What to use to refinish wood in truck bed

I am not wanting it to look like the surface to a bowling lane but would like to classically(not a word i know) refinish the wood to get it looking better and able to hold up to some weather.

 

I believe the Company is West Systems, they do marine stuff. Many folks swear by the durability.

 

Marine Spar Varnish, first coat thined 50/50, 2nd coat 75% varnish to 25% thinner, 3rd and final coat straight varnish, If you don't want the bowling alley look, go with satin finish. the thining allows it to get into the wood. Have Fun !

 

Is Is that a place that you just buy a refinishing kit?

 

You might want to look into using Tung Oil. Easy to apply and hold up to weather. The really nice part about it you can apply additional coats whenever you like.

 

I would like to be able to not have the wood super light in color. I don't want dark either but i guess the good work to use is deep in color. Do you guys have pictures of your beds?

 

I used the marine varnish on mine over golden pecan stain.
Worked for me and has held up nicely for over 4 years.
Later,
Dick

 

been working with millwork and doors for a while, solution can depend on the species of wood your are dealing with. I'm guessing that it's white or red oak you got. Low tech best solution is teak oil its about as old as they come and works easy. PM if you want other products or ideas before I ramble too long, happy to help

 

that's a nice color roadkill

 

x2 on marine varnish.... I redid my 63 GMC with cyprus so it would never rot and just did the varnish for a shine... It looked a lot better than three sheets of poorly cut plywood, however it did make the truck completely useless as a truck.

 

Another vote for Tung Oil, easy to touch up if you actually use it as a truck. A little more work at first (I have 6 coats on mine) Look up www.Sutherlandwelles.com Good Products.

Later, Mark

 

Been doing woodwork for 20 years. OIL IT! everything else requires 10 times the work and skills to apply, and when it goes bad from age (and it always go bad) its 50 time the work to remove!

Get a good quality teak or tung oil and it is almost impossible to screw up. Once a year take a few hours with some steel wool and wipe on a new coat. It's less work than washing the rest of the car and it will look brand new forever.

If you want proof go down to your local saltwater marina. Look at the wood sailboats with lots of bright work. It is easy to see which ones used oil and which used varnish. The varnish looks great for about a year and then become a mess. It is almost impossible to repair because it does not sand well.

Spar varnish by nature does not cure hard because it has to be able to expand with the wood, this is what makes it almost impossible to sand. You will spend as much money on sandpaper as you do for all your other materials. With oils it just light sanding with steel wool and some dust free rags and it looks great

 

30 year wood butcher here:

I'd use a belt sander on it, then oil of about any kind, Teak, Tung, Linseed or even motor oil. When it needs a repair, it's easy. You can apply more oil whenever desired.

If you want a 'color' you could stain the wood before oiling but the oil will darken the color somewhat, so I'd test first.

When oiling, I thin the 1st coat about 20-30% so it will soak in better.

Spar or Marine varnish has a classier looking finish but scratches easily if you use the bed like a truck. Also much harder to repair and the repair will be more noticeable.

 

Those last 2 are very good points that i haven't thought about. Lowkat you said you thin the first coat out with and i was wondering with what?

 

60 years of building wood boats and steel hot rods:
Pull the boards off and take them to a local wood millworks, have them run thru the sander. Easier than stripping, and the boards will be perfect. The last time I did this the cost was $10. If there are any water stains left, bleach with Blanch-It.
Finish with any brand of spar varnish (spar varnish has uv protection). This the first coat 20-30% with paint thinner, then several coats of straight varnish. Sand lightly between coats. Don’t oil because it turns dark, collects dirt and mold feeds on it. Don’t use West System or any other epoxy finish. Sunlight breaks down epoxy. I use West System a lot, but not anywhere that sees sunlight. Don’t use steel wool because it leaves particles that will rust, no matter how good you vacuum or wipe. If you want to knock down the gloss of the varnish and give the boards a non-slip finish but still look good, add a little marine non-skid compound to the last or next to last coat of varnish. The marine non-skid will be invisible in the varnish. The best non-skid compound is AwlGrip Griptex, which comes in a small jar. Interlux Paints has good stuff too. Don’t use sand for non-skid.

 

MAR-K has a lot of info one thier site about this subject!

http://www.mar-k.com/wood_finish_testing_i.html

 

Thanks. Obviously I don't haul gravel in my truck, but I do haul tools, jacks and other stuff but I always use some sort of non skid pad under them. Thinning the varnish on the first couple of coats works. I have 6 coats on mine.
Later,
Dick

 

What's the deep clear finish on restoraunt tables, you know that stuff that looks an inch deep ? Would that hold up to outside conditions ?

 

I am also a fan of a 50/50 mix of linseed oil and turpentine.

Aren't us carpenter types a lot of help with conflicting info!

 

Great thread - especially since this is on my to do list for my bed in my 60 Appachee

 

I belieive that's the Varnish that i don't really think i want to use for when it starts getting old and cracking it looks hard to get off to refinish it again. I like the oil mix idea and think i'll put a light sand on the wood and go with that and see how it turns out.

 

I used wood soaked with fiberglass resin on the bucket and it seems to be holding up. I'm getting ready to do a floor in my 41 p/u and deciding on wood or steel or maybe diamond plate aluminum, not sure just yet.

 

look upthe article written by mark truck parts from okc, they did a year long test onthe wood kits they sell. i did it to my wood and i think it is what you are looking for

 

i built the bed on my truck w/t&g yellow pine flooring
had a stack left over from a job
i just use olympic deck stain once or twice a yr
it's quick & easy
wood is still in gr8 shape; been 6 or 7 yrs & it's always out in weather

 

Look up China Wood oil, I think it is tung oil but it has lasted 4 + years here in the desert and still looks great. Scuff up witha 3M pad and install with paper towels looks like new!!

 

So your saying mix 50/50 of tung oil and terpintine and scuff with a 3m pad and apply and that will work? Thank you guys a lot for this info, i like the idea of just using an oil instead of varnishes etc?

 

I used minwax polyurethane natural oak on my 55 chevy truck.I gave it 3 coats,after each coat I used steel wool. My truck was left outside in the elements and it held up really well.

 

paint thinner / turpentine

 

I used a belt sander and spar varnish 3 coats.

 

from the pics - it reminds me of treated pine in your bed and with the scratch/tool markings it's a good candidate for Olympic oil stain or teak oil,this is after a cleaning with TSP - my $.02