brymck

Spent a couple hours last night building a bed cover, since they're calling for snow this weekend in Maine and I won't have a garage to put my truck in for a couple more weeks I decided it was worth it to build something so I wouldn't have to shovel out my bed.

I built a frame out of 2x3 studs that follows the dimensions of the inside of the top of the bedrails, and then screwed it to a sheet of MDF. With my 5.5' bed and tool box I have in there, the 4' wide sheet of MDF was the perfect width; I just had to cut it to length.

The frame slides under the 'lip' on the toolbox, and when you slam the tailgate shut, it sort of wedges it into place. I took a couple eye bolts and screwed them into the frame so I could use tie downs to strap it down to the hooks in the bed but It's in there tight enough that it probably isn't necessary.

I ran a router around the top of the MDF to make it look a little more finished.

I used bedliner paint to finish it and it came out... less than satisfactory. Next time I'll buy the roll on stuff instead of the spray on stuff.

Total cost? About 50 bucks.

jwsboard1

Nice! Cheap fix to the coming snow!

60DRB

That's a pretty sharp idea! A QD tonneau.. you might want to patent that if it hasn't already been done. I think I'll be doing a version of that for my truck, thanks.

jwsboard1

Pics of the inside? :-)

Rick's 06

I like it.

SAWMAN556

Good idea except that MDF ain't worth a crap outdoors, I don't care what you paint it with.

2nd150

..

x2..MDF is just pressed sawdust.

jwsboard1

Great idea! Just finnished mine did marine grade plywood though. Sweet post! Cheap and simple! Will deff keep the 10 inches of snow that we are gonna get tonight out!

brymck

Looks great! I thought about marine grade plywood but wasn't sure how it'd look after I ran a router along the edges. For the money I have invested in it, if it doesn't work out I'll just build another one.