nightline:
Most loads will move a little even when tied down, the question is how much did the load move.
6" inches at most just enough for a bearer to be visible poking curtain
I’ve carried a lot of timber in the old rope and sheet days. Strap bottom and top packs, make sure they’re all tight up against one another, drive carefully and you’ll be right.
peterm:
I’ve carried a lot of timber in the old rope and sheet days. Strap bottom and top packs, make sure they’re all tight up against one another, drive carefully and you’ll be right.
I was taking roundabouts at a nice 5-10mph and slowing right down for sharp bends , Gotta love rural Dorset Somerset and Wiltshire roads 
and that was the A30
Make sure your ratchets are all on your nearside. You don’t want to be getting hit by cars whilst tightening straps.
Its awfully inconvenient.
You must make sure the top packs are pushed together a few straps and check after a few miles and away you go
eagerbeaver:
Make sure your ratchets are all on your nearside. You don’t want to be getting hit by cars whilst tightening straps.Its awfully inconvenient.
And all that paper work is a bugger lol
A 1t pack of well wrapped timber would require at least 4 of your average webbing straps and ratchets used as a tie-down lashing if loaded away from the headboard. This qty of straps would provide sufficient downward force to stop the pack moving - according to BS EN 12195-1:2010.
The problem is most people completely underestimate the number of lashings required - as the OP found out.
Timber can be a killer December 2013 – Transport Informations Service
Are we talking timber here or mdf/chipboard?
coiler:
Are we talking timber here or mdf/chipboard?
My load was shiplap cladding and 1x2 also 2x3 all treated and only 1 pack was wrapped
coiler:
Are we talking timber here or mdf/chipboard?
That’s even worse by a long way. Definitely hard up against the headboard and as many straps as you can bloody find. I managed to persuade my t**t of a boss to buy some corner protectors by damaging most of the packs of MDF / Chipboard with very tight straps.
peterm:
coiler:
Are we talking timber here or mdf/chipboard?That’s even worse by a long way. Definitely hard up against the headboard and as many straps as you can bloody find. I managed to persuade my t**t of a boss to buy some corner protectors by damaging most of the packs of MDF / Chipboard with very tight straps.
I’ve got about 14 in my cubby hole 
peterm:
coiler:
Are we talking timber here or mdf/chipboard?That’s even worse by a long way. Definitely hard up against the headboard and as many straps as you can bloody find. I managed to persuade my t**t of a boss to buy some corner protectors by damaging most of the packs of MDF / Chipboard with very tight straps.
Places we collect boards from you would never get away with not using protectors. No protectors no load.
ajt:
peterm:
coiler:
Are we talking timber here or mdf/chipboard?That’s even worse by a long way. Definitely hard up against the headboard and as many straps as you can bloody find. I managed to persuade my t**t of a boss to buy some corner protectors by damaging most of the packs of MDF / Chipboard with very tight straps.
Places we collect boards from you would never get away with not using protectors. No protectors no load.
This was delivering from the warehouse though. He got the message when customers started demanding replacement stuff. He didn’t even want to buy straps if he could help, but I must have been persuasive. 
I had concrete protection bollards on Saturday with 2 pallets of wooden fence posts on top ,concrete was 2 tons per bollard so they said ,4 rows of 3 down tri ,I stuck 3 x5 ton straps on each row of bollards then put 2 x 5 ton straps over each pallet of fence posts ,with edge protectors on concrete ,stopped on way out of London and it hadn’t moved at all ,wasn’t concerned about bollards but thought just chucking some fence posts up top was a bit iffy ,but got to drop and everything was stil there
About 8 straps on that load. Yea it’s nice having a headboard but not important as long as strapped right it ain’t gonna shift. Depending on size of the packs they’re normally stacked on the top deck above the 5th wheel
taffytrucker:
0About 8 straps on that load. Yea it’s nice having a headboard but not important as long as strapped right it ain’t gonna shift. Depending on size of the packs they’re normally stacked on the top deck above the 5th wheel
Assuming they are double stacked Ideally it would be that for the bottom stack row then same over the top row.Which still leaves the question of what holds it all in the fore and aft/longitudinal plane ?.With ropes at least we’d have put a cross front and back which is better than nothing.It’s time that all load decks were fitted with anchorage points through the floor to allow fore and aft strapping the same as along the sides. 
If it’s double stacked (which is very unlikely due to axles weights in the states) then use 3 or maybe 4 that deck is only about 10ft long. Normally though 2 packs on top deck and a single on top on the middle.
taffytrucker:
If it’s double stacked (which is very unlikely due to axles weights in the states) then use 3 or maybe 4 that deck is only about 10ft long. Normally though 2 packs on top deck and a single on top on the middle.
The pic looks like double stacked and even a single row above that under the sheet with just one row of straps over the top stack holding the lot ?.With nothing at all in the fore and aft plane which as I said would have at least had a roped cross at each end being better than nothing. 
No they are double stacked in the center of the trailer. Was only about 6 or 7 packs of timber on due to them being 16ft lengths and max gross in the US of 89,000lbs. Each strap has a rating of 5500lbs. Load never shifted in the just under 4 days I had it on and needed tighten only the once
I’ve been carrying a lot of timber (up to the end of July, when I left the company).
It depends entirely on the load as to how many straps are needed (though the Ministry men may disagree).
Timber packs picked up from the docks IME need 2 rachet straps per length as long as they are properly skidded.
The top packs should be touching in the middle (but they usually are) - that way they won’t loosen the straps during the journey.
Packs picked up from private companies need more scrutiny - keep an eye on what’s loaded and how they are loaded.
Chipboard and melamine coated chipboard are a different kettle of fish. The rachet straps need to be tight, tight, tight! And the load will often move even then. In a 3 or 4 high stack the middle one or two will often slide up to 8 or 9 inches sideways.
The modern (cheap) rachets will not handle using a bar to tighten them. They’ll bend!
Basically just take care and pull your guts out tightening them! (Especially if you weigh 9 stone ringing wet, like me).