DIY Bedcover

[thyITguy]

I had my first road trip (1300mi) and needed a cover. I'd rather save money with a DIY. My idea was i didnt want a ~$300 soft top that can be defeated with a pocket knife and ~600+ for hard was to much to spend atm.. I only plan to use it on trips for the time being.

I decided to go least expensive as possible but still be strong.
Started with a full sheet of OSB and got to cutting. I ripped the sheet into two halves 28x56 and glued and scrwed a strip in the middle to join them
on the bottom side I glued and screwed 3 2x4s perpendicular to the seam of OSB just with in the inner dimension of the bed rails
For now I used a cheaper campershell gasket around the edge and it holds well Only had a few drops of water in the bed.
Ran 6 carriage bolts and L brakets through each end of thr 2x4s and caught the lip of bed to "bolt it down"




Put regular thompson water seal on it for now plan to paint black with a heavy oil based paint or do the whole thing in flexseal.
In any case the trip was a load of fun and i'm all in for a bedcover that took about $40 and 5hrs of labor

Full size ended up 56"x56"

Built this about a month ago and its holding up well
any other questions i'll be happy answer

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[TedTX]

Nice and its hidden mounted, that it looks just resting on the bedsides ready to blow or get bumped off into traffic.
You have solved the tailgater issue & have a functional top on the cheap.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01N6QKO1B

Reminds me of this guys methods. I highly recommend you DO NOT waste money on this product. None of his links work, book reads like someone with a fractured mind from hard drug use. Use the guys name and google for the last dregs of remaining of his existence, RIP.

 

[thyITguy]

Thanks
I really enjoyed making it
It's been a great project

 

[The Weatherman]

A can or two of a bed liner product and that thing would be a lot prettier.

Nice job .

 

[Connor9988]

I would like to do something like that but have it split down the middle so you can open it up to each side and have side extensions kind of like to old pickup livestock racks that give you taller sides. Kind of like the attached picture but solid sheets that fold in to cover the truck box instead of out to the sides. (Am I crazy?)

 

[thyITguy]

A can or two of a bed liner product and that thing would be a lot prettier.

Nice job .

Thanks

i'll consider that

 

[thyITguy]

I would like to do something like that but have it split down the middle so you can open it up to each side and have side extensions kind of like to old pickup livestock racks that give you taller sides. Kind of like the attached picture but solid sheets that fold in to cover the truck box instead of out to the sides. (Am I crazy?)

I can see your insperation
that would be neat
engineering an attachment method for the sides i'm guessing would be the trickiest

 

[respi133]

Seconding a spray-in liner option, maybe something with grain size matching your bed or if they have it somewhere, one that will match to the bed rails, get a uniform look across the bed

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