Decking/boards for inspection pit

[aesmith]

Hi,
Our garage has an inspection pit, something like 5ft long and 3ft wide. Recessed into the concrete floor by a bit over 2" with a rebate so boards can be placed to cover it. The existing boards, all sort of variations of 2x6, are pretty rotten and every now and again one breaks making it a bit of death trap. I laid plywood on top some time ago to give a level surface but it's damp so the ply isn't lasting either.

Looking for ideas to replace the boards. The easy option would be pressure treated timber, putting something under or on top to bring it flush with the concrete floor. Boards are around 42" so I'd get four from a 4.8m length.

Is there any sort of material that would be better, lasting longer than pressure treated timber in a damp situation?

 

[MikeBs]

I’d probably have gone with scaffolding boards and shim with plywood at the ends to bring them up to the right height.

 

[addjunkie]

Hi,
Our garage has an inspection pit, something like 5ft long and 3ft wide. Recessed into the concrete floor by a bit over 2" with a rebate so boards can be placed to cover it. The existing boards, all sort of variations of 2x6, are pretty rotten and every now and again one breaks making it a bit of death trap. I laid plywood on top some time ago to give a level surface but it's damp so the ply isn't lasting either.

Looking for ideas to replace the boards. The easy option would be pressure treated timber, putting something under or on top to bring it flush with the concrete floor. Boards are around 42" so I'd get four from a 4.8m length.

Is there any sort of material that would be better, lasting longer than pressure treated timber in a damp situation?

A concrete lorry would fill that in a few minutes!

 

[cheb]

Would recycled plastic planks work. The fence posts I've seen up here look pretty good but I'm not standing on them.

 

[cheb]

A concrete lorry would fill that in a few minutes!

You'd have to trim the lorry down a bit I think.

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

Old scaffolding boards.
I have used them many times.

 

[8ob]

A decent steel roller shutter door would be strong enough to walk on and quick to slide back if the pit was needed.

Bob

 

[Agroshield]

Kwikstage boards are thicker (2 1/2") than normal scaffold boards and reasonably cheap brand new:

Kwikstage Scaffolding - New 8ft Timber Batten (2.4m)

Kwikstage System Scaffolding 8ft timber batten 2.4m Kwikstage Scaffolding is the most cost effective scaffolding system in the uk-used kwikstage.

www.scaffolding-direct.co.uk

If you look around, you can probably buy the binding strip for the cut end as a spare part.

 

[Kram]

Weld up a frame with steel angle and a couple bits of flat to brace it and scaff boards on top, is how I would do it.

 

[gaz1]

if you dont want the cost of replacing them boards buy once and they will last a long time

steel walkway grating or the grp walkway grating

 

[dholdi]

I had exactly the same issue with mine and I used scaffold boards, they rotted from underneath.
I filled it in and bought a lift.

 

[brightspark]

I’d probably have gone with scaffolding boards and shim with plywood at the ends to bring them up to the right height.

use scaffie boards on mine easy to lift and put back can even use the jack on therm

 

[Hitch]

8X2 or similar sized joists.
Cheap enough from a builders merchant...
Treated, structurally graded...

 

[500e]

For the commercial pit we made frames with checker-plate.
Hate pits with a vengeance!! mate got badly burnt when the fumes ignited in the bottom, have seen them with ventilation ducting to help alleviate that worry.
Filled in the car sized one in a sight we bought, (first job).

 

[caprinut]

I used those faux railway sleepers, the ones from garden canters, they are treated and you can run the car over them.

 

[JohnH]

I use 3x2 manhole covers on mine.

 

[sako243]

Would recycled plastic planks work. The fence posts I've seen up here look pretty good but I'm not standing on them.

Repaired a bench for the local hall out of 2x4s of those and they can't support their own weight over 5ft. Sagged like anything. Had to move the steel backs closer together so they didn't collapse with people sitting on it.

 

[aesmith]

Thanks. Pressure treated timber would be strong enough, C16 145x45 is what I've bought in the past. It's available wider, but I think that works out more expensive for a given area.

Ideally I'd like something that won't rot in my lifetime.

 

[cheb]

That's useful to know about recycled plastic wood.

 

[ahebron]

H3.2 or higher LVL?