Started my bed wood.

[arcticman]

Thanks

[Steeveedee]

When I pulled the plywood off my truck bed floor to replace it, the bed wood underneath was painted Hugger Orange. It's the original wood, I believe, because that plywood was laid down in '73 when my FiL had the camper shell installed. Just a data point.

[72c20customcamper]

Originally Posted by Steeveedee

When I pulled the plywood off my truck bed floor to replace it, the bed wood underneath was painted Hugger Orange. It's the original wood, I believe, because that plywood was laid down in '73 when my FiL had the camper shell installed. Just a data point.

Believe 68 and up the wood was painted body color. There was some saddle paint on the wood under the bed strips

[72c20customcamper]

This is what happens when you put your nuts and bolts in phosphorus acid.

[72c20customcamper]

Got it in epoxy primer. Debating on if I should take out the few small dents in the bedside. But that would entail doing the outside of the bed since it's a stepside its single wall.

Let this sit a few days then on to high build primer and some polyester glaze coats on the bodywork.

[72c20customcamper]

Tested some stain effects on the oak. Coated with BLO. I will use an exterior oil for the bed wood. The saddle paint was mixed with acetone . The iron oxide I made with white vinegar and steel wool. Not sure as of yet but I am leaning towards the ebony stain. I like the saddle but it's got a metallic look since theres metallic in the color

[arcticman]

I WOOD go with the ebony. what is saddle paint? leather stain or a local term for creosote?

[72c20customcamper]

Saddle fawn is the trucks color code 525. I bought a quart to do the bed sides. I just added a tiny amount of the color to acetone

[jocko]

Have you considered full strength saddle? Would look factory

[72c20customcamper]

Originally Posted by jocko

Have you considered full strength saddle? Would look factory

Yes I did at first. But I could have used any kind of wood then even #3 pine knots and all .
Yes it would look like it was when it was new but I can't cover up beautiful wood with solid color.
Would be Like having a Victoria secret's model in a snow suit.

[72c20customcamper]

Originally Posted by arcticman

Hello Mark,
I am also in the middle of rebuilding my bed floor (67 K15 swb wideside). Like you I decided to use white oak. I purchased 4/4 and and planed it down. and cut the channel for the slats. I purchased new slats and hardware from Classic heartbeat and had them powder coated flat black. Its my understanding the wood was originally black in color from the factory. what exactly they used is not clear. Most of what I have been able to read up on seems to be opinions and speculations. I believe GMC used Pine or Fur that was treated.

I wanted to keep the look as original as possible so I finished the wood with Minwax black stain and sealed it with Satin Helmsman Spar urethane (oil based).I sealed the bottom, sides, and end grain with 3 coats of thinly applied POR15 and 1 coat of POR15 flat black top coat. I also did my cross braces with the POR 15 and im very happy with the results It is a great product but needs to be applied per instruction (thin coats) and like everything else preperation is everything. Hopefully this will help with the stability of the wood.

If I had to do it over again I would not use White Oak for the following reasons.
1) very heavy wood, Its going to take 5 boys and a girl to lift this short bed.
2) The look Im going for really covers the beauty of the wood.
3) expensive wood althought you got yours at a great price.
4)Hard to work with compared to other wood. does not accept stains well. out gases. not very stable wood expands and contracts quite abit.I had my boards all cut to size sanded and ready to apply the finish. I left them to sit outside all winter.They were in a covered out building. Its very dry in the winter up here and all the boards cuped alot. When I brought them indoors this spring to refinish I left them to acclimate for a few weeks and they returned to original shape. Im hoping the POR15 on the endgrain will stop this from accuring.

anyway good luck hope it turns out to your liking Ive included a few pics. of my finished boards. I have not installed them because i can not decide if i want to refinish/ restore the truck to its original new condition or keep it original.

Don't think you have white oak. White oak is used extensively in outdoor furniture. It is highly resistant to moisture so it shouldn't cup. You may have pin oak not good for exterior exposure. Red is not good for moisture either. Could be your wood wasn't kiln dried?

Linky

https://www.wagnermeters.com/moistur...white-red-oak/

[72c20customcamper]

It just gets deeper and deeper. Doing the passenger bed side today. Had a few dents thought no big deal..... Well now I got the fender off because the bedside was bellied out. Smack it back and the dreaded oil drum sound . Had to heat shrink it before I could do any bodywork. Had to do it in front too. Something big and heavy must have slid into the passenger siderail .No dents in the rolls that strengthen the panel

[dondb]

Just did my bed with white oak and painted it with POR-15 and top coated with black paint. I was going to go with a dark linseed oil on the top (even bought it)....but started painting and just kept going. Not sure why but did??? I vote for the Iron Oxide

[ATTACH][/ATTACH]

[72c20customcamper]

painted the bed yesterday.