Anyone Work With Trek-like Wood

[rebapuck]

My '66 VW pickup originally came with wood slats in the truckbed. They are long gone. I'm having the truck repaired/repainted this winter and would like to replace the slats. The truck will not be garaged. Can't be helped.

Can the Trek-like decking materials be resawn and shaped with any degree of ease?

[halfdome, Danny]

My '66 VW pickup originally came with wood slats in the truckbed. They are long gone. I'm having the truck repaired/repainted this winter and would like to replace the slats. The truck will not be garaged. Can't be helped.

Can the Trek-like decking materials be resawn and shaped with any degree of ease?

I capped my deck railings and some fence tops with the stuff and it acts almost like real wood. It's a composite and even routes quite nicely but the wood grain disappears then. I was coating my new cedar deck boards with some Thompson's Water Seal and put some on the trex and it soaked right in. It does start to grey like all wood over time. The structural strength of it is very minimal.
Honduran Mahogany would be a better choice in my opinion. Danny

[caseydog]

I have used Trex for a friends deck, and it cuts and nails like wood. But, I don't know that I would be happy with it on a vintage truck bed.

Like Danny said, mahogany or teak, or ipe might be the better answer.

Whatever you use, I would make very sure that you get it sealed flat with the metal with some kind of adhesive/sealer that will not let water get between the wood and metal, or let it pass from the wood to metal.

Have you thought about having a Tonneau cover made to close in the bed? I've had them on three of my trucks, and liked the looks, and they kept my truck beds dry.

CD

[rebapuck]

Thanks for your input. I'll consider the hardwoods. Losing the "grain" would put me off.

I'd love to have an original/repo cover and hoops. They're called a "tilt". Probably never happen. But I could maybe make a tonneau cover. Thanks for the idea.

[2bits]

You might look up "Epay" my deck builder friend always recommends it as a very dense wood that resists water penetration. It is a very dark colored wood too, that may or may not be desirable to you.

[rebapuck]

caseydog, did you prop up the middle of your tonneau somehow?

I remember from my MGB days that rainwater pooled in the middle and was a b*tch to get off.

[caseydog]

caseydog, did you prop up the middle of your tonneau somehow?

I remember from my MGB days that rainwater pooled in the middle and was a b*tch to get off.

All my covers had ribs that went across to put a pitch to the cover from center to edge.

My first one was custom made, and I made my own ribs from wood. The rest were "kits" made to fit. They had aluminum ribs.

My six foot truck beds had two ribs, the eight foot bed had three ribs.

CD

[Judeyramone]

+1 on the mohogany.

Deck construction in the midwest means 5/4x6 treated wood decking (cedar, if you have money to spend)...

In New England, however, they tend to use mohogany for decking & porches. On a recent pirate ship project for me children (Aaaaargh!), I had a brother buy me some 1x4 mohogany deck boards in MA (for roughly the same cost as cedar here in MI), and he brought it to me over Christmas vacation. Similarly, ex-wife & I used to vacation every year in ME, where cedar shingle siding is de riguer. What would have cost me $135/sq in MI, I paid less than $30/sq, and hauled it home with help from my (former) in-laws over the course of 2yrs. I was using it to side a garage we were building, paying cash as we went along (no debt), so time wasn't an issue. Doesn't make sense to buy regionally in this manner if you aren't travelling there, or don't have a local contact... but, you camp? Perhaps a w/e on The Cape might be in order?

[rbeemer]

There is also another decking material made out of Pine that has been specially dried to increase its density, it is a little expensive but you get the toughness of hardwoods with the weight of pine

[sagebrush]

Might not be a problen in N.C. but in Wyoming composite products seem to have a problem with shrinking. My thought is the DRY climate. No mfg. rep. will say yea or nay( imagine that, C.Y.A. )
Will

[tk]

White oak might be a more cost friendly alternative and 'greener' than the tropical hardwoods.

Best,
Tom

[FlashJim]

+1 for Oak. Easy to buy, work and finish.

Red Oak is the wood of choice for a large number of vintage truck guys. It has a more open grain than white oak.

Bottom line ... go with real wood if you can. It's SOOOO much nicer! Check out this gallery and try not to drool too much.

http://bedwoodandparts.com/gallery.html

[rebapuck]

That was some pretty bed slats. But, guaranteed every one of those trucks is garaged or covered. Mine would be very narrow and be exposed to the elements.

I'm thinking more and more about getting a set of hoops and canvas. As long as I don't spend more than the house is worth, I'm okay. Right?

[Shadow Catcher]

Teak is the wood of choice for marine environments and is available reclaimed i.e. http://www.terramai.com

[doug hodder]

Apitong, a species of mahogany is what is used a lot in the trucking industry. Really hard and can take a lot of punishment. Doug