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After searching I was unable to find any references to this product as a bed floor. I have looked at it in the store and believe the color is a good match for my fenders. I'm thinking with body painted retainer ribs, these might make a unique and interesting bed.
My set of bed boards came in at a full 6 inches wide. The engineered lumber is cut to 5 and a 1/2 inches wide, which might mess up your overall width. I think the engineered is a great idea though. I was going to try it but I was scared of the difference in the width of the boards. If you do get it to work please put a picture up. I really want to see what it looks like compared to real wood. I have red oak and the sun has already damaged my wood in just a year.
I put some second hand trex deck in my bed. My truck is not nearly as nice as yours but with this bed I'm not afraid to use it or leave it out in the rain.
2nd hand Trex Decking that I got from a friend for free.
Composite decking expands significantly more than wood from heat, and unlike wood it expands in width AND length, so make sure you leave room for the expansion. Leave space between and around the planks, drill fastener holes oversized and don't tighten past just snug. Also unlike wood the composite holds the heat when exposed to the sun and can get uncomfortably hot. I've seen complaints from people in the south that their composite decks got too hot to walk, sit, or lay on with bare skin.
das, that's not bad. Do you have any expansion issues, as AX was mentioning?
AX, I have heard of the multidirectional expansion but never as a negative in the terms you imply. I have to assume also, if the boards expand that much, they probably contract a similar amount in the cold. I'm sure the heat thing is much like the painted deck I have. Some times it is almost too much to touch.
I'm thinking, if I can find just the right bit for my router, this should be at least no worse then installing a natural wood, from scratch, bed.
I think, like das did, I would only have to cut the two outside boards lengthwise. I would rout the boards, lay out the bed, on the garage floor, strips and all and the measurement across the boards should tell me how much to remove from the two on the outside edge.
It may be a month or so as the new wiring and 12 volt conversion have priority.
Thanks for the encouragement.
Yes, it contracts more too, but shrinking will not cause pressure against the neighboring boards, fasteners, bed sides and/or front and back panels. The only "negative" is allowing for that extra expansion and contraction. I have no personal experience but it is supposed to machine similar to hardwood, but without the chipping or tear out you might get with wood. I'd use a carbide router bit. (why would it require something other than a common rabbeting bit, you don't need to allow for water drainage?
I've got composite decking for a 26x14 deck off the back of my house. I expands and contracts waaaaaay more than the cedar boards I had previously. I used hidden fasteners and on a few hot days (excess of 95 degrees) the boards expanded enough to put fair amounts of pressure on those fasteners.
Also, they soften a ton in the heat. When you walk on the deck on a hot day any steps inbetween support joists you really feel the composite boards give. Enough that I wish I had gone 12" oc vs 16" oc with my support structure.
Yes, AX, that's exactly the negative I was talking about. I suppose cutting and extra 1/8 inch on all sides of all the boards would do it. That's where I might be concerned about the contraction. Would it be enough to pull the board from under the side rail or pop one off one of the retainer strips. But, since I am a long way from anything called a wood worker, I may have to consult with some friends about the routing bit and sizes.
emay, the softening is another issue I hadn't been aware of. Not that I think it should present an issue. Of course, the mounting cross members are further apart than any standard stud distance. I'm sure setting in the hot sun at a show would make for some interesting "character" to the slats!!
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This stuff just might work. You will have to be pretty precise on the edges you goove in for your metal bed strips
