Finishing Bed Wood with oil: Does it last, Let's just see

[cornerstone]

I'd call this method a win!

[leadfoot067]

Looks Great!

[lil hoodlum]

Any updates?

[Steeveedee]

Jeff hasn't posted since 11/06/2020. I hope that he's just real busy.

[MAC71Cheyenne]

Nothing like a nice wood bed...years ago I re-did the bed in my GMC after the factory paint was peeing off. Used linseed oil thinned with turpentine. The thing about an oil finish is it actually penetrates into the wood instead of lying on the surface. Iowa winters and hot humid summers were not a problem.
Mike

[custom10nut]

I’m using Yellow Pine, that I went to the Lumber Mill and picked out each board.
Then I cut to length and milled the grooves myself (using the Spec Chart that GMC Paul has )
The finish I chose was a mixture of Stains, to closely match the color of the Interior “Wood” accents.
To finish it, I chose Boiled Linseed Oil. I went with the BLO for the breathable nature of the oil. I put on three coats (both sides) over about 10 months to let it soak in good. Then I rubbed it all down with Acetone and Steel Wool, to get the Tacky film off.
Currently, the wood is in my garage waiting to be installed. I’ll post it on this thread when I finally get to put it in.
The main reason for going with the oil finish is that I destroyed my original bed (which was perfect when I bought the truck) by sanding it smooth and applying a Marine Urethane to make it look nice.
Fast forward about 15 years, and I’m up under the bed and find a Mushroom Farm, because the outer finish wouldn’t allow the moisture to escape. Live and learn

[MAC71Cheyenne]

Depending on the look you want southern yellow pine, fir, or oak...red or white, seem to be tops. If you can find them the recycled old growth barn boards with the tight grain is the best. More work cutting, finish sanding, and fitting but wow. If you dabble in wood working and use a good old fashion hand plane or scraper you don't have to sand it. Looks like a Victorian parlor floor.

[lil hoodlum]

I only ask because I recently bought a 68 C20 that came with the wood bed. I would like to replace the wood bed and use the yellow pine kit from MarK. I'm thinking of using an oil type product to preserve the wood. The truck would be outdoors 24/7 and used as a truck. I like the idea of the use of oils on wood to preserve them.

[special-K]

Does oil last? Nothing lasts, everything has to be redone at some point. The oil soaks into the wood and protects it. It isn't a hard finish to peel or scratch through. You just add another coat when you feel it is needed. The more times you oil it the better it gets, for protection against rot

[sick472]

I've got an old farm trailer that I used oak in the floor to refurbish it about 20 years ago. I used motor oil thinned with diesel to treat it originally and have used vegetable oil thinned with gasoline once. It has had the vegi treatment once and the used oil twice. It's not pretty, but there is NO signs of decay. I'd forego the vegi oil, honestly. It works well but will be rather sticky for a few weeks. Long story short, I used vegi oil/gasoline as an alternative fuel for an old Mercedes for many years and had some extra oil that need to be used up. This trailer sets outside 100%. Oil treatment is my preferred method for outdoor wood. Clearcoats can make a fantastic show car, but just don't last on daily driver.

My 72 has had the Penofin oil/stain on the exposed portions with the POR-15 on the underside and will hit the streets this year...time will tell, but I'm betting on it to be worth it. I will likely hit it with another light coat of Penofin as it has been a few years since it's original treatment.

Thanks for your thread Jeffahart!

[67C10Step]

I just sold a 6.5x16 tandem axle trailer last month that was my father in laws. He had redone the floor in it about 15-20 years ago in did the same treatment as Sick472 mentioned. This trailer had sat in the edge of the woods for at least the last 10 years and the leaves and pine needles were about 6" deep all over the bed. I just knew it would be rotted out when I pushed all that stuff off but surprisingly, it was in pretty good shape.

I use the same method on my wood fence around my pool. Keep all my used oil and mix it with diesel. Makes it a dark brown and after a few days the smell goes away but it will sure repel water like no other. I was paying over $200 every other year to treat it and this only cost me about $30 in diesel as I have plenty of used oil around as I change my own and have four vehicles to service.

[leadfoot067]

Originally Posted by leadfoot067

i finished mine with penofin. https://www.penofin.com/wood-stains/...ish-wood-stain
my truck sits inside. i drive it to work 2-3 times a week. the wood is pine.

to update on my truck... the bed wood with the penofin didnt really change visually in a year. still looks good! i sold the truck in july of 2020.

[OrrieG]

[QUOTE=jeffahart;7757163]Here's an update on the Tung Oil. As said I will post as I do anything to the wood. I put another coat of oil on the wood a week ago. The wood did not look like it needed any oil. But I set out to put on another coat so, I did so.

Took about 15 minutes! Two week ago in anticipation of the applying more oil, I got out the can of white rustoleum and touched up some scratches in the bed strips and wheel wells. I did not tape, just touched up with a foam applicator. The following weekend, last weekend I applied the oil. I squeezed oil onto the wood from a condiment container. Then used a green scotch brite pad to spread the oil. I used light pressure. Then after a few minutes I wiped the whole thing down with a cloth. Done!

What the bedwood has been through since install till this reapplication. I have done a couple projects. One major refurbish or a rental house with lots of demo rubble. I chickened out and put a piece of sacrificial plywood down for protection. But after I finished that project, I used the plywood. And after that the truck bed has been used with no protection. One more minor demo project, and I had two 40gal trees with bare root balls in the bed. Big muddy mess with boots grinding mud into the bedwood. It hosed out fine and I wiped it with a wet wash towel after the hose out to get the ground in mud out.

It rained yesterday here so I also included a rain pic of the wood.

Found this thread getting ready to finish my bed. this is five years after you installed it, how did it hold up? Thanks

[HenrytheWound]

I'd like to choose the "best" oil-based option for an AZ truck (1960 C10) that'll be kept outside. I want to use the truck bed and do not care for a glossy varnished look. I just cut new red oak planks and have new strips and hardware on the way and I'd like to get started on protecting the wood.

What POR-15 product are people referring to? I would like a 1 and done option for the underside of the bed wood if possible, thinking of some oil-based option for the top to keep the wood conditioned and resist rot. Sounds like the teak oil option has held up in AZ, what about the penofin option? I hesitate on the diesel and used oil option because I don't think I want to darken the wood that much and don't know if it'll continue to smell like gas and oil in the hot sun.

[jeffahart]

Originally Posted by Steeveedee

Jeff hasn't posted since 11/06/2020. I hope that he's just real busy.

Yes, doing fine(knock on wood). Moved to Arizona beginning of 2020 and have indeed been very busy. Thanks for kind thoughts.

j

[sick472]

The Por-15 is just their standard "Rust Preventive Coating" in a gloss black. IIRC, I put two or three consecutive coats on per the instructions. It is pretty thin and needs to soak in and build up. If you let a coat dry out, then you have to sand/scuff it before adding the next coat.

As far as the Penofin treatment mine got, the truck hit the road April 2021 and I gave it a quick re-treatment shortly after. The truck has 2000 miles on it now with several washings and several rains, but it is kept garaged otherwise and not used for much hauling. It shows no signs of age aside from a small split or two which is going to happen with wood regardless.

[Steeveedee]

Originally Posted by jeffahart

Yes, doing fine(knock on wood). Moved to Arizona beginning of 2020 and have indeed been very busy. Thanks for kind thoughts.

j

Sometimes people just disappear and are never seen again. People are left wondering. I'm seeing more of it as I get older.

[jeffahart]

Originally Posted by HenrytheWound

I'd like to choose the "best" oil-based option for an AZ truck (1960 C10) that'll be kept outside. I want to use the truck bed and do not care for a glossy varnished look. I just cut new red oak planks and have new strips and hardware on the way and I'd like to get started on protecting the wood.

What POR-15 product are people referring to? I would like a 1 and done option for the underside of the bed wood if possible, thinking of some oil-based option for the top to keep the wood conditioned and resist rot. Sounds like the teak oil option has held up in AZ, what about the penofin option? I hesitate on the diesel and used oil option because I don't think I want to darken the wood that much and don't know if it'll continue to smell like gas and oil in the hot sun.

Lot's of choices for sure. Not sure about the POR-15. 1 and done is not happening with a transparent finish. But the big issue is the ... 2-3-4 and so on with the maint. So I will babble on about maint and the rest is past history and documented above. I will add, on the maintenance issue, some have pointed out that Mar-K(I'm pretty sure it was Mar-K) did a great test on what finishes fare best. But, the test falls way short. Who cares about the initial finish and if it lasted one year or two. After one year or two, what kind of misery are you in for on maintenance... recoat? or strip and recoat. That's is a big issue for me and was a huge driver in my choosing oil.

All that said, it's been a little over two years since the last maintenance coats.

What has the bed been through in that past two years? Nothing short of a being beat worse than a three legged plow horse! I bought a bit of a project house. I've hauled CMUs, sand, gravel, cement bags, large stone slabs pavers. In the before pic below, you can see how the sand and cement and gravel has sucked the moisture out of the finish.

Where has the truck been? Sitting out in Scottsdale Az in blistering heat and beat with monsoon rains.

What I did. I oiled it! Took about 15 minutes. One of the boards was starting to cup at the front of the bed, so I went underneath and took a 3/4 by 1/4 strap and screwed it in with 1/2" screws from underneath and pulled the cupping down. That took another 10 or 15 minutes. The bed wood is starting to look well used. Next time I will put some system 3 T-88(I always have some on hand for timber repairs) in some of the cracks that are starting to open a bit where the cupping took place, and touch up the scratched in the bed strips. Note: the old coats of oil are so thick and hardened that I can usually fill any cracks that are opening with the tung oil.

My advise. Go with your gut. I worry about your wood choice. I like a tighter grain for outdoor use. But If you keep on it, you can get it to last. Your wood will likely turn black after a few years where the water get through the sealer/oil or whatever you choose. And with our monsoons, water will get through!

If you want your wood to stay looking like the day you bought it... park it inside, but the finish will still oxidize a bit. Or put a sacrificial piece of plywood in the bed. I did not and here's what it looks like when I just did the maintenance coat. I still love it, .. it's a real world gets used example. I'm getting what I wanted out of it. Hope this help on your decision. Enjoy your project, and most importantly... Enjoy your truck!

Lordy, it's taking me longer to proof read this than it did to chisel it out.

Good luck!
J

[jeffahart]

Beginning of 2022 Maintenance Coat. Pics

Bed Before:


Bed After Oil:

[jeffahart]

One other safety disclaimer. If you are not a wood worker and don't know about drying oil, read up. You can set your shop ablaze if you pile up oil soaked rags.

[HenrytheWound]

Many thanks for the details. I think your bed wood still looks great. My 60 is all patina'd and has lots of dings in the inner bed so I don't need my bed wood to stay looking pristine. I got red oak because that's one of the common options in the bed wood kits, I hope it lasts a while. Anything will be better than the rotted and missing (original) wood the truck came with. You also did the bottom in the same oil?

I bought steel bed strips from Mar-K, they need to be painted. What did you paint yours with? I can't decide what color I want to go with since the truck was blue but is now mostly rust-colored. Anything new and shiny looks out of place on this truck.

[jeffahart]

Originally Posted by HenrytheWound

Many thanks for the details. I think your bed wood still looks great. My 60 is all patina'd and has lots of dings in the inner bed so I don't need my bed wood to stay looking pristine. I got red oak because that's one of the common options in the bed wood kits, I hope it lasts a while. Anything will be better than the rotted and missing (original) wood the truck came with. You also did the bottom in the same oil?

I bought steel bed strips from Mar-K, they need to be painted. What did you paint yours with? I can't decide what color I want to go with since the truck was blue but is now mostly rust-colored. Anything new and shiny looks out of place on this truck.

Bottom was initially treated with same number of coats as the top... I think six or seven, but that's propably in my first couple posts. Anyhow I've never done anything to the bottom since, the bottom looks perfect, still nice and yellow.

I did my bed strips with spray on white rustoleum I do belive I primmed them first. I did the whole innner bed with regular canned rustoleum and an, I think a used a combination foam roller and foam applicator for tight spots. Again probably stated in one of the top posts. I think I did a bed touch up with an applicator a couple times when I did oil maiint.

I also did i write-up here about installing replacing bed wood as a one man job. How I painted is in this thread link below.
https://www.67-72chevytrucks.com/vbo...d.php?t=712823

getting new bedwood installed is a happy day if yours is rotted out.

j

[GASoline71]

Still looks Good!

Gary

[HenrytheWound]

I am following your process and have gotten to coats 3 and 4. I heavily coated the sides, ends, and bottoms of the boards and let them sit in the sun yesterday. The problem I now have is oil seeped out of the top of the boards and dried leaving many shiny spots on the tops of the boards. I'm not sure if I need to sand them down again or if there's another method that can knock those spots down. I tried fine sandpaper and scrubbing away with some turpentine on a green scrubby. I can see a little progress but the shiny spots remain. Any tips for dealing with these or do I need to aggressively sand the tops down again?

[jeffahart]

Originally Posted by HenrytheWound

I am following your process and have gotten to coats 3 and 4. I heavily coated the sides, ends, and bottoms of the boards and let them sit in the sun yesterday. The problem I now have is oil seeped out of the top of the boards and dried leaving many shiny spots on the tops of the boards. I'm not sure if I need to sand them down again or if there's another method that can knock those spots down. I tried fine sandpaper and scrubbing away with some turpentine on a green scrubby. I can see a little progress but the shiny spots remain. Any tips for dealing with these or do I need to aggressively sand the tops down again?

Any shiny spot is oil that's not dry. The oil takes a really long time to dry. I'm talking a month maybe more depending on where you live, humidity and such. Unless it's thick like a run, then you can scrape it lightly with a putty knife. But the oil is not dry so you cannot sand it... it would be like sanding wet tree sap.

j