We are getting ready to replace our wood bed in our 64 long bed fleet. Anyone have an opinion on which wood would be better to use? We prefer a durable, long-lasting (maybe non-splintering?) wood that can withstand weather better than the other choice. Which one is better - Oak or Pine?
Just finished the bed of my truck in oak. It came out real nice! Although more expensive than the yellow pine I think that it should last longer. Good luck.
Oak is far harder than pine and will be much more durable. If you can afford it, Teak would be great. It is the wood most often used in marine environments. Beautiful wood and very durable and weather resistant. And it would be very unique to see it in a truck. JP
Oak will definitely hld up a lot better than pine. Oak is more expensive and is a harder wood so you will be spnding a little more time on your work but you won't have to replace the floor every ten years or so like you'd have to do with pine.
Oak is all those things and more. BUT, if you will be using this as ,, well a TRUCK, I would look at something less expensive. Birch is a good choice. White Pine is another good choice. It's paintable or will take a marine finish nicely. If you go with oak you will need to either use a cover or be ready to refinish it at least once a year to keep it looking good. If you are building a street cruiser/show truck,, OAK, If you want to use the truck or if the bed will remain exposed to the elements, go with something cheaper. DValentine
> Just finished the bed of my truck in oak. It came out real >nice! >Although more expensive than the yellow pine I think that it >should last longer. Good luck. Hi Enrique, Cool! You finished your bed. Did you put anything on the wood itself like a protectant or finish, or is the wood raw? We are torn between making the bed sweet on the eye as a show piece or simply as it was intended - to haul stuff. We've moved so much equipment with this truck, it has been a blessing. I was wondering if anyone puts water sealer or finishes on the wood. Looks like we are going to use Oak.
>Oak is all those things and more. BUT, if you will be using >this as ,, well a TRUCK, I would look at something less >expensive. Birch is a good choice. White Pine is another >good choice. It's paintable or will take a marine finish >nicely. > >If you go with oak you will need to either use a cover or be >ready to refinish it at least once a year to keep it looking >good. > >If you are building a street cruiser/show truck,, OAK, If >you want to use the truck or if the bed will remain exposed >to the elements, go with something cheaper. > >DValentine Thanks for the advice. It's something to think about, since our truck is exposed to the elements and is used to move items, bring toys to the desert, and used as a floor for our camping tent sometimes. Choices, Choices. Anything is better than what the bed is now - wood rot and painted black plywood covering it up. I swear those wood planks are fossilized. We got it that way and haven't had a chance to redo it. We'd like to use the truck the way it was intended, but down the road fix it up to be a show truck/street cruiser.
Hi I did the wood in a good quality varnish.Got the instructions from: 'How To Restore Your Chevrolet Pickup' by Tom Brownell. - Sand wood with 120 grit sandpaper. - 1st coat: Mix 1/2 qt. varnish to 1/2qt. thinner. Brush on. - Sand with 280 grit sandpaper. - 2nd coat: Same as first.(50% to 50%) - Sand - 3rd coat: 75% varnish to 25% thinner. Brush on. - Sand - 4th coat: 100% varnish. You won't believe your eyes! I got myself a carpet for the times that I will be carrying things in the back. I also have a camper on the bed, so the weather is not a problem. Good luck. It's been one heck of a project for me.
Don't know if youve made your choice yet, but I'm doing the same thing on my 65 longbed. I'm going with hard yellow pine. You can get the kits from our host or other suppliers and it doesn't cost much more than to buy wood and route out the grooves yourself. Yellow pine is what they mostly used to use. It's much more durable than white pine or other soft woods, and takes stain/sealer better than white. Oak is probably more durable, but more$ and not the original stuff. They used to paint the bed wood and strips black from factory on basic trucks. I plan to paint the bedstrips to match body color, and put a stain/sealer on the wood. Much easier than a finish, wont crack or peel, and when it gets weathered, just powerwash and recoat. Plus I'm going to put a tonneau cover over the bed to keep the sun off when not in use. Whenever I hauled big stuff in my previous classics, I'd just keep a tarp behind the seat that covered the entire bed and sides and then I'd throw a piece of plywood in the middle for protection and to keep the tarp in place. When finised, I just yank the tarp out and all is clean and ready to go. Good luck!
