Wood bed installation

[OregonNed]

Looks nice. Is that black or just really darkly stained?

[flintnoid]

Dark wallnut ..minwax

[bs46488]

I just cut up some flame birch wood this weekend for my truck. Once its stained, the flame and grain really pop.

[OregonNed]

Indeed it will! Please share progress on your work, too!

[OregonNed]

Third coat of many laid down this last weekend

[OregonNed]

While the bed wood gets its last coats of finish, we are sanding the inner box for repainting. Two more coats of finish, I believe.

[davepl]

Mar-K. I post it only to point out "This is semi-gloss" and to recommend semi or low gloss, rather than a high gloss. Of course it's 100% personal preference, I just found it looked better in a lower gloss.

[Mator]

I used the dimensions from GMC Paul's and the Mar-K assembly instructions. Here is mine, 4/4 Walnut planned, sanded and finished from raw mill planks.

[OregonNed]

Looking good guys. I used Epiphanes brand for its U/V blocking capabilities, (I'm sure others are just as good), but it will definitely be a high gloss finish.

[mike16]

Hmm? I was never able to get any synthetic finish to stick to a oil based stained board. Your initial pictures represent the problems when we try that. Epithanes cause similar problems. Its a real pain to sand off and refinish wood every time the clear coat starts peaing. and once that starts it must be sanded down to wood or it peals again, and again, and again.

best bet is to go with best quality oil based stain, and then use Linseed oil. and every year touch it up with stain as needed and then cover it with more linseed oil. I quart qill cover completely an 8 foot bed.

This is what the factory did pretty much and with good reason. British warships of the sail era did this as well (covered thire chevy truck beds with linseed oil). And thier ships lasted 100 to 150 years. Plus.... if ever you got splinters in you from linseed oil treated wood, it did not become infected.

Very difficult to get synthetic spar varnish to stick to an oil base stained wood. Storing the truck inside never seemed to help.

if your intent upon a synthetic spar varnish, make sure the underlieing stain is compatible. And be prepared to be stuck with what ya got. once the varnish is on, no more tinting or adjusting the finish, No spot painting either.

Tung oil works too but real Tung oil is pricey and most crap on the market is a mixture of oils and some type of varnish. Look to wood furniture, gun stock and boat restoration refferences for what workes. Take your time here because a bit of homework and some patience pays divedens way down the road.

those guys who do Woodies know what I'm taking about. check out the pics on a few of thier web sites. Beautiful wood stain and varnish. but they too get serviced at least every year.

[OregonNed]

Originally Posted by mike16

Hmm? I was never able to get any synthetic finish to stick to a oil based stained board. Your initial pictures represent the problems when we try that. Epithanes cause similar problems. Its a real pain to sand off and refinish wood every time the clear coat starts peaing. and once that starts it must be sanded down to wood or it peals again, and again, and again.

best bet is to go with best quality oil based stain, and then use Linseed oil. and every year touch it up with stain as needed and then cover it with more linseed oil. I quart qill cover completely an 8 foot bed.

This is what the factory did pretty much and with good reason. British warships of the sail era did this as well (covered thire chevy truck beds with linseed oil). And thier ships lasted 100 to 150 years. Plus.... if ever you got splinters in you from linseed oil treated wood, it did not become infected.

Very difficult to get synthetic spar varnish to stick to an oil base stained wood. Storing the truck inside never seemed to help.

if your intent upon a synthetic spar varnish, make sure the underlieing stain is compatible. And be prepared to be stuck with what ya got. once the varnish is on, no more tinting or adjusting the finish, No spot painting either.

Tung oil works too but real Tung oil is pricey and most crap on the market is a mixture of oils and some type of varnish. Look to wood furniture, gun stock and boat restoration refferences for what workes. Take your time here because a bit of homework and some patience pays divedens way down the road.

those guys who do Woodies know what I'm taking about. check out the pics on a few of thier web sites. Beautiful wood stain and varnish. but they too get serviced at least every year.

I'm not sure if this is directed to my project, but we used a water-soluble dye to stain. My woodworking friend has used it for years on projects and it has held up well.
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[screaminchevypickup]

Bamboo

[Z10]

Originally Posted by screaminchevypickup

Bamboo

This looks great! Tell us more about the process to get that finish?

[OregonNed]

Wow that's different!

[frenchy51]

Originally Posted by kodiakjoey

Just lay your boards out the way you want them.Cut some groves for the strips and drill your cross rails.Attachment 1393653

Attachment 1393654

That looks like manufactured decking? Seems like a good rugged alternative for a truck that gets used. Does anyone offer a kit? I'm not much of a wood worker...

[Rich69shortfleet]

Originally Posted by frenchy51

That looks like manufactured decking? Seems like a good rugged alternative for a truck that gets used. Does anyone offer a kit? I'm not much of a wood worker...

All kinds of kits are available. This guy is my personal favorite, a real woodworker (does more than just truck beds).

http://www.horkeyswoodandparts.com/

[mike16]

Originally Posted by OregonNed

I'm not sure if this is directed to my project, but we used a water-soluble dye to stain. My woodworking friend has used it for years on projects and it has held up well.
Posted via Mobile Device

I forgot all about the water soluble stain. Its the oil based stain I was refferening to. The water based stain works well with the spar varnish. I have no idea about longevity. Compatability between stain and varnish is important.

[Hellbent]

Great info in this thread. I would love nothing more than to be posting pictures of my wood. That would mean that I'm just about done...and no, not even close...

[OregonNed]

His 9th coat applied

[OregonNed]

Painting done and ready for the bed install.

[OregonNed]

Building the bed next weekend... finished the front end today....

[OregonNed]

With the great help of my friend Justin we put the bed back together this morning. All ready for the wood decking tomorrow morning. Its finally all coming together!

[OregonNed]

Bed finally finished. I'll add photos of the build soon

[Ruscal]

Great work! Looks bee U tiful.
Russ

[bedwoodandparts]

check out bedwoodandparts.com