how to build a pressure washer trailer

There are businesses in a number of industries that require the use of a commercial pressure washer–either in their day-to-day activities or every now and then for deep cleaning. Regardless, having a high-powered cleaning solution like a pressure washer can be a valuable tool for your business and provide you with a professional-looking clean at any time. 

Even still, pressure washers themselves aren’t typically very portable, which can be an issue if you’re trying to take your pressure washer on the go and be able to transport it from place to place. So, what exactly is a pressure washer trailer and why would this be a good addition to your business? Plus, can you learn how to build a pressure washer trailer? 

Yes – you can build a pressure washing trailer yourself. And, we’re going to teach you exactly how to do it. However, as you’ll soon discover, simply renting or buying your own pressure washer trailer tends to be the smartest, most cost-effective solution – while delivering more efficient, effective, and most importantly, safe cleaning. Keep reading as we cover all this and more in our complete guide to building a trailer with pressure washing capabilities! 

What Is A Pressure Washer Trailer?

You’ve likely heard of a pressure washer before, but what about a pressure washer trailer?

They are not that different from one another, though there are some key differences that can make one or the other better suited for your business. 

Essentially, a pressure washer trailer is when you have a pressure washer that is built on top of a trailer. So–it might look something like a pressure washer on wheels! While it may seem like you could just load up your current pressure washer onto a trailer, there are some unique benefits to owning a pressure washer trailer that you should consider. 

What Are The Benefits Of A Pressure Washer Trailer?

Compared to a normal pressure washer, a pressure washer trailer is much more mobile and allows you to take your high-powered cleaning solution with you wherever you may need it. This can be essential for many businesses, as it allows them to produce a powerful clean on any job site without having to be hooked up to power nearby. 

Plus, since you cannot operate a pressure washer without water, pressure washer trailers are often equipped with a large water tank. This allows you to use your pressure washer from anywhere, completing large jobs and working all day without running out of water. 

Pressure washers can be heavy, so even though it may be tempting to load up your current machine in the back of your work vehicle and unload it once you reach your destination, it can be dangerous and difficult to do so – especially when done frequently. Plus, the larger water and fuel tanks that pressure washer trailers are equipped with make them more efficient for longer days and larger jobs than a normal pressure washer loaded onto a trailer.  

Can You Build Your Own Pressure Washer Trailer?

So, you may be wondering if you can just construct a pressure washer trailer using the pressure washer that your business already owns. 

The answer is yes–you can build your own pressure washer trailer. It’s not as difficult as you may imagine; however, there are pros and cons to building, buying, and renting that may influence the eventual decision you make for your business. So, let’s consider each of these options so that you can make the right choice that will save you time, money, and effort over the long-run. 

Building vs Buying vs Renting A Power Washer Trailer: Pros & Cons

Businesses can choose to take their industrial-grade cleaning capabilities mobile either by choosing to buy or rent a power washer trailer, or even by building one of their own! But–which of these options is the better investment and which route should you choose to take? Let’s look at the pros and cons of each option. 

Building a Power Washer Trailer 

If you decide to build a power washer trailer using your current pressure washer, you could end up saving your business some money. Plus, you can custom-build it to so that it’s the perfect size for the nature of your work, and you can build it using your desired model if it isn’t available in a trailer set-up already. 

Even still, if you don’t assemble the pressure washer trailer correctly, you may end up with less-than-desirable results that will require you to put even more time into the job. Plus, you may end up finding out that you need to purchase a number of additional accessories and add-ons to make it effective, such as a longer hose or a larger water tank. So, learning how to build a pressure washer trailer may not always be the best option. 

Buying a Power Washer Trailer 

Another option that businesses have is to buy a power washer trailer. One of the benefits of this option is that there are plenty of models available on the market today, ranging in size, budget, style, and more to meet your business’ needs exactly. Plus, you know you’re getting a brand-new machine that will require minimal maintenance and repairs in the meantime.

On the other hand, pressure washer trailers can be expensive, so it may be a large investment that certain businesses are not ready to make. Plus, if your business doesn’t have the need for a pressure washer trailer regularly, it may not be a worthwhile investment. 

Renting a Power Washer Trailer 

One of the many reasons to rent a power washer trailer rather than building or buying one is that it is a cheaper option. You don’t have to spend the time learning how to build a pressure washer trailer or shell out the large sum to buy one outright. This is especially a good choice if your business only needs a pressure washer trailer every now and then. 

However, this can get to be pretty spendy if a business has frequent use for a power washer trailer, as you’ll have to rent it each time you’ll need to use it. In addition, you are renting a machine that has been used by other renters before you, so there could be some wear and tear that you wouldn’t have when buying a new pressure washer trailer or building one out of your own machine. 

How To Build A Pressure Washer Trailer: Step by Step Guide

So, if you end up deciding to build a pressure washer trailer for your business rather than rent or buy one, there are some things to consider and additional items to gather before you can get started. Continue reading as we describe this process and how you can build a pressure washer trailer for yourself. 

What Will You Need To Build Your Own Pressure Washer Trailer?

  • Pressure washer
  • A trailer
  • Long hoses
  • Water tanks

What Type Of Pressure Washer Should You Choose For Your Trailer?

There are a number of pressure washer models available, and each are better used in different circumstances. Whether you have large or small jobs, and depending on the nature of your work, you’ll want to select the model that is the best fit for your business when constructing your pressure washer trailer.  

So, continue reading as we list out and compare the various types of pressure washer models you can purchase, and how you can choose the right pressure washer for your company. 

Hot water pressure washer

For a high-powered and effective wash, a hot water pressure washer is a great option for industrial cleaning solutions. While they shouldn’t be used on all types of materials, they are especially efficient in getting rid of oil, grease, and heavy grime. Therefore, hot water pressure washers are highly used in food services, construction, and mechanical settings. 

Cold water pressure washer

On the other hand, a cold water pressure washer is better for when you’re cleaning a lot of temperature-sensitive materials, like woods or plastics. Comparing cold water vs hot water pressure washers, cold water pressure washers are better for residential jobs, like a home cleaning service, rather than for industrial jobs. 

Gas pressure washer

For a high-powered industrial cleaning solution, gas pressure washers are a portable and durable option for businesses. Great for a variety of uses, either residential or commercial, gas pressure washers can oftentimes be heavier and noisier than their electric counterparts, and require a skilled laborer to operate them properly. 

Electric pressure washer

If your business is considering gas vs electric pressure washers, you should know that electric pressure washers are a quieter solution that are still high-powered, though not as portable as a gas model since it needs to be plugged in to function. Electric models tend to require less maintenance than gas pressure washers, and are often cheaper. 

Finding the right trailer

After you’ve decided which pressure washer will be needed for your line of work, you will need to find the actual trailer to place the washer on so it can be mobile. The pressure washer you selected could dictate how big of a trailer you’ll need. Plus, you’ll want to make sure your trailer has eye hooks or railings so you can strap down all your equipment and keep it in place, or you may need to weld some of these elements on to be effective. 

Keep in mind that when building a pressure washer trailer, you’ll need enough space for the washer, a large water tank, and extra fuel storage, in addition to any other accessories or chemicals you’ll need to operate. So, measure out how big of a trailer you’ll need, and either use one you already own in those dimensions or buy a new or used one as a base for your pressure washer trailer. 

What other accessories are necessary?

Lastly, in order to complete your pressure washer trailer you’ll need to gather some additional accessories. Each business will have different needs based on what they’ll use the pressure washer trailer for, but in general, everyone will need to purchase large tanks of water and gas to keep operating all day long.

In addition, you will want to consider buying a longer hose of a couple hundred feet, in addition to any extra nozzles or wands you’ll need to perform your washing jobs effectively. Plus, some companies may use specific soaps or chemicals with their pressure washer, so make sure you have enough storage space for these additional supplies. 

Above all, you’ll need to use quality straps or chords to keep everything in place on your trailer. You’re spending good money on the equipment and supplies on your pressure washer trailer, so you’ll want to make sure that nothing will fall off or get damaged when traveling from job to job. 

Want To Keep Things Simple? Rent or Buy A Pressure Washer Trailer at Hotsy!

There is a reason people prefer to rent and buy over building their own pressure washer trailers. To begin, building a pressure washer trailer on your own is complicated and can end up being just as expensive in the long run. And when it comes to cleaning power for your business–you need the best of the best. So, investing in the best commercial pressure washer can help you save valuable time, and can make your cleaning solutions more efficient.

That’s why you should stick with commercial pressure washer trailers from Hotsy. If you don’t think you need to buy one outright, you can even check out our commercial pressure washer rental service! With decades of experience, we have the expertise to provide you with the most quality industrial cleaning solutions out there.

Take the 1265SS or 1290SS Trailer Unit Pressure Washing Systems, for instance. These are high-powered models that can help you take your cleaning solutions on the go. Powered by fuel, these trailers both give you the option for a hot water pressure wash at any time, and are self-contained with both water and fuel supplies on the trailers. 

For even bigger jobs, consider the 1265SSD model which supports dual wands for two separate operators to work at the same time. With 6-8 hours of run-time powered by diesel and a large water tank, you can pressure wash all day without losing power. 

How To Build a Pressure Washer Trailer: Wrapping Things Up

Taking all these points into consideration, having a pressure washer trailer for your business can be highly valuable no matter what industry you operate in. So whether you want to rent or buy one or learn how to build a pressure washer trailer for yourself, it can be an effective way to take your cleaning solutions on the go and boost efficiency. 

Even though you may consider building your own from scratch, it can easily become complicated and provide you with lackluster results. You don’t want to spend all the money trying to build it yourself just to end up buying or renting one in the end–so many often determine that purchasing or renting a pressure washer trailer from the beginning is the smarter option. 

So if you’re looking for the best pressure washer trailer on the market today, Hotsy has the #1 selection of commercial pressure washers online