The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Making a Stovebolt Bed Anyone ever tongue and groove???

I just went to the store and bought the oak and bolts to put wood in my rig. As I was lining the wood up on the cart it looked really good put together side to side(kind of like wood flooring). Then I thought why not tongue and groove it and bolt it right to the sills. Anyone ever done this or is it not the right thing to do. I am a little concerned about wood expansion and contraction. Is that why the strips are there? Help me decide please!

Yes, that is why the strips are there, plus to let the water seep out. If the tongue and groove would warp it would or could pop upwards and crack the tongue. The wood needs to move as moisture is added or taken away. The strips also let air get in between boards to dry them out. That is why it is also important to seal the edges of the boards. But I am sure someone has tried the tongue and groove method, maybe it will work for awhile, but in the long run I personally wouldn't use it. I have some photos on my site of the purpleheart and cherry boards that I milled and put in our 53. Check it out on the link at the bottom, Coach Frank

I even wondered about not tongue and groving. Just put the boards next to each other. There are enough sills close enough together that I dont think there would be a warpage or alighnment problem. There would be a slight air gap also. Even considered dowling in between sills with stainless rod I have lying around. Just brainstorming here. I really like the dance floor look. Really clean. By the way I love the purple heart and cherry wood in your bed Coach-Frank. Looks good.

I did it once a long time ago and it worked. I think I may have added a couple rails under the bed for more support. I counter sunk carriage bolts to hold it down. I sold the truck about a year later and had no problems with movement or warpage during that time.

yes the skids are there for a real good reason, GM wouldn't have wasted the money on them otherwise - the T&G works fine until the finish on the wood starts to fail from weathering, usage scratches, and age, then the boards start curling ... the only reason to not use the skids is to do it cheaper, in which case plywood will last longer

Bill

Well I did it. I put boards side by side and stove bolted with 1/4 galvanized bolts 1" from the edges. It took alot of bolts but it was fun and it looks great. I tung oiled it today. It should last as long as I own the truck. It sure will get more oil on it in the future from some stuff I will carry(engines and trannys) I'm sure. I think by not tungue and groving, it will allow the boards to move and flex as needed and allow it to dry in between the boards. It might leak a little sand if I carry a load of it, but thats the least of my worrys. Thanks for all the input on this. Ya'll were very helpfull as usual.

I think it's a bad idea.

Wood is a natural material, and it will move with the seasons and moisture changes. You can only seal it so much, it will still move.

The original metal strips were there to allow the wood to expand and contract without being confined and causing problems.

What ever you do you have to account for the movement, as you can't stop it. If the wood is dead green edge to edge and tight may work, as it will only shrink and create gaps, will never get back to completely full of watter, unless you park it in the swimming pool

If the wood is well dried, either kiln or air, you will need to leave gaps between the boards, tongue and groves or not, they need room as they will pick up moisture, unless you never remove it from your air conditioned garage

I recently bought a truck that lived in Arizona for 40 years, and CA for one. The truck had a nice teak tongue and grove floor inside a steel framed flat bed. upon arrival to VA, where we actually have humidity in the air, the floor expanded, and buckled and cupped, almost as I watched over a week or two. That nice floor, made of very nice wood, suddenly looked like crap.
The solution would have been to allow more space for the boards to grow on the original installation.
Or to leave it in AZ where it would stay dry.
Or if I had recognized the problem in time and done something about it I could have removed it, re-milled it with more space between the boards, and reinstalled it.

Grigg

I would have to agree with Grigg, trying to keep wood from expanding is an impossible task. Unless you never get water on it, or temp. change, it will move. Either at the seams, or at the bolts.

i agree about Coach-Frank's bed

Thanks!! Coach Frank

What kind of wood did you use on this project ...some are worse than others for expansion due to water and humidity?