A trailer is a practical helper in everyday life. It is used for transporting garden waste or larger electrical appliances, and many people use a trailer to take more luggage on holiday - for families with children especially, it is a frequently used way of bringing more toys or even the bicycles along to the holiday destination.
The most important component is always the trailer's floor plate. It is essential for the structure and responsible for ensuring the load reaches its destination safely - and it is naturally also exposed to the greatest stress. Depending on what you transport with the trailer, you cannot avoid renewing a trailer's floor plate at some point. This usually makes more economic sense than buying a new trailer. Reason enough for us to look at what to consider when replacing a trailer floor plate.
What material should the trailer floor plate be made of?
There is no blanket recommendation here. For cost reasons, screen-printed plywood boards are very often used - multi-layer wooden boards coated with plastic on the top and bottom, which prevents moisture from penetrating. However, the edges of these boards are not protected; here you have to take action yourself. For medium-term use as a trailer floor plate, these boards are suitable, but you will have to renew them after 10 years at the latest.
Trailer floor plates made of metal last considerably longer - though here, too, you must distinguish between steel, aluminium and stainless steel. While steel is prone to corrosion and requires constant treatment with rust protection, the latter two metals are fundamentally rustproof. Owing to its lower weight, aluminium in particular is a popular trailer floor plate material.
Thorough work is very important
If you want to replace a trailer's floor plate, do not look only at the plate itself. The base frame should also be examined closely, so that there are no nasty surprises when fitting the new floor plate. In particular, the areas normally hidden by the plate must be checked thoroughly for rust spots and damage.
All parts you remove should be stored so that you can refit them afterwards in reverse order. Take the opportunity to replace the bolts used to fasten the floor plate - the cost is limited. Only once the old floor plate is fully removed can you take the measurements for a new trailer floor plate.
The cut must be exact
For the floor plate to fit optimally without play, it must be made precisely to measure. This presents hobbyists with the difficult task of sawing a plate of stainless steel or aluminium themselves - an attempt you should only make with suitable tools. Otherwise, an uneven cutting edge means the floor plate will not close flush with the trailer, and if you transport sand or soil, it can trickle out of the trailer while driving.
Depending on the thickness of the floor plate, making the cut yourself becomes very difficult at all - it only works with thin sheets, which are rather unsuitable for a trailer's floor. Even obtaining a sheet the size of the trailer can be a challenge in itself. You may be able to source one from a local metal fabrication company; in DIY stores, large sheets are not part of the standard range.
What thickness should the new floor plate have?
You should be guided by the trailer's maximum permissible gross weight: the floor plate must be designed to withstand the corresponding payload. Even if you are sure you will only ever carry relatively light holiday luggage in your own trailer, you should plan ahead for a possible sale - not everyone wants a trailer with restricted use. The vehicle inspector, too, might look critically at a 750 kg trailer with only a thin sheet as its floor plate.
If you want to buy a new floor plate for the trailer, you should seek advice from a specialist. That ensures you get the right load-bearing capacity. There are also differences depending on the goods to be transported, because various stainless steel grades are made for various environments.
Various fastening options
Stainless steel sheet and aluminium can be fastened in various ways. If you pre-drill, both metals can be bolted very well and securely - which is also the simplest method and will probably be the favourite for most people. Bolts are available in every DIY store, and most handymen will already own a metal drill bit.
If you want to create a permanent, very tight connection, you can also weld or braze. That comes into play whenever you want a completely sealed trailer: thanks to the welded or brazed seam, the floor plate is continuously joined to the side walls.
We supply the new floor plate for your trailer
If you are looking for a reliable, fast partner for restoring your trailer, we are exactly the right people. We have specialised in cutting and processing stainless steel in various grades - and it was important to us not to handle only large orders. Thanks to efficient, lean processes, we can also take on smaller jobs, such as renewing a trailer floor plate. You too can buy suitable stainless steel sheet from us.
All you have to do is call our sales team. Our colleagues are all stainless steel experts and can tell you exactly what thickness your trailer floor plate should have and which stainless steel is best suited to your purposes. Our 10 mm stainless steel plate is very popular for this. You will also be quoted the price immediately, and should you place your order with us, it goes straight into production.
Precisely sized sheets delivered in a few days
We have set ourselves the goal of manufacturing every order within 48 hours and handing it over for dispatch - and we almost always succeed. So you have a very good chance of dismantling your trailer one weekend and having the precisely fitting floor plate delivered by us the next.
We use exclusively sheets from European brand manufacturers. Thanks to our large stock, we can produce and ship quickly even with many orders. So if you do not want to wait long for your trailer's new floor plate and it matters to you that the plate is manufactured with millimetre precision, we are the right partner for you.
+49 3921 72-0