# \[Customizing a Dodge pickup\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 27, 2011, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/customizing-a-dodge-pickup/597764 "2011-09-27T15:33:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![slant6](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3be4f8/32.png) [@slant6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slant6)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2011, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/customizing-a-dodge-pickup/597764/1 "2011-09-27T15:33:16Z")
i am customizing a 1984 dodge pick-up. was going to use 4x8 sheet of diamond back aliminium in the bed or custom wood strips (very expensive) found out about marine grade plywood yesterday, but no local vendors. would 1/2 or 3/4 sanded plywood work. will have a ttanneau cover over the top of the bed. thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2011, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/customizing-a-dodge-pickup/597764/2 "2011-09-27T15:34:51Z")
Reported. ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2011, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/customizing-a-dodge-pickup/597764/3 "2011-09-27T15:35:35Z")
That’s “tonneau,” I do believe. And it’s in the wrong forum. I’ll move it for you. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2011, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/customizing-a-dodge-pickup/597764/4 "2011-09-27T16:22:22Z")
Sometines it helps if you phrase the question in the form of a question. ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2011, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/customizing-a-dodge-pickup/597764/5 "2011-09-27T16:28:16Z")
You don’t absolutely need marine-grade wood. Sand, treat and protect the wood you are using. Even guys doing retro\* boats\* don’t use marine-grade plywood all the time. But, unless you are doing a half-ass job and intend to stick a classic out into Seattle weather 24/7/365 you might opt for products that insure against half-assed work and penny pinching. Done right; stored right; cared for right… it all changes what materials to use. Knowing location, intended use, etc… all helpful. Of course, this ‘marine-grade wood’ response I provided is based on the woefully inadequate am’t of information provided. . ---
**Author:** ![retterath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/919ad9/32.png) [@retterath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/retterath)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2011, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/customizing-a-dodge-pickup/597764/6 "2011-09-27T16:39:50Z")
I’ve been known to use door skins for projects that need to look good, but don’t require much physical strength. ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2011, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/customizing-a-dodge-pickup/597764/7 "2011-09-27T17:11:21Z")
Is the back really just 4x8? If so, I’m not sure what your definition of “expensive” is, but anyone with a table saw could cut 3/4" oak or maple strips for probably a $150-$200. That’s competitive with marine plywood and would probably be a more robust solution. (I’m kind of assuming $5.00/bd foot for the wood which may be more or less depending on where you are and your proximity to actual lumber mills.) Marine plywood is good quality and doesn’t have very many voids and uses waterproof glue, but the “good” wood is just a top veneer. So it’ll eventually get gouged if treated like pickup beds are usually treated. A 3/4" wood layer could be refinished. The wood would probably be a bit heavier than the plywood. Standard plywood would work but would have more voids (thus be more subject to splintering or gouging when edges of heavy items hit the bed). Also if you’re going to all the work of customizing a pickup, it’s kind of a low-rent approach. Sanded plywood usually doesn’t finish up all that nice unless it’s veneered, and again, veneer doesn’t stand up to any kind of heavy usage. ---
**Author:** ![cornflakes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@cornflakes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cornflakes)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2011, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/customizing-a-dodge-pickup/597764/8 "2011-09-27T17:21:26Z")
If you’re going to cover it anyway, you might want to look into BB plyform. This is oil impregnated plywood used for concrete forms, and it’s about twice as expensive (give or take) as regular CDX plywood. It’s pretty popular in some regions for using as a wear sheet in pickup beds. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2011, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/customizing-a-dodge-pickup/597764/9 "2011-09-27T17:27:14Z")
Edited title to indicate subject. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![slant6](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3be4f8/32.png) [@slant6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slant6)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2011, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/customizing-a-dodge-pickup/597764/10 "2011-09-27T18:04:35Z")
finagle, pre cut wood with aluminum strips for a pick-up bed cost from $850.00 to finagle, pre-cut wood with aluminum strips for a pick-up bed cost $850.00 to $1,250 dollars depending on the wood used. i am not trying to be too low buck, just looking for a more cost efficient way to get desirable results. ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2011, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/customizing-a-dodge-pickup/597764/11 "2011-09-27T19:05:05Z")
> [@slant6](#): > > finagle, pre cut wood with aluminum strips for a pick-up bed cost from $850.00 to Perhaps, but if you’re thinking of going the plywood route, it’s not much more expensive or difficult to cut your own wood strips. You don’t have to buy the pre-made strips as long as you’re willing to trade sweat equity. Heck, you could probably buy pre-finished wood flooring pretty cheap and do it that way. Still look nicer than plywood.