Test fitted the wood for the bed

[1bad51]

Well... I couldn't wait I cleaned the frame a little http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2560896760100410726cTEorL and test fitted the bed wood http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2373719000100410726FzyLam As I said Im still waiting on the angle strips to arrive and the rear sway bar,
Im going to pull it all apart again next weekend to sand & stain & seal the wood and install everything plus this real cool rear shock cross member THEN re-install the wood...MAN IT NEVER ENDS !!

Hopefully next weekend it will all be here so I can complete all this
Todd

[Rich-Md]

Todd,
I hope you test the stain on the underside before you settle on a color or the amount. You might try some nutral stain (has no color) to bring out the wood grain to see how that looks. I did that for the yellow pine and it turned out great. Of course, I applied six coats of polyurthane.

[1bad51]

Rich, What kind of polyurthane did you use ?
Todd

[Mr_Mac]

Todd, you need to be very careful as to what kind of finish you put on the wood if it will ever see moisture. I'm only adding this because I know a fella who bought some water-based polyurethane and one night while tailgating someone set a cold drink on the bed and the next day he had a ring. Lesson: water based finishes bad.

Minwax (http://www.minwax.com/products/oil_based_clear_protective_finishes/) has many different finishes available at most home improvement stores to include many different oil-based finishes but only one is truly waterproof and that's the spar urethane. The rest will show water spots that can only be removed with sanding and refinishing. The spar urethane doesn't change its color over the years anywhere near as fast as the next option, marine spar varnish.

Marine spar varnish is another viable option (and was used in many original applications) but it will yellow over time changing the color of the wood. That said, can you imagine what a gorgeous red mahogany would look like after a couple of years? Yep...orange. If you like that sort of thing, go for it! Spar varnish is truly a hard surface that builds well (gets that deep look) but can be tricky to apply.

Another option is lacquer. While you can find it in water-resistant blends (really almost waterproof) it is quite expensive and looks its best when sprayed or hand rubbed versus brushed on.

As Rich stated earlier, if you plan to stain the wood, test it on a scrap piece or underside of one of your boards first! Give it a few days in the sun (with the final finish) and see if you like it (knowing it will continue to darken in the sunlight over the years). Most people I have talked to sanded and sealed the wood (with a sanding sealer) and then used the spar varnish. Some others opted for stain and then the spar urethane and the results were equally as impressive.

Good luck and share the results!

Mac

[1bad51]

Mac,
Thanks soooo much ! I think Im going to go with the spar urethane It sounds like its about the best, I'll let you know how it turns out
Todd

[Rich-Md]

I used MINWAX Clear Coat. I did not use the water base crap, I got the good stuff. After the polyurthane cured ( about a month ) I put a couple of layers of good auto wax over it. If it gets wet the water beads up and rolls off.

[1bad51]

OK, Im ready to finish the wood (finally) I went with the Minwax Spar urethane and I got my stain picked out, Along with a sanding sealer,
My question is I should first sand it then apply the stain let it set a few minutes then wipe it down and let it dry and apply the sanding sealer and sand it again ? Then..start applying the spar urethane and let it dry sand again Then...apply another coat and so on ?

Ive never finished any wood ever so this will be my first time and any help would be appreciated :o

[Rich-Md]

What kind of bed wood are you using. Pine or Oak.
Pine soaks up the stain real quick and Oak is a tighter grain and takes several coats of stain to make it darker. Test try the underside of the board first.
Sanding Sealer ? That's a new one on me. I sanded the boards with a very fine sand paper and use the netural stain. I used a rag to apply the stain.
Then I applied the polyurthane. You may also try the foam brushes vs the brissle brush for the polyurthane. DO NOT SHAKE OR STIR the polyurthane. It will put small bubbles in it. Sand lightly between coats.
Can anyone else him out on the sanding primer?

[1bad51]

It's white oak, As I said this is my first wood finishing project and I need all the help I can get... LOL !

Thanks Rich

[Mr_Mac]

My question is I should first sand it then apply the stain let it set a few minutes then wipe it down and let it dry and apply the sanding sealer and sand it again ? Then..start applying the spar urethane and let it dry sand again Then...apply another coat and so on ?

Ive never finished any wood ever so this will be my first time and any help would be appreciated :o

Make sure the area you are finishing the wood in are as free of dust as possible. First sand thoroughly and then remove all dust! Once that's complete you can apply a sanding sealer (it's not required) and then apply your stain. Please read the instructions for the stain completely! Some stains require you leave it on for a while before wiping it off and others don't have to be wiped off at all.

Again, if possible, grab a scrap piece of wood and test your stain and finish. Apply one application of the stain to the whole piece and allow it to dry. Then apply a second coat to the board minus a couple of inches and let dry. Apply a third coat a couple of inches back from the second application and allow to dry completely and then apply one coat of the urethane. This will give you a good idea as to what the varying applications will look like since the application of the urethane changes things dramatically.

When you have decided on the stain depth, the urethane comes next. Get a good brush (again, read the directions on the type of brush to use to apply) and apply the first coat.

DON'T SHAKE THE CAN OF URETHANE!!! IT WILL CREATE BUBBLES THAT WILL BE IN YOUR FINISH!!! STIR IT!!!

When dry, sand it with at least 220 grit sandpaper or 0000 steel wool (my choice), wipe it down to remove all dust and apply a second coat. If done right there should be no bubbles or other imperfections. If there are, you can re-sand and apply a light third coat.

Mac

[1bad51]

Thanks for the tips , I applied the stain today and I think I would like it a little darker so tomorrow I'll do another coat.

Did you stain both sides of the boards ?

Here in Vegas its real dry and today it got up to about 90 degrees, The stain set up almost as soon as I could get it applied and I had a hard time wiping it down, but I got it done and it turned out nice.

I'll check in with the results
Thanks
Todd

[Mr_Mac]

I certainly would do both sides simply because there will be moisture/water hitting the wood from underneath.

[1bad51]

Thanks Mac, I finished the staining today and Im going to let it set until next weekend Then start applying several coats of the spar varnish on all six sides( sanding in between each coat of course)
Man... I cant wait till it's done, It looks like it's going to turn out nice

Todd

[Rich-Md]

I did both sides of my boards. Even the bottom side has 6 coats of polyurthane. Here in Maryland we get our fair share of rain and damp weather.
So far It has held up for 8 years and looks as good as the day I did it.
I put one or two coats of paste auto polish on it every year and buff the heck out of it.
You gotta show us some pictures when you finish the bed.

[1bad51]

You know it Rich of course I will, The stain really looks nice at first all I stained was only what you could see but yesterday I went ahead and stained everything.
Todd

[Mr_Mac]

Don't forget the end grain, Todd! Many people tend to forget to take care of that part with the urethane and then get a surprise they'd rather not have...rotted wood!