DIY folding hard top tonneau cover for pickup truck bed
05-10-2016, 06:14 AM
#1
Typical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 921
DIY folding hard top tonneau cover for pickup truck bed
Our favorite deer hunting truck needs a bed cover and because we will be attending more and more sports shows selling our bow holders and broadhead sharpening guides , we need a bit more security in the long bed of our truck (8 foot bed). We looked at tonneau covers and didn't care for the fabric versions as they can be breached with a knife. Other versions did not do what we wanted and it seemed all came in Black and that is not an option as the items under that black cover in the heat of the sun would be cooked in the incredible temperature that would be generated under a black cover. That heat would cook or bows and other gear. Also, the top of the line covers are very pricey.
So we opted to make a project out of it and make our own folding cover. It will be made from wood. We expect it to come in under $100, be about 50 pounds so one person can take it on and off and it will be the color of our choosing (a very light color to prevent heat build up). We may even decorate it our company logo. The frame will be pine and the cover will be 1/4" plywood. Everything will get two coats of raw wood primer and then 2 coats of paint in a color yet to be determined.
Until we began this project we were unaware that the bed of this truck actually tapers/narrows from front to back. We assumed it was a simple rectangle. The 3 sections of the cover will fold on themselves (3 hinges on each section) but would also be able to be opened individually as needed. Here are some pictures of the progress so far.
To match the curve of the tailgate we added a curved segment to the rear most section.
Construction is complete and its time to move onto the protecting it. 2 coats of Kilz primer.
The top side will be Behr Exterior "Silver Screen" in semi gloss.
But first, the underside (side nobody sees) will get two coats of exterior semi gloss in a camo green from a past project.
While the coats of paint dry, time to figure out how to project our logo on the cover so it can be painted on the top side.
So we opted to make a project out of it and make our own folding cover. It will be made from wood. We expect it to come in under $100, be about 50 pounds so one person can take it on and off and it will be the color of our choosing (a very light color to prevent heat build up). We may even decorate it our company logo. The frame will be pine and the cover will be 1/4" plywood. Everything will get two coats of raw wood primer and then 2 coats of paint in a color yet to be determined.
Until we began this project we were unaware that the bed of this truck actually tapers/narrows from front to back. We assumed it was a simple rectangle. The 3 sections of the cover will fold on themselves (3 hinges on each section) but would also be able to be opened individually as needed. Here are some pictures of the progress so far.
To match the curve of the tailgate we added a curved segment to the rear most section.
Construction is complete and its time to move onto the protecting it. 2 coats of Kilz primer.
The top side will be Behr Exterior "Silver Screen" in semi gloss.
But first, the underside (side nobody sees) will get two coats of exterior semi gloss in a camo green from a past project.
While the coats of paint dry, time to figure out how to project our logo on the cover so it can be painted on the top side.
05-10-2016, 07:37 AM
#3
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: south eastern PA
Posts: 15,436
I had a friend who was a sign painter. Anything from lettering cars, trucks, boats and doing projects as large as bill boards . When he had a large project to paint, he would hang it on it on the wall and project what was going to be on it, then outline the item and then paint it by hand. He also had a huge computerized machine that turned out adhesive backed vinyl projects of both small and large sizes. Some were in sections of various colors say for a logo that was multi colored. He did the transom of two boats I kept on the Chesapeake bay and the adhesive never let go in that harsh environment. If you want an application instead of painting your logo that may be an alternative that a sign painter could do for you. I know you are DIY guy but just a suggestion.
05-10-2016, 02:55 PM
#5
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 2,743
OK not to sound like a negative here, but one of the big reasons they don't make them out of wood it, it warps from heat and humidity , even with good paint on all sides
so keep this in mind here, as what fits good NOW after some weather will most likely NOT fit so well
just saying
I like DIY projects and saving $$ when ever I can
so not bashing, just offering up some heads up for you! /food for thought if nothing else!
so keep this in mind here, as what fits good NOW after some weather will most likely NOT fit so well
just saying
I like DIY projects and saving $$ when ever I can
so not bashing, just offering up some heads up for you! /food for thought if nothing else!
05-10-2016, 03:25 PM
#6
Typical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 921
No worries. We have built a lot of outdoor structures and did so in a way that considers warp. The 6 spring loaded latches and bracing will keep the things in place. The light color paint reduces sun induced warpage.
Last edited by DIY_guy; 05-11-2016 at 04:28 AM.
05-11-2016, 04:28 AM
#7
Typical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 921
The painting is complete so its time to fill in the blank slate
We want to paint our Black Claw logo on the rear-most section of the bed cover. But we may also add the Stay Sharp logo to one of the other sections.
To do this we need to project the Black Claw logo as a very large image (5 feet across), Since we don't have a projector we will make our own laptop projector. A couple of old cardboard boxes painted black inside.
The projection lens is an 8.5 x 11 lens from the dollar store.
The magnifying lens reverses the image so we had to flip it on the screen image.
I made the two boxes so I can slide the two to bring the image into focus.
The basement wall is the test backdrop and with the lights off it gets dark enough to be able to project using only the brightness of the laptop screen so we can pencil the logo in place to make it easier to paint following that pencil outline.
The projection is far clearer than this photo indicates but I could not use a flash.
We want to paint our Black Claw logo on the rear-most section of the bed cover. But we may also add the Stay Sharp logo to one of the other sections.
To do this we need to project the Black Claw logo as a very large image (5 feet across), Since we don't have a projector we will make our own laptop projector. A couple of old cardboard boxes painted black inside.
The projection lens is an 8.5 x 11 lens from the dollar store.
The magnifying lens reverses the image so we had to flip it on the screen image.
I made the two boxes so I can slide the two to bring the image into focus.
The basement wall is the test backdrop and with the lights off it gets dark enough to be able to project using only the brightness of the laptop screen so we can pencil the logo in place to make it easier to paint following that pencil outline.
The projection is far clearer than this photo indicates but I could not use a flash.
