C16 Fall plates

Hi there
A friend and I are building two D&RGW C16 Nos. 268 and 278 in 1.20.3 scale.
When working in larger scales you tend to pick up on detail.
What I notice in the plans and some pictures I have show a wooden planked deck on the engine end of the tender. Knowing the movement of the fall plate between the tender and engine can grind the edge of this plate razor sharp when used on a steel deck.
On a wooden deck this would wear it away very quickly. Also the coal shoveling would also be wearing the wooden deck. Would/should there be a steel plate on top to help stop the wearing of the wooden deck???
Thankyou all for your help
Michael