Truck guys...need some wood bed advice...

i have a number of a guy in the woods of PA. who cuts his own trees and makes wood kits. he has red oak, and pine. the kit for my 53 dodge pickup was like $180 in red oak. if you are interested, p.m. me i can dig out his address. he sells to some of the company's that sell wood kits in their glossy catalogs for retail sales. cadillac dave

 

I will have to vote for Horkey's, nice fit and finish. If you want to protect the wood, use Thompson's water seal. If you want to have a finish that wont crack or peel, use Tung Oil. It's more work but worth the effort. USE A HARD WOOD NOT PINE!!

 

I made my own bedfloor out of red oak. Instead of using standard dimensions and number of boards I changed the number of boards to seven instead of eight. I did this so I could put the fill neck for my gas tank which I had moved to the back of the truck between the frame rails. Also instead of using the stainless steel runners I made my runners out of oak also. I rabbeted the main planks and set the runners down in them. It is a little different and I think it looks very good and is not the same as any one elses. I stained the wood with golden oak and varnished it with marine varnish. I did this on all sides of the wood.
Later,
Dick

 

I forgot to say my old truck is a 57 stepside and I will be at the HAMB Drags if that will help.
Later
Dick

 

3w..

1 vote for Morningwood..

I wouldnt use pine.. even if you wanted patina faster..

oak.. or ASH..

I think that ash will fade to grey faster..

 

Oak, Ash, or Maple. BTW, why would you not protect the wood? I understand the want for a patina look, but if you dont protect it, it will shrink and crack away if you dont protect it and youll be right back to it not holding the bed together in no time.

 

I agree with the Oak or Ash. I've done a couple of them. I use a light brown stain
so it doesn't show the yellowing of age and I like boiled linseed oil for finish. It can
be rubbed for desired shine or leave alone. Simple and effective. Do all edges etc
at assy. Can be easily redone from time to time
Ron

 

Mar K in Ok. City. Nice folks to deal with.

 

I'm a furniture maker and my out door furniture is made from white oak, red oak ans maple do not last in out door use. There are ships from the 1800's still in use made out of white oak.
As for a finish use a product made for saltwater marine aplications - that is probably the hashist condition next to our Minnesota winters.

jim h

 

Bruce Horkey has been doing this for a very long time, I always had good luck with his stuff.

 

Just through a damn sheet of steel in the bed and call it done.
Then you wont have to worry what you throw back there and it will look like the rest of the truck.

 

If ya really want it to look old, just throw down a sheet of plywood.....that's what a guy woulda done with a truck like that anyway.....

 

Yeah, LMC has all kinds of good stuff... and they're locals (to me)!

~Jason

 

I have pressure treated wood for my truck bed.
Been there for over 20 years now and I never had to refinish it.

Cut and install and forget about it....
Looks aged in no time and holds up better than any finish you can buy.
Great on trucks that don't shine.

 

Here is my 36' Chevy bed. I think I will use the oil method for the next one....


Got the strips from Mar-k. Great company to deal with.

 

Ya want aged? I got a disaster here.
This was red oak strip flooring. Finished with marine polyurethane. After the first winter I resanded and recoated. Then I stopped maintaining it. This is five years old.
The next floor will be pressure treated decking.

 

pine is not harder than oak. anywhere.

 

been working with wood for 30 plus years - try hickory - ax handles are made of it and it is extra strong . stains well and is durable - Just a thought - its what Im using for my dash dash and bed

 

Larry, What do you think of teak. It's by far the best looking and it will last. Thats just my O-pin yon

 

Hey larry,i put stainless strips and pine in mine,cheapest i could is chevy duty/classic trucks in kc mo.good quility and price was the best by far

 

Problem with any hardwood is that it moves like crazy in direct UV's and it doesn't come back, plus its heavy not to mention expensive. Pine is cheaper and usually easier to get. Stained, finished (straight penetrol works wonders for a budget wood final coat) pine will look pretty good and won't react as dramatically to sun as oak and especially mahogany, stay the hell away from that shit. If your hellbent on a dark hardwood look at ipe but I wouldn't recommend it either. Pine will be the best bang for buck...

 

Ah, ANOTHER local to me!

Why are they all so close?

~Jason