Trailer Woodwork Advice Needed

[Laurie S.]

I've decided to finish sealing the remainder of the walls inside my car trailer and to repaint the floor. When I first got it, we only sealed the wall sections where the cabinets would go. I'm tired of the "two-tone" look and have decided to use the long Thanksgiving weekend to do all the upgrades. The weather will be nice and cool then.

I understand that I should sand the nonsealed walls before I treat them, but can I also sand and revarnish the walls that already are done? They're rough, also.

The floor badly needs to be repainted and I also intend to change the color to a dark gray, including the E-track ramps. Should I sand the floor first? I think the ramps are okay.

I also want to add some traction to the loading door ramp because I'm sure that the cars will skid even more with better paint on there. The only thing I've seen so far that I like are the nonskid strips sold at the trailer parts stores. Is there anything better? I don't want to put sand in the paint because it will come off and fall on the car and in the hinge.

I'm also going to strip and repaint the trailer tongue. It's getting rusty, but at least I know how to do that.

Here are a couple of pictures of the interior where you can see the color differences on the walls:

[pnandy]

you could repaint the ramp with bedliner for traction

[daveSanborn]

but can I also sand and revarnish the walls that already are done? They're rough, also.

When you say "re-varnish" do you mean "stain" or "polyuerethane seal"?

Re-staining an existing piece of wood that has uerethane on it won't work very well.  The stain will not be able to soak into the wood.  I'm pretty sure you have this figured out, but just wanted to make sure...

If it were me, I'd scratch the whole inside.... whether finished previously or not.... stain the unfinished pieces to match the already finished sections and then uerethane everything.

For the tailgate/back wall, I'd adhere the self-stick strips you referred to.  They'll probably stick better to a slightly rough surface so after uerethaning the back wall, you may want to tape off a couple "stripes" and then apply the self-stick traction strips to this roughed area.

Just out of curiousity, when you're transporting one of your cars, do you criss-cross the hold downs?  I found out the hard way the importance of this when a car literally "walked" 12" sideways from hitting some less than stellar sections of interstate.  I caught it during a gas-up walkaround inspection with less than an inch to spare before the car started rubbing the trailer side wall.

[Laurie S.]

I'm not really sure what we put on there originally.  I was handed a brush and told to "paint there."  I bought a gallon last year of some stuff that I think is a sealer, I'll have to check it. 

When I haul Trouble, I crisscross the straps front and back.  I also put four straps in the back after having had the car break loose twice in there with them crossed.  When I haul my coupe, I use over-the-wheel basket straps so that the car rides on its own suspension.  I have some of those straps for Trouble, but they need to be fitted.  Trouble does not like riding in the trailer.  Very balky horse.

Oh yeah, forgot, most of that stuff no longer is stored in the trailer.  It looks much better now.  :)

[daveSanborn]

I'm not really sure what we put on there originally.

It was more than likely a "stain/sealer" combination.  You'll need to color match the unfinished areas to duplicate the previously stained areas.

[Laurie S.]

Probably.  I checked what I bought to do the work and it's a polyurethane.  I don't necessarily want to change the color, just want to make it look more finished and protect the wood.  This trailer was a big investment and I want to take good care of it.

[daveSanborn]

it's a polyurethane

Easy enough..... buy some more of the exact same stuff and apply to the unfinished areas of the trailer.... that way everything will match.

Polyurethane stain/sealers are the prolific product on the store shelves.  The only problem is once it's applied, it's nearly impossible to get a different shade of stain to soak into previously treated wood.  In your case, this is not a problem.  If you were unhappy with the shade of the previously treated areas, you'd be stuck with it.

[Laurie S.]

I wish I knew what we applied back in 2001.  It's all varnish to me.   ~???