The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop paint or stain wood under the truck?

I stained and sealed the new wood bed on my 64 C10. Looks good!...Golden oak stain on oak wood.

Now how about under the truck? What do most guys do? Stain and finish or just satin black paint the wood?

I am trying to make this a show truck...so i thinking will probably get under there with brush in hand and stain it.

Your opinions appreciated!

Starrider

[ 01-27-2002: Message edited by: starrider88 ]

I plan to do the underneath on my Burb wood with Pelucid from POR15 (www.por15.com). It sounds like it'll do the trick.

If you are not that familiar with woodworking, one of the facts about wood is that it moves around with changes in humidity, based on it's exposure to air. So if you seal only one side of the wood, the side that you didn't seal will start moving around over time, because it is still exposed to the elements. Therefore, the wood that is sealed on one side only will eventually cup and warp. This is why so many people's wood decks fail within 5 years or so. So yes, you do want to seal both sides of the wood equally, so that your wood will have less of a tendency to warp and cup. It will also prolong the life of the wood because a sealant is a barrier to rot. If there is a complete barrier to moisture all around the wood, the tendency toward rot is severly retarded. The more moisture that wood is exposed to, the shorter the life of the wood.

Jimfred...i have read on this site that por15 is not to be sprayed but brushed on as it is toxic.

Vaughn...yes that makes sense...i plan to seal the bottom of the truck wood...just wanted to know what most guys do... whether they just sealed with some black colour seal or wood stain so as to see the grain of the wood?...if you are under the truck...lol!

One bodyman suggest undercoating the whole thing on the bottom...easy way. However i will most likely stain and seal it. Thanks for the info!

Starrider

Hey...Jimfred...nice Chevy car picture...I learned to drive on a 48 three speed on the column.

Starrider

Please refer back to my post to you some time ago on the same topic. Just staining or coloring the underside of the boards doesn't seal them. The pores of the wood are still open to the elements and as said in another post, will get wet, swell, warp, and rot. You need to seal all exposed edges and ends of the boards with varnish over the stain, or, you can paint with a good oil-based paint.

I did a "test" on the oak handles of my wheel-barrow with por-15 about 3 yrs ago.It gets stored outside and....WOW,hasn't peeled,flaked or anything.Even where the por ends and the wood is exposed.
Also, i've heard of people using something called valspar top and bottom.Think you can get it at home depo.

Texaholic2000...yes that was a very informative post and i did appreciate it very much. Was in K-mart the other day and after reading your post... they had these half gal. size cans of miniwax...golden oak stain and seal...so i pick up
the four that were left at 7 dollars each...thought it was cheap enough.

Do you think i bought enough...LOL!...will find other uses for it. Anyway back to the truck.

So i did the top side of the bed and the next day hit with a coat of varathane exterior...why varathane? Because i found an old can of it in the garage and it was still good...Just don't like to waste things i guess... Yes i remember and noted the varnish you recommended and will pick up the marine varnish and go over the varathane with it...if that will work.

Yes i understand both sides have to be well sealed
I guess perhaps i am not making myself clear...it just comes down to whether i should stain and seal the bottom wood of the truck so as it for asthetics looks better or looks and just painted with a good seal that is black in colour?

I think will stain it with the golden oak seal and hit with the marine varnish you recommended...how ever it is kind of cold to be crawing under the truck right now...when it warms up or if i can find a some garage that will let me use their lift rack...would be a lot easier...LOL!

On another note... i must say i really have pick up a lot of good tips and way of thinking about old trucks...such as it seems that most guys would rather keep a truck close to stock rather than "hack" it by putting in the more modern stuff where the drive train is concern...i find very interesting.

Starrider

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Hey Kicks.....thanks for the suggestion! Will check it out!

Starrider

A board has six sides...

The wood is best prefinished before installation so ALL the sides can be sealed. If you want you could put on the final coat once installed but I would just do it after test fitting.

Too late for you, but other people might benefit.

Well today was in the 50's degrees that is...so i got the truck out on the driveway and with paint brush in hand and goggles...proceeded to paint stain and seal the bottom of the bed. And hour and some ... and i am half way finished. Hope tomorrow will be warm enough to finish the job.

Looking at the chassis...not too bad...light rust.
I figure after i get the wood sealed i can hit the metal with naval jelly and a good steel brush...then satin black with zerorust or rustolium the frame and other parts with the same paint brush...LOL!!!

Called a couple of places to see if i could use their lift rack...same answer...no because of insurance.

Starrider