Side Kits for Flatbed Trailers, Built to Fit Your Trailer
Aluminum posts, panels, bows and a heavy-duty vinyl tarp that turn an open flatbed into an enclosed trailer. Installed or shipped nationwide.
What Is a Side Kit for a Flatbed Trailer?
A side kit for a flatbed trailer is a set of aluminum posts, side panels, bows and a tarp. Together they turn an open flatbed into an enclosed trailer.
Neilly Canvas designs and builds side kits for flatbed trailers. We have measurements on file for most trailers, so most kits fit right the first time.
PGT Trucking, with about 1,000 trucks, has bought side kits and tarps from us since 1980.
How to Convert a Flatbed Trailer to Enclosed Hauling
You convert a flatbed trailer to enclosed hauling by installing a side kit. Here's how the pieces go together:
- Posts go in the stake pockets. We carry stakes and bows that fit Benson, East, Fontaine, MAC, Reitnouer, Transcraft, Utility, Great Dane and more.
- Panels fit between the posts to form the sides.
- Bows span the trailer to hold the tarp up.
- A reinforced vinyl tarp covers it all, with a 3-piece tail to close the back.
Side Kit Panel Materials
Plywood
The standard panel. A 4′ x 4′ sheet of 1/2″ A/C plywood weighs 24 lbs.
FRP Plywood
Fiberglass reinforced plywood for a tougher surface. 28 lbs per 4′ x 4′ panel.
Corrugated Plastic
Fluted polypropylene panels, often called Coroplast.
CARGOlite Composite
Foam core with fiberglass and ABS skins. Just 11 lbs per 4′ x 4′ panel.
Stake Side Kits Built for Your Operation
Every side kit is built for your trailer. Options include skylights, D-rings, wind straps and reinforced components.
We also build side kits for drop deck trailers and other special setups.
Side Kit Installation, Shipping and Repair
Neilly Canvas installs trailer side kits in our West Mifflin shop and ships them nationwide.
Side kits already on the road can come back to us too. We repair or replace worn panels, bows and tarps, so one damaged piece doesn't mean a whole new kit.
Frequently Asked Questions About Side Kits
A side kit for a flatbed trailer is a set of aluminum posts, panels, bows and a tarp that turns an open flatbed into an enclosed trailer.
The cost of a side kit depends on the trailer length, the panel material and the options you choose. Neilly Canvas prices each kit to your trailer. Request an estimate with your trailer make and length.
To convert a flatbed trailer to enclosed hauling, install a side kit. Posts go in the stake pockets, panels fit between them, bows hold the tarp up and a vinyl tarp covers the load.
A side kit can use plywood, fiberglass reinforced plywood (FRP), corrugated plastic or a composite panel like CARGOlite. A 4′ x 4′ CARGOlite panel weighs just 11 lbs.
Neilly Canvas does both. We install side kits and ship them nationwide.
Yes, Neilly Canvas repairs side kits. We repair or replace worn panels, bows and tarps on side kits already in service. Tell us your trailer and what's damaged.
Get a Custom Side Kit Quote
Tell us your trailer make, length and the panels you want. We'll build a side kit to fit and give you a price.