Maple For Truck Bed

[RecklessWOT]

White oak would be great, nice sturdy and looks good too. But wait, didn't you already say you had cedar? Why wouldn't you just use that? Cedar literally doesn't rot, doesn't even need to be treated. And it looks awesome too

 

[Grit dog]

Mr. Aaron,
Thanks for that.
What I thought to be maple turned out to be cedar anyway.
Seems to me that I have seen some rough sawn cypress from sunken logs on FB somewhere.
I have a planer, so rough is no problem.
I have some red grandis' which is a eucalyptus that would work really well, but it is on oy 4"11" long........too short...GRRRR

Dude call up ole Shelby from Swamp men or Ax men whatever it was. Him n Piss Willy could dredge ya up some GOOD cypress! Lol

 

[Grit dog]

Personally I’d go oak or some other very hard wood. If you plan on using it at all as a truck bed. Softer woods will dent and scratch much easier.
If you’re just after light colored tight grain and lasts forever, Alaskan Yellow cedar (also a cypress) is durable cheap and easy to find clear boards.
For looks I’d stick with something oak/walnut/hickory if you are going for show.

 

[Shorty81]

Should I coat both sides prior to fastening the wood down??

It would not hurt to give the bottom and sides a coat. Then coat the top every year or two. I have an old flat deck wagon that I rebuilt 35 years ago using rough sawn white oak. I routed the tongue and grove on the deck. It has hauled firewood, mulch, slab lumber, etc. It's been kept inside but suffered it's share of pop up rain storms. It gets a slather of boiled linseed every3-4 years. Looks like new still.

 

[Ronno6]

I think the white oak deal is gonna get the nod.
Will be rough sewn so a bunch of cranking on the planer is in the cards.
I may add some color to the BLS oil......
Then I have to do something to the metal seam strips.

 

[Ronno6]

I have ordered the white oak..dried and planed to thickness.

 

[Ronno6]

Is there a preference for quarter sawn vs. riff sawn?

 

[Shorty81]

Well, riff is premium cut, all cuts aim towards the center. Tons of waste but yields the straight grain of the wood. Great for high end work. Less chance of warping. I really don't do any of riff cutting. Once you get the white oak fastened down in your bed, it's probably not ever going to warp.

 

[Ronno6]

I have been told that what you described is actually quarter-sawn........so confused.....

 

[Ken B]

I have been following, And the BLS is probably how I am going to finish my oak. I like that you can just reapply as needed