Best coating for exposed plywood? Bed Liner? Full sun/heat exposure in a hot climate

[M35A2]

Thanks for all the great and varied replies. I'm still considering. I've used spar varnish in the past on some backyard structures that are horizontal / exposed to the sun and it didn't last two full years in our sun / heat. LIkewise my neighbor has been plagued with re-varnishing the wood bed planks in his '45 Ford pickup. Lquers and varnishes just don't seem to take our exposure anymore. Maybe it's CA's no-VOC edicts.

I've done the bed of my pickup with a Herculiner roll-on kit, but I felt it's a bit too gritty / abrasive. Great for traction surfaces, probably a good thing for a roof tray, but I don't know.

The external latex appeals to be greatly for ease of use and cleanup and application and I'm glad to hear it bonds well. I should have considered that right off, as I did a fuel and water cabinet (like a paint locker) on the south side of our house, summer of 2011, and it's skinned with T-111 siding. KILZ primer, good Behr exterior latex. It's held up very well. I painted the whole house that summer as well, same way, and primed the trim on the south and west faces. All still good. So that's a big contender.

What I'll probably do is paint the handle cutouts and bottom sides black and the top surface I'll have to think about some more. It would make more weather / sun sense if it isn't black. Lighter the better for longevity, I would think. Since it's a false roof and not in contact with the roof skin, I'm not too worried about heat transfer across the air gap. Shading 75-80% of the roof is a big enough improvement. It's an all black suburban in sunny SoCal so I'm pretty much screwed anyway.

What color is your interior? If brown/tan. perhaps paint the top side a complementary shade of brown/tan. Similarly if the interior is gray.

 

[tommudd]

Great thread as I have been thinking of doing about the same for something " different" on my build I'm doing now
Dark green Jeep, but thinking a light gray top color to reflect some sun rays
Keep the ideas coming and the thought process moving along
Thank for starting this thread rayra

 

[rayra]

Nick, nope, not commonly available around here. I could probably special order but my budget is severely limited. Some baltic birch is likely the best I could do around here and even that is on the 'pricey' end for me.


Ducky's dad, I know what you mean. The water based polyurethanes cause me no end of grief in my woodworking hobbies. Go on like mud. There's about 4 weeks a year when I get the right blend of temp and humidity where I'm at, and maybe a moving 30min window in a spring or fall morning when I can poly something smoothly and well, due to our adulterated products.


M35A2, it's med gray leather and plastics, black carpet. So a bottom and edge in semi-gloss black and a top in a matching gray would not be out of place. I could take a piece of interior plastic in for a paint matching, if I go with paint. I'm likely to on cost alone. Looks like the whole thing will cost me about $150, that way. Freakin' flat bar steel strapping, 1" x 48" are $6.50ea. About a quarter's worth of mild steel.

tommudd you're welcome and thanks.


I've got a garage cabinet to build between now and the end of the weekend. After that I might start this tray. I really OUGHT to finish sewing my awnings first, while my big work table is clear. But I'm more excited by the tray idea right now. Which is funny as it's winter and El Nino and I don't need either project right now.

 

[M35A2]

M35A2, it's med gray leather and plastics, black carpet. So a bottom and edge in semi-gloss black and a top in a matching gray would not be out of place. I could take a piece of interior plastic in for a paint matching, if I go with paint. I'm likely to on cost alone. Looks like the whole thing will cost me about $150, that way. Freakin' flat bar steel strapping, 1" x 48" are $6.50ea. About a quarter's worth of mild steel.

Yes, pricing for metal can be way out of whack.

Good idea on paint matching to your interior. Some GM grays are weird; the darker gray on the upper dash might actually have some blue in it. At the risk of blowing the budget (one additional quart of latex), what about matching the upper surface of the platform with the lighter gray, with a dark stripe of the darker gray down the center? With the black back and edges. The racing stripe would break up the appearance, making it look more bespoke, and increase mpg and towing capacity.

Whatever you decide, please keep us informed as you have generated a lot of interest!

 

[rayra]

I ended up going with Rustoleum Hammered Finish paint, two coats applied a couple hours apart per directions. We'll see how it holds up. This is the 'Black' color, it's a bit silvered, almost like black beach sand.

http://www.expeditionportal.com/for...ng-a-roof-rack-deck-on-a-GMT800-Suburban-Z-71

 

[calicamper]

I think any of the tough coatings with some pre sealing will result in a pretty durable long lasting effect. I wonder if the bed liner type stuff can go over ply sealed with thin expoxy sealer? That would be an interesting combo.

 

[pawleyk]

I ended up going with Rustoleum Hammered Finish paint, two coats applied a couple hours apart per directions. We'll see how it holds up. This is the 'Black' color, it's a bit silvered, almost like black beach sand.

http://www.expeditionportal.com/for...ng-a-roof-rack-deck-on-a-GMT800-Suburban-Z-71

Damn! That looks great!

Wish I had seen this thread earlier, I'm building a custom bed for my truck and am using 3/4" marine ply for the decking.. Was looking for options for coating and sealing it. It sounds like a lot of these options would work just fine.

I ordered this from Amazon because it got good reviews and hopefully will hold up to rocks kicking up from the underside, and make a nice load floor for my Four Wheel Camper.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00IS5CETO/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Seriously though, that rack looks amazing.

 

[rayra]

I've seen the rubberseal stuff used as a top coat on mobile homes and cargo containers. Henry roofing products has something similar. I can't attest to the surface hardness or durability for wear with either finish.
Another paintable substance that is very durable is POR15, typically used as an auto chassis and floor pan coating. A bit spendy. It took 3 pints (quart and a half) to double coat my roof deck, its total size is roughly 7'x4'. POR15 is ~$42 / QUART, The Hammered Finish paint is $12 / Qt.

 

[DanCooper]

Rayra, those panels look great! Wonderful job.

 

[rayra]

Thanks very much. I was starting to wonder, as the build and completion thread in the Storage subforum got about 600 views after I posted the big finish and got zero comments. heh

 

[eggman918]

I just modified my fan shroud that has been in use for over 3 years it's made from 5mm marine plywood that was held together with gorilla glue then as a unit was coated with polyester resin thinned with acetone 2 parts resin to 1 part acetone and painted with rustolium spray paint and it has held up well, had to change fan opening and their was no sign of any water intrusion with a quality topcoat should last for ever.

 

[pappawheely]

I read where the military vehicle owners are using exterior house paint for their camo jobs. It holds up well and it's easy to touch up.

 

[Haf-E]

I am impressed with a product called "Styrospray" which is made for coating various types of foam - but it also works well on wood. If you contact them they will send you small square samples of foam and plywood with it applied.

We hammered on both samples and the foam one got a dent / crack but it took a lot to damage it. The plywood one looks nearly undamaged. Now doing weathering tests.

http://www.industrialpolymers.com/products/styrospray-series

 

[rayra]

Well I've kicked this hammered Finish paint application off with a blistering heat wave around here. Hit 115F a couple days after I finished the install. So it's going to take the full brunt of what looks to be a hot summer. I used a good quality plywood, coated it with Killz primer, day later did two coats of the Hammered per directions, about 2hrs between coats. There's no gaps or holes, I rounded all the edges with a router and paid extra attention there when painting both primer and topcoats. It's as good a painted finish as I can make / afford. We shall see.

 

[Silverado08]

Best roof coating

Ive coated my plywood truck camper with couple coats of Cold cure epoxy then white high gloss marine enamel,
Its still waterproof after 5 years of traveling,however developed few cracks in many places as the plywood is only quarter inch thick and not a very good quality and flexes quite a bit
Next time Id go with more durable roof coating which is recomended by many RVers and used on many motorhomes and trailers,even buildings roofs..heres the link

http://www.epdmcoatings.com/mobile/liquid-rubber.php