Vertical wood boards for utility trailer bed

[SDShakes]

I picked up a used 3.5' x 6' utility trailer and want to build a 26" tall wood box for it. I'm planning to use tongue and groove redwood fence panels and have the grain of the boards run vertically. I chose these boards because I have a huge pile of oddly sized boards that I can trim to fit this project.

My plan was to glue them up and then screw some painted 1x2 on as horizontal support. Supports posted at the base, top, and at the mid-rail. The mid-rail and base would get bolted to the trailer.

A couple of questions I have initially is:

chosing the material for corner supports (2x2, 2x3, 4x4, maybe angle iron) if it's even needed.

Will gluing up the tongue and groove benefit me with any strength or will it remove needed flex, maybe just a waste of glue, or an inability to easily replace broken boards?

Does anyone have experience with using boards vertically and if so, what lessons learned can you share?

This trailer will only be used for general duty, occasional use such as home depot runs, camping, mulch hauling etc.


I'm open to any and all comments, suggestions. I appreciate your help!

 

[CrocBox]

I wouldn't recommend gluing the boards together, precisely for the reasons that you mentioned.

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[sz0k30]

Looks silly to me.

 

[SDShakes]

I wouldn't recommend gluing the boards together, precisely for the reasons that you mentioned.

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I ended up not gluing them. Still have a handful to put in and bracing to sort out.

Looks silly to me.

 

[driftpin]

Well, if you could keep that board color, you'd probably have the prettiest-looking small trailer at the dump!

I'd consider ripping-off the v-joint and groove which will probably give you a 1 x 4-1/2 or therereabouts, for the horizontal run at the top. I guess you probably don't have anything long-enough to do that, so just go buy some new non-v-joint & groove material. I'd through-bolt it (two machine screws, nuts and fender washers/board) front, middle & back, and exterior-grade screws through the T&G boards into the horizontal members, for the rest of the T&G boards. The through bolts help to keep things tight, and the exterior screws make it easier to R&R any broken boards. Actually, a 2 x 4 would be better to hold things together for the horizontal top-piece.

How are they (the T&G boards) fastened to the trailer? I hope they aren't just 'gravity-attached!' Consider this: put some-sort of spacers on-top of the angle iron which is about 18" above the bed. some 3-1/2" pieces of 2 x 4's would work. Then place a 2 x 4 horizontally on-top of the spacers, through-bolted through the spacers, and the flat surface of the angle-iron. Now, run a pair of exterior-grade screws w/wide heads, or maybe fender washers, through each board, into the 2 x 4's. You wouldn't need to fasten them at the bottom of the boards. Consider the use of Simpson galvanized brackets for the front corners on the outside of the 2 x 4's, for reinforcement. Sitting the horizontal 2 x 4's directly on-top of, and in full-contact with the angle iron will hold moisture and cause premature rusting of that member, that's why I said 'the short spacers' above the horizontal angle irons.

I have a 4' x 10' open utility trailer I have removable sides for, I made them out of OSB and painted, to last awhile. They gave me nearly 5 ' height above the trailer deck, for hauling yard cuttings to the dump, or whatever-else I had of-which to dispose or to transport.

I plan to replace them with removable chain-link 4' x 5' sections, easy to place, easy to remove, easy to store. They will resemble c/l gates.

 

[matt_i]

Were it me I would try to extend the angle iron vertically to the top edge.

A possibility would be to have a hinged panel, or maybe one that is pinned and thus can travel open or closed. For security something like cotter pins could be installed from the inside to lock the pins.

Agree with other thoughts on not gluing up the panels. I would leave some gaps for the wood to "move". Probably 1/2" per side total would be about right.