Faced with limited options for lining the bed of the truck (screw-in plastic shell or spray-on rubber,) I decided to make my own bed liner using Ipe (pronounced EE-pey). When it’s all said and done, the liner, or deck, will be constructed similar to a porch deck - long boards running the length of the bed will screw into shorter cross-beams (or joists, if you will.) But first thing’s first…

I used standard 8′ 1×6’s for this project (available from most hardwood or flooring suppliers), and ripped them down to 5.25″ to fit evenly between the wheel wells of the truck bed. Fresh-cut ipe smells a lot like garbage water mixed with a trip to the zoo - hence the mask.

I next used a 1.5″ Forstner bit to drill a series of holes in two of the planks. These will later serve as stops for the bench dog-style hold-downs.

Finally, I sanded the planks and cross-pieces down to 220-grit. Next step: finishing…

The thinking behind this blog (as the kids are calling them these days) is to give people an idea about just what all goes into making a custom piece of furniture, and to share a few of my (mostly borrowed) methods of working. My goal is to document (as best I can) each piece I make, every step of the way, and to share some of the joy and excitement (and frustration) of making a piece from scratch.

Thank you, and happy woodworking…
Clark.