The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Making a Stovebolt Bed Wood bed

merry christmas.
I am sure this has been discussed a bunch, but I have used antique oak wood for my bed on my 53 half ton and had the polyurethene finish crack in less than a year's time... we keep the truck outside all the time . is there anything out there that really protects the wood with out cracking etc. this truck is kept at college and not in a garage...
just wondering if anyone knows of some finish for pine or oak that really works in the weather..
thanks for the responses...

Did you finish all sides including the ends? The most common cause of failure is moisture coming in from behind.

The best stuff to use is marine spar varnish in the latest formulation. Go to your local marine store and ask what to use on a wood boat deck, and then do that. It will be expensive but it will last. All finishes eventually crack but the marine can be repaired repeatedly by sanding and re-application.

A tonneau cover will protect it from the weather.

Also, park it on a slope when it rains so the water doesn't pool.

Oh, and oak is very porous. It need a penetrating finish to fill and seal the pores up or it wicks up moisture very fast.

As 4onthefloor said marine spar varnish is the way to go. Bruce Horkey sells marine spar and other products that are made specifically for finishing pickup bed wood.

http://www.horkeyswoodandparts.com/Chevy%20Wood%20Finishing%20Supplies.htm

I will try this finish.
thanks a lot.
have a great new year.
Jimmy

There are many types of Oak; some like red oak have open cells and will rot out fast exposed to weather, you should use white oak the same as they use for boats it is a closed cell wood. White oak is dencer any only takes a clear sealer to keep it from discoloring.

www.mar-k.com has been testing different coatings.

Who sells a tonneau cover for these trucks?

As far as I know, Gaylord's is the only decent one, but I have never owned one so I can't vouch for the quality. I am planning to lay one up out of aluminum and marine canvas for mine eventually, but that is a long way off.
http://www.gaylordslids.com/applic_trucklid.shtml

We have been testing some coatings that we hope will hold up better than marine spar varnish. http://www.mar-k.com/wood_finish_testing_ii.html I would be interested in learning experiences others have had with using similar coatings.

We will be posting the December update in a day or two. The ten samples have been continuously outdoors since July 05 and so far only one has failed.

Mar-Ktech

I used some Minwax Helmsman marine spar polyurethane, did not last 6 months, I was disappointed. Looked good till about May or so when the sun came out, & underneath it still looks new. I did recommended # coats etc., all sides after drilling. I am in a landlcked state & that was the "best" I could find, I have since learned some good stuff can be bought online, I was told McCloskey's Man-o-War was a good choice. brian

Brian:
We tested Man-O-War with the first series of tests last year and found no significant difference between it and Helmsman. After our first tests we quit recommending Helmsman and began searching for a better solution. That is why we are testing other finishes. Our testing experience indicates a single stage finish will not be as durable as two stage processes can be because of the deterioration from sunlight, as you have experienced. Smith & Co http://www.smithandcompany.org/ is one company that has a good technical section to provide more information on this subject. They sell products that are used on restoration and preserving boats and similar outdoor applications.

Mar-Ktech

I still have another truck bed to do so I am watching your test, I want something that will hold up. I ended up painting the wood on the topside, it has held up well. brian

Mar-Ktech,
Have you considered trying a sealer like the type used on Bars. Or a Fiberglass Epoxy resin like West System.

As is described in our recent test article, we are testing epoxy resins. Two types, in 4 or 5 of the samples. West is a well known epoxy for the marine applications, in addition to the two brands that we used. Epoxy is not suitable for a topcoat, but is used as a primer or sealer to provide strength and adhesion. Epoxy is not generally UV resistant by itself, and needs a topcoat to provide UV protection.

The December update to the wood finish tests will be up in a few days. It will provide more detail of the exact materials and procedures used in the test samples.

Mar-Ktech

I tried a method detailed by an old timer (imagine me calling someone an old timer!) to protect the original wood beds in his day. Linseed oil in the following routine, one a day for a week, once a week for a month, once a month for a year and once a year after that.

The original beds were of "hard pine" treated witha mixture of lampblack and linseed oil. The dark color helps to prevent damage from ultra-violet rays.

The bed in my 55 is orogonal, with some slight cracking (was stored unused for 22 years). I used the above treatment and it looks good for 50 years old.

About 25yrs ago, I used a mixture that worked real well..I forgot the ratio, but:
Boiled linseed oil
Turpentine
Polyurethane
1) Mix and apply to wood
2) Lightly steel wool after dry
3) Recoat and repeat above

The turpentine will evaporate, the linseed oil will penetrate to perserve the wood, and the polyurethane will seal the pores

After a few coats, you will have a nice finish, and know that the wood is well sealed..

The wood I did 25yrs ago still looks like it did when I finished it..

Just a thought...Shoop