Tropical Hardwoods, Domestic Hardwoods & Softwoods Used as Trailer Flooring

Tropical hardwood from Southeast Asia and South America is generally much more durable, has superior strength properties, and weighs more than domestic North American hardwoods or softwoods. The list of high-density tropical species used on trailer floors is long: Purpleheart, Angelim Pedra, Jatoba, Ipe, Cumaru, Greenheart, Bulletwood, Massaranduba, Tauroniro, Shibidan, Tanimbuca — to name a few.

Most importantly, tropical hardwoods are by far the best value in the industry when it comes to truck decking and trailer flooring. They cost more per board-foot than domestic softwoods but deliver 3-4× the lifespan, which makes the cost-per-mile dramatically lower.

Wood Strength Comparison Table

Side-by-side properties of the most common species used in trailer flooring, sorted by Modulus of Rupture (the bending strength that matters most under a concentrated load):

Source: USDA Handbook No. 207; USDA Handbook No. 72, pp 4-24.

Apitong and Angelim Pedra both weigh roughly twice as much as Southern Yellow Pine and are three times the strength and hardness. Compared to Red or White Oak, both Apitong and Angelim Pedra have higher strength, hardness, and density — and they handle exterior exposure dramatically better.

Genuine Apitong: First Choice for OEMs and Aftermarket Repair

The most common species in use today on flatbeds, drop-decks, and open or exposed trailers is a hardwood called Apitong — also known as Keruing. A close substitute is Angelim Pedra, also known as Brazilian Apitong. Both are very strong, naturally durable, and generally available from wholesalers like TrailerDecking.com.

Domestic species used in the trailer flooring market include American Red Oak, White Oak, and Hard Maple — all of which go into dry vans and van bodies. In domestic softwoods, only Southern Yellow Pine and Douglas Fir are used, and only on low-cost utility trailers. Even pressure-treated softwood tends to wear out in 5–7 years — much shorter than the typical lifespan of the trailer's steel structure. We always recommend replacing softwood once it starts to rot with a durable hardwood.

Apitong weighs roughly twice as much as Southern Yellow Pine and is roughly three times the strength and hardness. Compared to Red or White Oak, Apitong has higher strength, hardness, and density. For exterior or exposed truck decking, Genuine Apitong and Brazilian Apitong are the two best choices.

15-20 Years From a Hardwood Trailer Floor

A softwood floor lasts a few years; an Apitong or Angelim Pedra floor will give the consumer 15-20 years of life out of a typical utility or work trailer. Hardwood costs more up front and pays it back many times over — and recycling steel is easy, but recycling a rotted softwood floor is not.

Wood Trailer Flooring Options by Application

Light-Duty Utility Trailers

It's not uncommon to see light-duty applications such as homeowner utility trailers being built with either softwood dimension lumber or plywood for the floor. These softwood and plywood floors won't hold up for more than a few years — the softwood rots from the bottom up; the plywood delaminates from edge moisture.

If you're rebuilding a utility trailer floor, we recommend Apitong or Angelim Pedra in 1-1/8" × 7" shiplap. The cost is higher than plywood but the floor will outlast the next two trailers you own.

Standard Flatbed Trailers

1-1/8" Apitong shiplap (Z-board) is the OEM standard. Drop in any 7" or 7-3/8" face shiplap and you're matching the manufacturer's spec. For heavier applications, step up to 1-3/8" or 1-1/2" thick shiplap.

Drop-Deck and Lowboy Trailers

For heavy-duty applications, tropical hardwood lumber in such species as Purpleheart, Greenheart, Angelim Pedra, Tatajuba, and Keruing / Genuine Apitong offers the best durability and life expectancy. With a Janka side hardness as much as two times that of White Oak, these tropical hardwoods will perform in the toughest conditions. Most lowboy decks use rough-sawn 6/4 or 8/4 lumber rather than shiplap.

Dry Vans and Truck Bodies

Dry vans typically use laminated truck flooring (LTF) — strips of medium-density tropical hardwood edge-glued and end-glued into continuous panels up to 53'. LTF should never be used on a flatbed; it can't handle exterior exposure. For dry-van applications, LTF is excellent and we stock it up to 32'.

Specialty Industrial Components

Beyond standard shiplap and rough lumber, we mill and source specialty components for the transportation industry. Filler components for reefer trailers, nail strips, predrilled and shaped components, S4S boards for tie-down rails and side racks, custom-pattern shiplap — let us know what you need.

We have 1×3, 1×4, and 1×6 in many hardwoods available for prompt shipment. Random lengths from 4' to 20', finger-jointed products above 20'. Note: predrilling is required in higher-density woods like Ipe, Cumaru, and Massaranduba. Medium-density species like Meranti and Cambara don't require predrilling — much faster install.