Is this a good price for wood?

[jorgensensc]

Hey all,
I think I'm going to try something a little different (yet the same) for the bed floor on the stepper. I went to check and found a Boat repair facility that has a sheet of 4 x 8 x 3/4" Mohagony marine grade plywood he had left over from a boat rebuild. He offered it to me for 125. He also offered me some long mohagony slats to use instead of the metal strips. I planned on securing the bed and then hiding the bolts that go to the crossmembers under the slats and varnishing them a different color. What do y'all think? Is 125.00 for the sheet a good price?
Shawn

[dave666693]

pressure treated regular 3/4" plywood here is $45/sheet. I'd say the $125 is a good price for Mahogany

[wibilly]

don't know about the plywood but i bought enough kiln dried #2 and better red oak s4s for less than $50 at a local mill and rabited for the slats myself this was for a long fleet

[myoldchevytruck]

Hey Shawn,

I checked with my Brother in law, he works in the biz down here in South FL. He said a regular sheet of marine grade 4x8x3/4 inch goes for about $80/$90 a sheet.

A true 4x8x3/4 inch Mahogany Marine Grade could go for 3-4 times that.

He also said that some exotic woods are a 1/4 inch laminants layovers.

If it's a true Mahogany Marine Grade, He said thats a great deal. Go for it. It will look really nice.

I was considering teak or mahogany because of the South Florida Heat. It is very expensive. There is Brazilian Hardwood Wood called Ipe. I heard it is extremely durable to the elements and is reasonably priced .

Good Luck.

Harry

p.s. I'm starting the blazer tank install from your thread this weekend.

[Sequoyah]

If you want a wood bed...I think solid is the way to go IMO. I have enough Brazilian Walnut (IPE) to do a stake body and to restore the original short/step bed. I can't wait! oh yeah....for the finish I was considering some teak oil (Watco). I'm not sure yet...like what was said towards the top, I like the idea of being able to sand and re-finish at will with little difficulty. Kinda like oiling wood furniture once or twice a year.

[Gray Ghost]

Teak Oil is a fabulous finish, but if you leave the bed uncovered you'll be re-doing it every single year. Polyurethane [Marine Spar Varnish] is a much better solution and can last 3-5 years in the same conditions.

As far as sanding down goes, you are right...much easier with the oil.

[special-K]

The problem I see is a 4x8 sheet will only work for between the wheelhouses and possibly a tad short front to back.That is a good price,though.

EDIT:I didn`t realize this was for a short stepper.Still not sureit`s wide enough.

[cdowns]

a good price but if i remember right a stepper bed is wider than 4feet/

[Gray Ghost]

Mahogany plywood goes for around $180 a sheet new here in the Dallas area. I have never heard of Marine Grade Mahogany, I can't imagine ruining plywood that nice with chemicals. Marine Grade is normally treated much like Southern Yellow Pine [the green stuff].

You can use the ply, but be very sure to seal the edges with several coats of Marine Spar Varnish as well as both sides of the ply. Only problem is you'll need two sheets....48" wide sheet, 50" wide bed.

Solid wood is ten times better. Ipe would work great and I even thought of doing bedwood kits with it since I use it in decking all the time. Only problem is that you can't get 1x8's anywhere for a reasonable price [glue-ups can be problematic outdoors].

When applying the Spar make sure there's very little dust in the air or you will have a very rough surface that can't be sanded out later.

[jorgensensc]

Originally Posted by cdowns

a good price but if i remember right a stepper bed is wider than 4feet/

I think you are correct, I think it is a little over 4'. I was considering splitting the sheet in half length wise in the middle and spreading it a little. The edges are covered by the angle strips, so I gain an inch there.. Can anyone measure a stepper width for me?
Shawn
Edit, Buffalo you beat me to it! You type faster than I do. I planned on using the mohagony strips in a similar way to the steel Bed strips, but just for decorative purposes, except in the middle where I split the wood. THink it will work?

[myoldchevytruck]

If mine is true, width looks like 50 inches

[special-K]

What makes wood "marine grade" is all about the adhesive and quality of wood.It doesn`t mean "treated".This plywood in the bed will have exposes laminate edges and that is where the grading makes a difference.
I,personally,would use an oil over a hard finish.I`d rather care for it annually than deal with all the effort involved in maintaining a hard finish.A hard finish loses it`s protection as soon as it is scratched deep enough.The sun plays havoc on it,too.Recoating requires overall sanding and feathering on lifted areas.It`s hard,once surface is interupted,to get the moisture back out and be sure you are working with what is stable as far as the finish goes.I`m a big fan of oils or at least a protective stain.I think I`m going to use a preservative on mine.Then thin out the body paint color and apply as a stain for something different.I kind of want my truck to look unrestored and just good and solid.
I like shiney hard surfaces on wood,too.Not trying to knock it,either.What ever you do will look good.
As far as the width...Without measuring,I`d say 50" may be doable(do-able?)since the side strips will likely cover the inch on each side.