Truck Deck: Day 1
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…