The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Making a Stovebolt Bed Satin, Semi-Gloss, or Gloss

personally, I wouldn't worry about it, but then I wouldn't use a high gloss varnish for a truck bed!

the design is partly to allow for expansion and contraction of the wood with humidity changes, and if the flat underside is pressing on the wood, then the wood will be 'sliding' against it, if the 'feet' press on it, then there'll be movement there instead, which is why you want to also make sure the stamped edge of those 'feet' is also smooth, so it can slide, rather than cut ... also why I'd recommend the back of the skids be well painted ... and note that the wood will be expanding/contracting up/down as well as side to side, the same as if the bolts were constantly being tightened and loosened

the primary reason those skids are there is to protect the face of the boards from cargo, and likley the wood under them was unfinished originally, the bed floor assembly being painted as a unit, especially the years when they were body color rather than black .... and a lot of beds still have sound wood 50-60 years later

you're concerned with preserving a nice glossy finish in a situation that was not designed to have that kind of finish, so you just hafta be prepared to refinish the "furniture quality" work as necessary, it won't last the same number of decades that the wood itself will, might not last even 2 or 3 depending on your climate exposure and use

Bill