Stepside wood opinions?

[GMC_Nick]

Hey guys I'm cutting my own wood for my stepside and I can't figure out what I should do with the straps that go in the center. I can't decide whether or not I want to run the strips above the wood or flush with the wood. I can do either but I'm using a black walnut because I got a pretty good deal on it. It's still gonna haul and take trips to the dump. I'd rather replace the straps than have to ruin and replace the wood but I'm worried about it looking strange with the straps raised above the wood. Anyone here with a stepside cut their own wood before and what did you do with it? Does it matter structurally?

 

[HotWheelsBurban]

IIRC the factory boards are routed with a groove on the edges where the straps/separators sit. This allows them to not stick up as much, so your loads(or feet) don't catch on them. If they stick up, it'll let you slide large loads in and out on them(like I do on the ribs in my crew cab's bedliner). But you will have to watch out for them when in the bed.

 

[Rhinos74]

We just finished up our wood bed and went with the routed edge to bring the rails down flush. I think it turned out well. That Black Walnut will be as hard as our Wenge to router.

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[GMC_Nick]

Nothing is bolted in or cut yet just got the rough cut lumber tossed in the bed to get an idea what I'm working with, so It'll darken up after it gets coated. I know this stuff is some hard wood to work with and I planned on using a table saw to hog out the groves for the strips because I don't own a router table. This is very much a backyard build and I'm thinking I'm gonna save myself a lot of headache trying to get these boards grooved out right but I do like the look of the flush strips

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[jkrom]

We just finished up our wood bed and went with the routed edge to bring the rails down flush. I think it turned out well. That Black Walnut will be as hard as our Wenge to router.

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gorgeous!