As I finish the bed of my 39 (1.5 ton) truck with 4/4 red oak, now the question is, what is the best oil/preservative that I can use that will prevent mold and rot? I do not want to deal with high maintenance (varnishes) so I figure a rag with some type of oil would be best for my needs... Any recommendations?
I live in Fl. and the truck will be sitting outside under a tent...I have found multiple options, but cannot get clear answers..
1- Boiled linseed oil with Turpentine 50/50.. 2- Tung oil without thinners 3- Danish oil 4- Mix Tung oil, spar varnish, mineral spirits, though cannot find proportions 5- Mix linseed oil, pine tar, turpentine, Japan dryer... Same, cannot find exact proportions 6- Teak Oil 7- Messmers U.V. Plus for hardwood decks...
I like the linseed oil but others will have their preference....perhaps due to location.
No matter what you use be sure to soak the ends very well. A friend of mine long ago told me to stand the boards in a bucket of what ever preservative you use and let it soak overnight. Most problems start on the ends and start cracking and turning black. ......I do put a coat of Spar Varnish on it as it will expand/contract a little without cracking and letting moisture in.
Oops, I just noticed you have already installed....but recommends are the same.
Here are some shots of a 41 Ford 1.5T we replaced all the wood with red oak. Wood is from local trees and sawed at a local saw mill. Planed to dimension and sanded with 220 before applying multiple coats of linseed oil. Not as shiny as urethane but hopefully will hold up better.
Very nice job on the truck... A friend of mine also suggested mixing the boiled linseed oil 50/50 with turpentine and applying at least 3 coats the first day, then once a day for a week and finally, once a week for a month for full saturation...
I can’t say what will work best, but I can speak to proportions on one of the mixes....
For the spar/ linseed/ mineral spirits thing, at least as it pertains to use in other types of woodworking projects....the customary mix is roughly 1/3 each. There’s plenty of room for modification of that recipe, it will just impact the level of protection, penetration, dry time, etc. You can also play around with adding oil based pigment (such as oil paint from hobby store). In my limited experience, a little bit of pigment goes a very long way.
Red oak is pretty porous and prone to rot, but lots of folks use it for beds. I like Alvin’s suggestion of treating the ends VERY well.
A couple other thoughts:
1) I assume the sawmill wood was stored and dried for adequate time before dimensioning it down for the bed boards?
2) Would be a very unique look, perhaps not your thing, but if you’re looking for even more protection....do a web search for “Shou Sugi Ban.” Basically ancient Japanese method of charring wood to preserve it. Wood can apparently last centuries when it’s charred this way.
I use a penetrating epoxy used by boat builders to seal the wood. It’s flexible so it doesn’t crack. I is also not UV tolerant so it needs to be top coated with something. I use an industrial enamel from PPG called. ALK 200 for that. I Then sanded it for effect and then sealed it with a UV protection coating. The epoxy comes from Jamestown Distributors.
Mike
1940 Chevy 1/2 Ton presently... Almost done 1940 Chevy Business Coupe... In pieces
Darn! I just cut up a pile of rough sawn red oak for firewood today. All 1 inch+ thick, 6 to 9 feet long, and from 8 to 12 inches wide. We are cleaning out an old barn that my wife inherited from her grandfather. Still have another trailer load to cut up for the wood furnace. If you don’t believe me, I’ll take some pictures tomorrow.
Don
Last edited by 2-Ton; 02/11/202211:03 PM.
1967 GMC 9500 Fire Ladder Truck "The Flag Pole" In the Stovebolt Gallery 1946 2-Ton grain truck 1946 3/4-ton pickup, 1953 1-ton pickup 1957 1-ton flatbed dually, 1954 Pontiac Straight Eight Of all the things I've lost in my life, I miss my mind the most!
Wow, around here that wood (even though is the wrong wood for a bed/deck) costs about $1500.00 Yet, a shame that it cannot be used inside somewhere for flooring or some other project...
Around here, the red oak is far more plentiful than white oak. When we do lot clearing, only the white oak gets save for cutting into mill logs. We send the red oak (along with the other "junk" wood) to the disposal area. With all the red oaks dying from the "Sudden Oak Death" about all you can do with it is firewood. It is a shame. But its not worth taking to the mill.
~ John
A kid raised on Hotwheels, Matchbox and Tonka cannot be reasonably expected to own only one vehicle as an adult.
1949 Chevrolet 3804 In the Legacy Gallery | In the Gallery Forum 1973 IH 1310 Dump 1963 Kaiser M38A1 2001 International/AmTran RE3000 "Skoolie" 2014 Ford E-350 4x4 (Quigley)
