refinishing wood box boords
 

I am restoring a 65 Chevy truck and wondering what to do about the wood on the box floor. I am thinking of going with oak and possibly staining it just wondering if there is a heavy duty clear epoxy or even of heard of someone using fiberglass resin for the top coat.

I plan on using the truck for traveling so I would be hauling luggage, coolers, and the norm. Just want something that will not mar the surface.

try waterborne polyurathane for hardwood floors,its very tough and drys quick,its best to do both sides and ends.

I have a boat with a really pretty mahogany swim platform on the back.

Every year, the same thing. Scrape off the old varnish, refinish. It gets a lot of sun, and dips into the salt and lake water, so I was resigned to this for many years.

I walked into the fiberglass shop, one day. I saw this product called "surfboard resin." I asked about it. An ultra clear polyester resin with UV inhibitors. A light bulb went on.

I took the swim platform completely apart. Sanded it all down to bare wood. Put 3 coats of surfboard resin on it.
That was 7 years ago. It's just now starting to look like a redo is order.

Pretty good test platform though. It gets; bashed with skis, wakeboards, docks, sand, sunscreen, saltwater, sun, you name it.

Mahogany is an oily wood, and this stuff bonded very well.

Check it out, it might work for you.

Another idea, most restoration shops use automotive clear over the oak.

What ever you use, make sure it's designed for outdoor use. If it's designed for indoor use, the sun and wide changes in temp will destroy it. You'll then have to redo it the next year. Wood shrinks and expands more than metal so use a product that was designed for wood or will withstand the movement.

I have a hobby woodshop behind the house and love to build wood crafts and furniture..i frequent alot of wood workers websites and forums..now a days most of these guys are using automotive clear coats as the best options for higher end furniture..especialy outside furniture where a good UV rated coat is needed.

if this is a driver, nothing will hold up more than 2-3 yrs
i looked at trucks at shows and asked the same question to everyone i saw

i used trex plastic decking from hd, it's solid composite 5.2''x1''
hd stocks grey, but they can get 4 colors
this is the unpainted bed for test fitting
http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/n...0617001232.jpg

all cuts were done on a table saw. since it is a full inch thick i was able to recess the (soon to be painted) strips bellow the 'wood'
http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/n...0610001502.jpg

biggest problem i can say, is it slippery as heck.
nothing stays in place

I do a lot of woodworking and I use a lot of auto clear on my (unstained) mahogany and curly maple it looks great and all I do is bring it to the shop and clear them with left over clear.
One thing I found is that auto clear will scratch fairly easy ,my mahogany coffee table top is a good example of that ...in a truck bed that will get used the high gloss wont last long.
hardwood floor finishes do have a UV protection ,thats why they dont change color by all the windows,like auto clears they come in many qualities...Just like finishing cars use a stain and clear that are part of a system,that stuff is made for abuse.
the only other thing I can think of that I've used and is really tough is called "Varathane" liquid plastic,made by "Flecto" its an exterior ,marine clear.
When refinishing floor boards ,using a planer will make the job a lot easier,just run both sides through it and its like brand new wood,15 minutes and they're done ,No sanding...
something else that will help make the floors last is installing the boards with the cups up,so the stainless strips hold down the edges,and they dont crown in the middle,it makes a big difference down the road.
wood wants to move so make all your holes oval and just snug the bolts up so the wood can move.
Oak is NOT a good outdoor wood so seal it up good ...

tongue oil will hold up better than anything. wood gasses out in sunlight. if you use automotive clear it will bubble unless you have the wood sealed really well.

Everything you need to know about restoring wood beds is here.

That makes ALOT of sense,by saying it needs to be sealed,you mean make sure whatever you use ,seal the whole peice top,sides and underneath?..or some kind of other sealer to use under the clear?

I'm just wondering because i will be building another trailer with some 2x8's i have laying around for the floor and was wondering whats the difference in just using the old Polyurethane people have been using for years on wood/furniture vs the urethane clears for autos as far as having to seal it totaly to prevent bubbling from it gassing out?

If this is a show truck - ignore this product for the top surface. As far as the trailer goes, if you just want to protect the wood from the elements try Thompson's Water Seal or a similar product intended for decks. I redo my trailer every two or three years, same as the deck on our house. It can be applied with a roller on the flats, but use a brush to be sure to get the ends good, and allow for drainage between the boards on the trailer. It will also protect the wood from light dirt, but if you are hauling engines around, not so good.