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In 1999 I used white oak for my bed boards. By 2016 they were turning black and some were starting to split. When I bought a new bed for it in 2016 and repainted the truck I sanded down the tops and then painted them, top and bottom and sides with oil base meadow green. That's how they came from the factory but painted with body paint when they painted the beds. I figured if I scratch the paint I can easily touch it up.
I feel fortunate that I was able to use locally grown and locally cut and planed oak in my effie. I apologise for not cleaning the wood before posting. I routed the wood for the strips and applied seven coats of spar varnish. And that was 20 years ago and obviously the truck spends most of it's spare time inside.
I went the cheap route by using some barn wood that was salvaged off my barn that a big tree decided to destroy one night. Planed it down and made divider strips also out of the barn wood. My wife stained the dividers with a red stain for contrast.
It was finished on all sides with automotive clear urethane.
I went the cheap route by using some barn wood that was salvaged off my barn that a big tree decided to destroy one night. Planed it down and made divider strips also out of the barn wood. My wife stained the dividers with a red stain for contrast.
It was finished on all sides with automotive clear urethane.
With the amount of work you all put into the bed wood, I wouldn't call it the cheap route, maybe the custom route. Great work. Maybe you could enlighten us on the icon/emblem on the bed.
With the amount of work you all put into the bed wood, I wouldn't call it the cheap route, maybe the custom route. Great work. Maybe you could enlighten us on the icon/emblem on the bed.
Actually, you're looking at the gas fill cover. The shape on top is a flame pattern done in walnut. My friends that knew me in the 60'.s and 70's knew me for painting flames on custom motorcycles, so I'm still inclined to flame stuff even in wood.
There certainly are some beautiful wood beds on this thread.
I probably won’t get to my bed floor for about a year, but I think I’m going to use the aluminum planks. I’m going to use many of the pictures in this thread to decide which color and grain I want.
I only want to do this one time, so for me the aluminum seems like the way to go.
On my 56 F100 I went for broke and used white oak. It was cut and milled to the correct size and stained all the way around with an exterior marine spar varnish. It held up good for 5yrs but it has lost the topside protection and has turned gray. I can save it, but I dread the thought of resanding the tops of the boards. There are a bunch of stainless steel bolts and bed strips to fuss with. On my 64 F350 I went with locust boards. They are dry and stacked waiting to be milled for the bed. Locust gets harder as it ages and is rot restraint They still have to be planed to the proper thickness then coated with a stain. Locust when stained is multicolored. I also have to order bed strips, not sure if I want stainless or plain steel as it will be a work and play toy. It's going to haul the other toys hope fully in an enclosed trailer.
I had the same issue with my white oak bed wood, it was beautiful for about 5 years and started looking pretty ugly after 30 years. I power washed it and put a couple of coats of Thompsons Waterseal and i like it, it looks rustic and neat and clean
Ed
Watched a Mike Rowe show Dirty jobs about San Francisco Fire Dept using wood ladders and they finish with boiled Linseed oil and varnish
On gun stocks they use Boiled Linseed Oil or Pure Tung Oil. Pure Tung Oil is not the Tung Oil Finish you get from big box stores. You can get Pure Tung Oil from the Real Milk Paint Company.
Not sure if they are Mar-k. I am not that far away from Mid Fifty's so that's where I have done all my business. It's a couple of hours away so it's convenient. Diane and Jesse have treated me so good. Plus, I have been back in the warehouses and my jaw dropped.
I live close to LMC, but the bed wood they sell doesn’t have holes. I want wood with the holes except the four large bolt holes
