If you want to use wood strips, composite, aluminum or whatever without drilling holes in the running boards 3M makes a double sided trim tape, one of the ones with the red backing, that will last probably for as long as you own the truck. It is the same tape they use for adhering moldings, trim badges and other trim on modern cars.

If you ever want to take it off a little mineral spirits or goof off will remove the adhesive and presto, like it was never there....

 

I use step plates on both trucks and try to only step there. Yes they do require 4 holes each but these trucks are both former work trucks so holes have been drilled over the years in other places.

 

Here are our running boards painted with a bedliner product called Toff.

Ben in Austin
1950 F1

 

How are they holding up?

 

Hey Abe,
The bedliner is pretty much indestructible. It's been a few years now -
a little dirty but good to go.

Ben in Austin
1950 F1

 

I used the Raptor Urethane Bed Liner kit on my running boards. My boards were in rough shape.

underside of running board

after 30 hours on both boards of welding, cutting, fitting, stretching, and a little bit of icing. Then used Raptor spray liner.

 

I picked up a Raptor Black Urethane Spray-On Truck Bed Liner Kit off of amazon.


Got it Thursday and sprayed it on Friday. Really like how it turned out.

 

That looks good. I like how it has a dark gloss black look to it. I sprayed my short running boards on my F350 and am not happy. They are more of a light black dull color. I am contemplating painting them with gloss black or using some else like you did.

 

https://www.amazon.com/Traction-Abrasive-Leaving-Adhesive-Measuring/dp/B01LY7572N/ref=zg_bs_110761011_12?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=2JC7M639TB6T3W11SD4V

https://www.amazon.com/Traction-Abrasive-Leaving-Adhesive-Measuring/dp/B01LY7572N/ref=zg_bs_110761011_12?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=2JC7M639TB6T3W11SD4V

nti Slip Tape , High Traction,Strong Grip Abrasive , Not Easy Leaving Adhesive Residue , Indoor & Outdoor, with Measuring Tape (1" Width x 190" Long, Black)

 

Thanks for posting that Roger, I had been thinking about using that on my truck.

 

Another option could be the seadeck material to place on for shows. I wouldn't stick this to the running boards, unless they were the fiberglass ones, but you could just lay it on temporally. Quite a few colors and even a faux teak. This stuff holds up well in marine applications, lots of boats around here use it.

SeaDek Marine Products - Swim Platform Pads