Technical truck wood bed wood sealer

I used automotive catalyzed urethane clear coat on the '59 Elky tigerwood bed. Didn't crack and held up well to weather for a couple years but where the wood checked, like wood is wont to do, water got in and started to work on the wood (last photo). If you want a furniture finish on your wood bed, you have to run a bed cover no matter what finish you use.

 

Just remember anything you do to one side of a piece of wood you have to do to the other side otherwise they
absorb moisture at different rates and warp. It isn't the finish that fails it's the wood itself when exposed to UV's causing the finish to lose adhesion so a high UV rating is a must. Agree with Watco type oil finishes, just reapply every couple of years. Sure beats having to completely remove a catalyzed finish and start over. Know you don't want to
hear it, but the best wood protection is Latex paint.

 

Yep, hayracks and grain wagons got the same treatment. And we also dumped the used oil on the gravel road at the end of our driveway to keep the dust down.

 

Helmsman by Minwax

 

I appreciate that there are lots of fans of clear finishes, but that's not where I'm going. It is going to be black on rough sawn wood, the question is just what kind of black (paint or stain) to use.

This is close to factory, and the look I'm heading toward:

 

Whatever you use, paint, varnish or stain, make sure it has UV and moisture protection (rated for exterior use). Different manufacturers offer different products. Simplest would be marine varnish, (Home Depot), there are multi step resins that are for exterior wood (boats), but aren't exactly user friendly for the beginner. You'll want a protective coat after you stain the wood black.




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Hey Clips,
There was a similar plank wood thread back in April. There are also many ways to seal and finish wood. The choice is obviously yours and small cans of each choice can be used for experiments.

Here is my answer to the wood in the bed thread... Hello,

I agree with Los_Control in his explanation of the Sikkens product. I have used that product on Teak with great results in outdoor weather. I have also used Varathane on a folding, oak high chair for my son's first eating area back in the 70’s. After three coats on the drop down tray, it was indestructible. He could bang the surface with his spoon and fork and the surface coating had no scratches or dents. I remembered that my neighbor said to make sure every inch of every nook and cranny was covered with the stuff. If not, one small area allows liquids to get in and start a destructive process underneath the hard surface. Over a 4 year period, no resurfacing was necessary, but it developed a slight dull surface coat.
not for outdoor rolling/pushing around, there is very little grip with the steel wheels. but for standing up in the kitchen/dining area, the wood legs prop up the wheels off of the floor.

I have also used this stuff called Epiphanes for some Teak boards. It looked tremendous after 4 coats with light sanding between. But, as nice as that stuff looked, one bump against a counter corner made small scratches that were hard to get out and had to be resurfaced again. If I were going to showcase the planks in the bed of a pickup, this would be the stuff…it shines, and looks fabulous. But, it just will not hold up to the normal usage of a pick up bed, or for that matter, any surface that will get bumps or bruises. But for a car show…it looks outstanding when applied correctly.

The same neighbor used spar marine varnish on several products that were going to sit outside in the weather. The sun did not do much, but a slight hairline crack developed and water got inside…it looked like a developing milky spot, then grew an inch or two before my neighbor sanded it all off to start over again. That is not my cup of tea for wood maintenance. Plus, it can start flaking off, making it necessary to re-do the whole thing again.

Jnaki
So, as nice as varnish, polyurethane and Epiphanes are, it takes a lot of work to maintain a great looking piece of wood. Oil on the other hand can be lightly sanded and re-oiled again and again. Sometimes, sanding is not necessary on these products, but just a soft foam brush allowing the grain to soak up the oil. (minutes instead of hours) Taking out each piece of wood in the pickup bed for a 100% thorough coating is standard procedure, but beware of the dents & scratches in any hard surface besides that oil compound.

Try out a few small cans of the different stuff mentioned. You will see which result looks good for your application. But as the old saying goes…yrmv…as well as your choice/opinion.

 

I'm getting ready to install oak bedwood in my '55 dream truck. I've been searching "best UV resistant clear" and found this online. Reading the reviews it looks like a good bet. If I'm understanding correctly it comes out satin and if you want a gloss finish (I most likely will) there is another Sikkens product to 2nd coat it with:

https://www.jamestowndistributors.com/userportal/show_product.do?pid=167

Check out the reviews on Amazon. There's not a single negative one except the guy that thought the picture was of a gallon (apparently he can't read!) so he complained about the price. Yes, pricey at about $30-something a quart but for a product that EVERYONE says last WAAY better than marine spar varnishes and urethanes, do you expect it to be cheap?

 

Hey Dan,
Make sure that you don't get the Sikkens product that turns wood an orange color, unless you like that look. Inquire at the seller before you buy, or go to your nearby hardware/paint store to inquire before you buy. There is a new product by Sikkens that does not turn wood into an orange color. That might be better.

Jnaki
Inquire before you buy. But, all sides and ends of the wood pieces must be soaked in any solution for all around coverage. (even in the holes)

 

Thanks for the heads up. I've been reading about this Sikkens product for awhile and I just found that it's sold on Amazon too. They offer a "Light" version and the description says it is clear, doesn't have the "golden" tone the regular has. Glad you told me it's more Orange than a pleasant golden.

Oh and in addition to inside the holes (how to do THAT? Tiny brush?) they say to round off all the sharp corners of the wood because the film will fail there first.

 

Hey Dan,
According to the Sikkens website, the nearest dealer to you is in Atwater Village, not too far away from Pasadena.
http://www.perfectwoodstains.com/dealers

Call around, sometimes, the local small hardware store like Ace or True Value may have it in stock. (in small quantities to buy and try out) Also, boat repair/refinishing places may have it in stock. It is very popular in the sailing/boating circles.

As far as the holes, small model car brush, q-tip, or any small brush will do. I have found out that any exposed wood surface that is not coated will start absorbing water or moisture, even under chrome strips screwed down. So, if you are taking all of the wood strips out and coating them, do everything.

Jnaki
Read the Sikkens re-coating process to make sure you are able to fix any dings or scratches that will get done to your wood strips.

I wish the polyurethane stuff that I used for my son's baby high chair (earlier post) did not fog up over time. That surface was indestructible. A fork hitting the tray at high speed, the knife cutting small pieces, etc. Not a scratch... in the end, the surface material looked like a creamy see through product. But, boy did it protect the wood.

 

Again, whatever you decide to use, if you are putting a fine finish on a wood bed the ONLY way that it will last is, 1) keep it out of direct sun and rain or, 2) use a bed cover most of the time. No matter what you use, if you expose it tot he elements, wood always begins a steady degradation.

 

you do know we use wood on semi trailers decks , its apitong or a brazilian hardwood , they come in shades but the stuff ( chews up carbide blades and drill bits ) it's tough and water resistant without having to use a sealer when sanded its got a great finish .
for deck paint on trailers that used oak , we used thinned out alykd enamel paint just let it soak in , drill your holes and make your cuts and set it up before you paint it . the prep is the key you must sand it and then wax/grease remover wipe , it let that dry over night then tack cloth it and apply the paint with a fine nap roller and let it dry overnite between coats .( 8 hours minimum ) if you can let it dry in the sun for a few hours then put it in a shop with a fan overnite its better , do one side at a time ( edges of the boards are done with bottom side ) and the bottom is as important as the top when coating .. and the nice thing is if you scratch it the paint is cheap and often easy to match . plus its very durable . but the longer it drys the harder it gets . on show trailers we often let it set a week before we screwed it down ..

 

Thanks for the paint info Stimpy.