Wood bed coating?
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Posting Guru
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From: East Coast
Wood bed coating?
I ordered new oak boards for my flareside. I still use my truck as a truck but I want it to look good. I'd like to do something nicer other than just paint them black again. Any tips on what to use on them?
pedant
Joined: Jan 2008
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From: EXTREME southwest CT
If I were you I wouldn't try to put any film forming finish on them if you still intend to use it 'as a truck'.
Polyurethane, varnish or epoxy will start to peel and get white underneath.
Rather, I would use something like Linseed oil or -if you want stain or color- use Watco oil. It comes in different shades.
Be sure to seal the end grain and all sides before you install your boards.
Try and saturate any mounting holes too.
This kind of finish is easy to maintain or repair, and since it is "in the wood" rather than on it, it will not peel.
Polyurethane, varnish or epoxy will start to peel and get white underneath.
Rather, I would use something like Linseed oil or -if you want stain or color- use Watco oil. It comes in different shades.
Be sure to seal the end grain and all sides before you install your boards.
Try and saturate any mounting holes too.
This kind of finish is easy to maintain or repair, and since it is "in the wood" rather than on it, it will not peel.
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Posting Guru
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From: East Coast
Thanks for the tips. I was looking at the Mar-K site where the wood came from reading their wood finishing tests. I'm even thinking about painting it again since that would probably be the most durable. I do keep the truck inside for the most part, but it will probably still see some bad weather.
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Linseed oil or danish oil are good ideas. Might also want to try a deck stain. I used a clear deck stain on oak bed on a grain truck and it still oxidized to a white gray color. Keep in mine you probably want to reapply a coating every couple of years... just like you should on non treated deck. Worst thing that affects the boards is sunlight. Poly coating will peal like said above unless you reapply often.
pedant
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 23,576
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From: EXTREME southwest CT
I've been on boats since birth, and in the building trades for 30+ years.
A working truck's bed is not some static display, like they show on the Mar-K website.
Spar varnish and UV inhibited epoxies are fine for brightwork, but still need to be maintained often.
If there is a chip, crack or flake it needs to be addressed ASAP.
Boat decks need to either be oiled or bleached and scoured often.
UV is the killer.
It breaks down the lignin in the wood and leaves the stringy cellulose fibers.
A truck bed won't see the extremes of a marine environment, but it will see a lot more abuse than bare feet and Topsiders.
Try a deck oil like Flood CWF-UV5.
Stay away from Sikkens products.
I guarantee you will need to re-apply an oil more often than annually.
Depending on the exposure, every few months... just a quick wipe and you're done.
Then again, how often would you wash & wax your truck?
A working truck's bed is not some static display, like they show on the Mar-K website.
Spar varnish and UV inhibited epoxies are fine for brightwork, but still need to be maintained often.
If there is a chip, crack or flake it needs to be addressed ASAP.
Boat decks need to either be oiled or bleached and scoured often.
UV is the killer.
It breaks down the lignin in the wood and leaves the stringy cellulose fibers.
A truck bed won't see the extremes of a marine environment, but it will see a lot more abuse than bare feet and Topsiders.
Try a deck oil like Flood CWF-UV5.
Stay away from Sikkens products.
I guarantee you will need to re-apply an oil more often than annually.
Depending on the exposure, every few months... just a quick wipe and you're done.
Then again, how often would you wash & wax your truck?
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Posting Guru
Joined: Jul 2002
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From: East Coast
I wash my truck close to weekly, wax it monthly, and it's kept inside. But again, I still use it as a truck and I probably won't be waxing the inside of the box. Do you think I'm better off just painting it?
pedant
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 23,576
Likes: 38
From: EXTREME southwest CT
I don't think you have to treat the bed wood weekly or even monthly.
Depending on where you are, maybe 2-3 times a year if you oiled it.
(after the initial multiple coats)
Seems a shame to cover that beautiful grain, and painting only seals the inevitable moisture IN, fostering rot.
Depending on where you are, maybe 2-3 times a year if you oiled it.
(after the initial multiple coats)
Seems a shame to cover that beautiful grain, and painting only seals the inevitable moisture IN, fostering rot.
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