Wooden bed

[morgy83]

has anyone else restain their wood bed? I tried to let a little of the old father stain in to give it a distressed look. Still not sure how I feel about it. Finished product is the bottom pick.

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[DoubleDingo]

Only thing I can recommend is sealing the bottom too to keep it from cupping. I didn't redo it, but it's only a few years old at this point. The PO sealed the top-side only and now the boards are cupped with the rounded part facing up. It's either from not being sealed on both sides or they used the wrong wood.

 

[DoubleDingo]

I think they were black from the factory. I've never seen one that didn't have the black paint or stain rubbed off down to the wood from years of use, so I am only going off of stuff I've read.

 

[bucket]

It's my understanding that they were painted body color when new.

Mine has been replaced at some point with custom fit wood planks. I don't think it was stained or sealed, it's looks well used on top, but the underside still looks great.

I think it looks good in the above pictures.

 

[HotRodPC]

I like it. I'd just put some good sealer on both bottom and top. Maybe even a thick coat of glossy clear. If not on the top, at leasst the bottom. Noone will see it under there, but the more the better to protect it from road water.

 

[morgy83]

I like it. I'd just put some good sealer on both bottom and top. Maybe even a thick coat of glossy clear. If not on the top, at leasst the bottom. Noone will see it under there, but the more the better to protect it from road water.

That’s why he read it in the first place. Somebody put a sealer of some sort on top and it was bubbling up. I sanded it down and started all over and just did a stain this time. I’m hoping it holds up for a couple years at least.

 

[HotRodPC]

That’s why he read it in the first place. Somebody put a sealer of some sort on top and it was bubbling up. I sanded it down and started all over and just did a stain this time. I’m hoping it holds up for a couple years at least.

I think I'd still seal it. Never know what product the last guy used. The product you use might be better.

 

[Super-Dave]

Once the wood has cupped, the only way to remove it is to joint the high side and plane the other side. But you end up with wood that is too thin for your bed.

To avoid cupping, assuming the wood is flat to begin with, you MUST put the same number of clear coats on BOTH sides. If you don't, the difference in the tension from the cured clear coats will cup the flat wood.

Moisture content in green vs. dry wood is also an issue, as is the type of cut (grain direction) on the boards (flat sawn vs. quarter sawn). Quarter sawn has far less shrinkage and dimensional changes as flat sawn.

Back to your regularly scheduled programming...

 

[DoubleDingo]

Once the wood has cupped, the only way to remove it is to joint the high side and plane the other side. But you end up with wood that is too thin for your bed.

To avoid cupping, assuming the wood is flat to begin with, you MUST put the same number of clear coats on BOTH sides. If you don't, the difference in the tension from the cured clear coats will cup the flat wood.

Moisture content in green vs. dry wood is also an issue, as is the type of cut (grain direction) on the boards (flat sawn vs. quarter sawn). Quarter sawn has far less shrinkage and dimensional changes as flat sawn.

Back to your regularly scheduled programming...

Wish I'd known what he did before the first rains hit it, then I could have sealed the bottom at least so it would minimize or eliminate the cupping. For mine it will be a complete remove and replace, but will be finding wood with the right grain and sealing the boards on all surfaces including the end grain.

 

[morgy83]

Here is a before and after pic.

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[Keith Seymore]

They were body color; the same paint as the cab and box sides was applied to the wood.

K