Bed Wood

[57chevyman]

Hey guys.... what wood are you using in yours beds?
If I buy a bed kit from Mar-k, I should go for a bed wood kit ( wood, strips, and hardware)from them for the free shipping offer.

im seeing $330 for a pine kit vs $595 for oak.

[87Lowrider]

Give these guys a look; http://bedwoodandparts.com/

I met them last summer in Louisville at the Nationals.


Ken

[dbash]

How will you be using your bed?

Big durability difference between pine and oak if your sliding/hauling heavy stuff in it.

If its for show then it comes down to what wood grain/color you prefer. Wood stain can help make pine have more color but wood grain cannot be changed.

Whatever you do seal everything.... Wood beds often rot from the bottom up if not sealed on all four sides, ends, holes.

I have a red oak pre drilled with stainless strips from Brothers. The kit worked great and being pre drilled saved a ton of time and effort.

Good luck with yours.

[57chevyman]

Originally Posted by dbash

How will you be using your bed?

Big durability difference between pine and oak if your sliding/hauling heavy stuff in it.

If its for show then it comes down to what wood grain/color you prefer. Wood stain can help make pine have more color but wood grain cannot be changed.

Whatever you do seal everything.... Wood beds often rot from the bottom up if not sealed on all four sides, ends, holes.

I have a red oak pre drilled with stainless strips from Brothers. The kit worked great and being pre drilled saved a ton of time and effort.

Good luck with yours.

Thank you ! I love the look of your bed, that's exactly what I want. I won't be using it to haul anything. So that's called red oak ? What did you finish it with and how many coats ? If I don't need durability , can I get that look with pine ?

[fabguy]

Mine is red gum eucalyptus with just 5 coats of clear and buffed out

[dbash]

Prep of wood before and in between coats affects the finished product. You should google this process so you get the desired result.

In short, you wet the surface of the wood with a damp rag, this causes the grain to "raise" let the wood dry out (you will feel the raised grain at this point) once dry using a hand sanding block or electric orbital sander use 200 grit to knock off the raised grain.... Repeat this process using a higher number sand paper each time up to 400 grit. It seems like a lot of work but the first two or three coats of stain or clear will raise the grain too and its frustrating when you try to get it smooth between color or clear coats and you sand through the finish coats and it affects the finished look.

Once your done with the 400 grit sanding of the raw wood. Clean the wood of any sanding dust with a dry cloth (no compressed air..... You will blow crummy oily water all over your hard work.)

Now apply wood stain or wood clear coat in thin coats, sand with 400 grit or higher between each coat being very careful not to sand through the coat you just applied. Give it plenty of time to dry before sanding. I recommend a and
Nod sanding block. Don't be surprised if you still have some raising of the grain after the first two or three coats of wood stain or clear...... Its normal and good news because its a result of the material soaking into the wood and this is what gives it the durability and look you want.

Once your satisfied with the finish and the grain stops rising you can proceed to whatever clear protective coat you desire and there are hundreds of options available and many different opinions on what works and what does not.

My bed has three coats of wood clear coat and two coats of car paint clear coat applied by a professional in a paint booth with sanding done between all of the clear wood coats and the first car paint clear coat. All surfaces, sides, ends and holes received all of the same coats while the top surface received the most sanding attention the underside looks similar and I appreciate that its well protected all around.

You can put this nice of a coating on pine or any other wood just make sure pine or whatever wood you choose is what you want it to look like. Pine will never look like oak and vice versa. Its a matter of preference and the look you want.

Pine is a soft wood (less strength, durability and oak is a hard wood more strength, durability) the price difference is because oak is less plentiful and more difficult to mill into the shape of these bed wood kits.

My way is not the only way to have a great looking bed its the one I choose for me, I'm sure other options will be posted, there are beautiful beds out there with nothing more then linseed oil on them, completely different process. You do whatever is best for you.

Good luck and post some pics of your bed.

[dbash]

Originally Posted by fabguy

Mine is red gum eucalyptus with just 5 coats of clear and buffed out

Beautiful color truck bed color combo fab truck.

[dbash]

57chevyman, see how fabguy's choice of wood and clear coat goes with his truck color. I think its awesome. I wanted the dark grain of the oak to compliment my black paint and love red oak so I went that way. My point it its more then the cost of the naked wood its your chance to put some real personality into your rig.

You can get paint grade cargo strips and match your body paint too if you want.....

Do some research and have fun with it.

[fabguy]

Thank you very much dbash for the compliments.
One truck you can use but it's pretty tricky for a novice is taking a butane torch and lightly scorching the surface of the wood then sanding. It will deepen and accentuate the grain look. As I said it isn't easy but it can be done and completed for some nice effects. Then just prep, sand, stain or clear or both over it.
Just a thought for you.

[hsdropout]

I have been wondering how I am going to get the nuts on the bottom of the bolts in the support rail directly above my aluminum fuel tank. In the photos above (beautiful work, by the way) I see the black truck has the bolts but the maroon one does'nt.
So, apparently it is not impossible, but seems that way.
If I might ask, what is the trick?

[18tahoe]

Looks like we have the same setup for a tank, I fit the wood and made the hole for the gas fill tube then took it apart finished the wood. I took the gas tank out to do final assembly so that I could get all the hardware in place, was the only way I could see to do it, by the way I welded the nuts to the frame for the gas tank which made it possible.

Originally Posted by hsdropout

I have been wondering how I am going to get the nuts on the bottom of the bolts in the support rail directly above my aluminum fuel tank. In the photos above (beautiful work, by the way) I see the black truck has the bolts but the maroon one does'nt.
So, apparently it is not impossible, but seems that way.
If I might ask, what is the trick?

[fabguy]

Originally Posted by hsdropout

I have been wondering how I am going to get the nuts on the bottom of the bolts in the support rail directly above my aluminum fuel tank. In the photos above (beautiful work, by the way) I see the black truck has the bolts but the maroon one does'nt.
So, apparently it is not impossible, but seems that way.
If I might ask, what is the trick?

In the picture they weren't installed yet, although they are now. What I did was notch out the cross sill and re inforced it. It was a lil tight to get and tighten the nuts in place but wasn't extremely hard. Lol you better be a little flexible though.

[58CameoAZ]

This is just a FWIW, But you want to make sure you seal all 6
(SIX) Side's of the board! If you don't seal the entire board you will have moisture wick into the board and eventually lead to the board Cracking and warping!
again, just saying!
Allen

[57chevyman]

Originally Posted by fabguy

Mine is red gum eucalyptus with just 5 coats of clear and buffed out

Your bed looks awesome. did you cut the wood yourself, or is there a vendor that sells this wood in a wood kit ?

[57chevyman]

thank you dbash for all the useful info!

[gag1025]

I am going to be different in that I am using White Oak and smooth top hidden fasteners. I am actually saving a ton of money by purchasing the wood from a local hardwood store. The number of boards needed (they will rip to sizes needed) comes to $180. I will dado the slots as well. That will make the bed more special. I am thinking about using Sikkens clear.

[57chevyman]

im torn over what wood would look best in my truck. I plan to keep the blue paint,,,not sure exactly what paint...right now I have at least three different colors on the truck.... ill be matching the paint to whatever the dashboard is now. I really like the red wood, but not sure if it really goes with my truck color.... im thinking that a dark brownish oak like dbash's bed would look real good

[coralhead]

I used home cut walnut with mahagany stain.

[gag1025]

Looks great Coralhead.

[_Ogre]

gray bed ''wood'' would look nice on a light blue truck

[58CameoAZ]

Originally Posted by _Ogre

gray bed ''wood'' would look nice on a light blue truck

Ogre, is that a Composite Decking material you used,Like TREX?

[57chevyman]

Originally Posted by _Ogre

gray bed ''wood'' would look nice on a light blue truck

that does look nice !

[57chevyman]

I have a feeling I should have named this thread "let's see your wood"
keep the pictures coming !

[57chevyman]

some ideas

[_Ogre]

yes, truk's bed ''wood'' is trex
only comes in one width and few colors; 5.1'' wide, gray and brown

original finish for wood beds was black paint
look at any truck at any show that has a polyurethane finish in the bed
the edges and ends of the boards will have bubbles under the finish

this is why we don't polyurethane the wood siding on our homes, or our wood decks or the wood furniture on our decks
unless you always keep your truck in the garage and never get caught in the rain or a hot sun; all poly finishes will peel
even trex will eventually fade in the sun, except mine, which is always in the shade