoot!!!
 
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FatDogX

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Install,

IMG_2452.jpgIMG_2450.jpg


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FatDogX

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And the finished product!!

IMG_2451.jpg

IMG_2454.jpg

IMG_2455.jpg

IMG_2456.jpg

IMG_2457.jpg


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DUKHTR3

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Sure looks good. What's the cost? Either square foot or for your trailer.

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96-ramair

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Very good research and a very nice looking install! In addition to the cost being mentioned already, I'm also curious how is the walking traction? Plastic floor wet with snow and heavy boots would seem like it could be very slippery, but maybe the rib texture offsets the material slickness?

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FatDogX

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Sure looks good. What's the cost? Either square foot or for your trailer.

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As far as cost your looking at about $3.00 a square foot if I remember correctly. I purchased them a few months back.
 

FatDogX

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Very good research and a very nice looking install! In addition to the cost being mentioned already, I'm also curious how is the walking traction? Plastic floor wet with snow and heavy boots would seem like it could be very slippery, but maybe the rib texture offsets the material slickness?

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I did mess around with getting them wet and asked the company as well and really it's not bad. The ribbed texture is pretty heavy and the tops of each rib are rounded so the water drains off right away. Now obviously snow and ice can build up but that happens on a regular floor as well. My bare plywood floor has gotten pretty slippery in the past as well.

As far as price, like I said in a previous post, I believe it was right around $3.00 a square foot, but I think they'l still work with anyone else that would be interested.

And yes.....install....super easy!!! Just take your time, measure twice and cut once and then click them together.
 

Bocephus

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Hopefully it functions as good as it looks! Now you need to go up the wall with it to cover the rest of the bare wood

Hopefully it isn't slippery to walk on when it's wet, or the snow is packed on it

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meathooker

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looks great! ive looked at these types of systems before but have never pulled the trigger for one reason - water.

im nervous that the water would get stuck between the tiles and the flooring and take more time to dry out.

we just did spray foam on the underside of my flooring so i need to get a solution that is water tight.

Speaking to the local spray in bed liner guy last night its looking like $2,000 to get 1/8" on the floor of my 26' x 7' trailer. maybe a super thin coating of the bed liner then tiles on top would be cheaper and hold up better??
 

SRXSRULE

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Speaking to the local spray in bed liner guy last night its looking like $2,000 to get 1/8" on the floor of my 26' x 7' trailer. maybe a super thin coating of the bed liner then tiles on top would be cheaper and hold up better??

I wouldnt do it! Ive seen more then 1 sled deck with spray on bed liner and its a major fail. One of the decks was a year old, never been used and the bed liner was just peeling off the wood.

Not only is that alot of money, it also adds a fair amount of weight, and it peels off.

Think about doing an epoxy paint coating. You can either mix in a bunch of silica sand into the paint and then keep mixing it up as you go, or you can do a section of coating and then sprinkle the sand on top and then broom off the extra after it dries.



but back to the original thread.... the tiles look great!
 

FatDogX

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I looked into doing an epoxy or polyurea floor and from what I've seen there is some work okay and some fails. Basically it ends up peeling and coming up and then it's a mess and looks like chit !

I'll keep up with this thread and post updates as the winter rolls along. So far it looks great, the testing went well, so I'm crossing my fingers it works good !!!


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meathooker

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I wouldnt do it! Ive seen more then 1 sled deck with spray on bed liner and its a major fail. One of the decks was a year old, never been used and the bed liner was just peeling off the wood.

Not only is that alot of money, it also adds a fair amount of weight, and it peels off.

Think about doing an epoxy paint coating. You can either mix in a bunch of silica sand into the paint and then keep mixing it up as you go, or you can do a section of coating and then sprinkle the sand on top and then broom off the extra after it dries.



but back to the original thread.... the tiles look great!

i'd be nervous about the epoxy cracking as its pretty stiff/rigid and wont flex with the trailer.

I looked into doing an epoxy or polyurea floor and from what I've seen there is some work okay and some fails. Basically it ends up peeling and coming up and then it's a mess and looks like chit !

I'll keep up with this thread and post updates as the winter rolls along. So far it looks great, the testing went well, so I'm crossing my fingers it works good !!!


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look forward to updates!
 

NorthMNSledder

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Speaking to the local spray in bed liner guy last night its looking like $2,000 to get 1/8" on the floor of my 26' x 7' trailer. maybe a super thin coating of the bed liner then tiles on top would be cheaper and hold up better??

We are doing Raptor Liner in our trailer and then Caliber Grip glides on top of that this season. I have seen many spray on bed liners work great if the prep is done correct so long as you protect it from the carbides.

The only spray on liner I have ever seen hold up against carbides was Line-X and I think that was about $11 a square foot to have done in a trailer. After 3 seasons it still looked like new.

I have been in a few trailers that have done the ski glides over the bed liner spray and the traction was nice. That's the reason we are doing that in our's. But like everything else prep is key otherwise it ends up like SRXSRULE says and it peals.
 

FatDogX

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I would also agree on the Epoxy issue being to rigid and it would crack. Floor coatings for a trailer should be flexible and something in the polyurea family.

And .....yes prep work is the most important!!! I leaned this with my garage floor coating.


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SRXSRULE

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I did the epoxy coating on an open trailer of mine about 10 yrs ago. I used it 4 yrs like that and it still looked like new when I sold it. None of it cracked. I used Rustoleum industrial epoxy. Only prep I did was a good pressure washing with a hotsy and then let it dry for a few days before applying.


I still think doing carpet is the best performance, cost effective floor coating for an enclosed trailer. Thats whats in my trailer now, this will be the 5th season for it, not one tear in it and it cost me like 250 bucks.
 

meathooker

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I still think doing carpet is the best performance, cost effective floor coating for an enclosed trailer. Thats whats in my trailer now, this will be the 5th season for it, not one tear in it and it cost me like 250 bucks.

agreed but in my application i still need to get it water proof before hand.
 

meathooker

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so coincidentally a roofing contractor who snowmobiles called me yesterday about a project we are working on then it hit me - what about roofing membrane below carpet or race deck flooring? this will keep the water out of the subflooring, its lights weight, and pretty durable. he had a 10' x 30' remnant for me to try it out with. once the race season is over in a couple weeks i'll get to installing it and see how it works out.

i wanted EPDM but he had TPO - so TPO it is.

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FatDogX

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Very interesting!!!!


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