How to Build a Wooden Truck Rack
- 1). Measure the height of the truck bed sides from the top edge to the bed of the truck. Determine exactly how high your rack should be. Most are a few inches taller than the roof of the cab to allow long items to extend over the cab when needed. Add these two dimensions together and cut six pieces of treated 2-by-2 lumber to that length with a miter saw.
- 2). Stand four of the posts you just cut, up in the corner pockets of your truck bed. Measure between the posts, just above the top of the bed rail. Cut a treated 2-by-4 to fit on each corner post, resting on top of the bed rail, and stopping 3 ½ inches short of the top end. Screw one of these on the outside face of each corner post, vertically, flush with the front face of the back posts, and flush with the back face of the front posts. Use one 2 ½ inch treated deck screw every 8 to 10 inches.
- 3). Measure outside to outside front to back and side to side. This will be the inside dimension of the main rack frame. Cut two 2-by-4s to the width dimension and two to the length, plus 3 inches for overlap at the ends. Assemble these four pieces into a rectangle, with the 2-by-4s on edge. The two shorter end pieces should be between the longer side pieces. Attach by driving two 2 ½ inch treated deck screws through each end of the long pieces into the ends of the shorter end pieces.
- 4). Cut one 2-by-2 to fit between the long outside 2-by-4 every 16 inches. Install them with screws as you assembled the corners of the frame, one screw in each end of each piece. Make the top face of each 2-by-2 even with the top edge of the outside rails.
- 5). Position the rectangle frame with 2-by-2 cross members on top of the four corner posts and let it slide down until it rests on the 2-by-4s you attached to the outsides of the posts. Square up the corners and attach each corner with two screws. Cut 12-inch diagonal braces to fit between the long outside rails of the rectangle and the 2-by-4s on the faces of the posts. Cut the ends at 45 degrees, one right and one left, on each piece so that they fit on a 45-degree angle in each corner. Attach with screws, through the ends of the diagonal braces into the edges of the rectangle frame rails and the 2-by-4s on the posts.
- 6). Remove the frame from the truck, or tape off the truck bed and apply two coats of semigloss latex enamel to the wooden rack. Use a soft bristle brush. Apply the paint in long, straight strokes, working to keep it as even as possible to avoid runs and drips in the finish.
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