what do i seal my platform with?

I just built a platform to go in the v shaped section at the front of my boat trailer to make it easier to push it off the trailer at the landing. I built it out of 3/4 pressure treated plywood. How should I finish this to keep it from rotting too fast? paint and poly?? Something like the sealing spray they advertise on tv? The boat frame is black so I'd probably want it to also be black. Maybe poly and carpet over it..the indoor /outdoor kind? The reason I built it is that I had a fall getting off the frame the other day. I had a bruised hip for a day or two after hitting the concrete stones at the bottom and landing waist deep in water. I do NOT want to repeat this event!..darned algae! Anyway..rubberized would be fine if it wasn't gooey..and I don't want it slick either. This is just your average 12 ft jon boat type trailer. low buck...but lasting finish is what I'm going after I suppose.

When I have replaced wood decks, I used pressure treated ply. Let it dry real good. Usually straight from store it will not be dry thru and thru because of pressure treating. If it is good and dry I coat with Marine Spar Varnish. Let it soak in. I put 2-3 good coats with 24 hrs between coats. Then covered with indoor out door carpet from Lowes or Home Depot. Has held up well. Would think any of your better oil based sealers would work well. Water base just seems not to stick well to pressure treated. Or just use a good oil base primer. You could also go to a paint store and see if they have a nonskid paint with the sand in it for commercial use. They now offer some of those in a single part water based epoxy.

I have always heard that treated wood would eventually cause problems in aluminum boats.....heard the chemicals used in treating would react with the aluminum and cause pin holes etc.

I have heard the same thing as G

Correct on the pressure treated lumber and aluminum boats (with the old treated lumber with arsenic in it). The new AC2 lumber doesn't use it but there isn't enough data on it in regards to what it will do to aluminum. Regardless, he isn't putting it on his boat, it is on his trailer as a step platform.

I would do what Cray said however, I would not cover it with carpet. I would use Stick on safety tread. The kind that looks like asphalt shingles. It can be bought in strips or can be bought in larger pieces. Menards and other stores like that carry it. It has a sticky back to it however I would affix it with a good non water salable adhesive. I know they sell these treads in many of the box style stores (can be expensive) however, most of the ones I have seen are built out of thick steel grate material and affixed to the trailer with "U" bolts. Carpet is going to hold moisture and mildew and can be slippery at times. Just my :twocents

Thanks for the replies. I think I'll just go with the oil based paint suggestion and maybe a coat ort two of poly over that At a later time I might use some contact cement and glue some foam exercise matting over the top. I have already done that to the floor of the boat . Walmart had rolls of it in sporting good for $20 a roll and it covered the whole floor. It seems to be holding very well and I did seal it on the edges with black silicone. Water just beads up on it and rolls right to the drains. it was also an easy way to cover the spider cracking and feels great under your feet!

Take it to a business that sprays truck beds-this coating is tough,non-skid,and long-lasting!

I would use untreated wood. Use a 50/50 mix of polyester fiberglass resin and acetone. This thins the resin. Put thin coats on it and allow to soak in. I've built decks this way with OSB and had really great results. You would be amazed at how well the resin works after thinned.

I like the rubber mat idea or the bed liner. Whatever way you go with the treating of the wood. I use burnt motor oil and diesel on our flatbed trailer floors. Untreated wood. Thin coats allow to soak in. Will last forever. Just my .02 cents. Even adds a neat coloring to the grain.

I am a fan of epoxy and have used a couple different versions of the penetrating epoxies. Some of which have been in service for over 20 years and still no sign of deterioration. Do some research on marine grade penetrating epoxy.

If it were me. I would slap a sticky thing on it and call it a day. Pressure treated plywood will last a long time.

Oil base paint. First a light coat to fill in the pores. Then put on a heavy coat, and sprinkle sand over it while wet. Works great!