Steel one's are expensive, not sure on fiberglass holding up, Anyone try building out of wood.

 

Fiberglass and have been on the truck since 1994 and yes I do stand on them

 

Here is a picture of a truck I saw with wood running boards:



I thought I saw on here fairly recently where someone had build wood running boards and put the rib strips on them and painted them. You couldn't tell they were wood...

 

Found it: https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...l#post15206899

 

A friend of mine has a 52 F1 stake bed that he built wood running boards for. Looks pretty good since it matches his bed sides.

I don't have any pics but he is chap52 on the ford barn.

 

if you want wood, go for it. i have fiberglass (5 years now). suitably supported you don't even know they are glass, stand on mine all the time.

 

I know a guy who has 2 treated lumber 2 x 10's bolted on as running boards. No further comment....... I agree with the fiberglass. They're plenty strong enough.

 

I originally bought steel running boards, but ordered smoothies by mistake. The quality and fit was excellent, but I returned them. They didn't even survive the shipping in well-padded boxes without getting a little dent in the flat surface. In use I'd bet they look like hell in no time. I elected to get fiberglas when I returned them, and fit is generally good except for the vertical part under the cab. It isn't supported and came with some waviness in them, not enough to bother me tho. They are absolutely plenty strong enough, and it's nice not to have to worry about rust or dings.

 

i bought my truck in 2002 and it had fiberglass running boards already on it and i know that the guy that ibought it from did not put them on so i dont know how old they are but they are great and i stand on them every time that i get in and out of the truck--mine are at least 15 years old and looking greaty

 

It seems like there was a post on here about 6 months or so ago where someone made some wooden running boards. I think they were coated with bedliner stuff. They ended up looking pretty much like stock boards.


I cant remember who it was though


I did a search....here is one set. Just keeping clicking through the pics;
https://www.ford-trucks.com/user_gal...177640&width=0
An old thread;
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/4...ng-boards.html
the gallery to go along with that thread;
https://www.ford-trucks.com/user_gal...?albumid=17348


But I can't seem to find the thread I was thinking of


good luck
Bobby

 

Thanks for responses, sounds like fiberglass is the way to go.