F150, 5.5, Elevated deck and Drawer plan Ideas

[JudyK-JAY22rb]

I've been studying up on DIY truck bed drawers and deck. I bought a Softopper for my truck and want to make an elevated surface, for effective loading of the bed. There's no way I'm paying $1,500 for a Decked outfit, so I figure I'd try the DIY wood version. There's plenty of YouTube DIY videos, with varying degrees of simplicity or intricacy as far as the builds go.

I was thinking about the base, the inside of my 5'5" F150 bed and was thinking about the wood, weight, dimensions. I thought about the Decked system; it is made from a plastic compound. I thought about something that would be easier than wood, but DIY capable. This morning I figured it out! I own a restaurant, so I know about aluminum dunnage racks. I know some people know what they are, but many do not, for lack of need or life exposure.

There are versions of aluminum dunnage racks, that in a specific combination of 3 (48" wide and 60" wide versions 24" and 20" in depth or other size depths if needed, all 12" high) that will for the F150 bed PERFECTLY. The 12" rise puts them just above the wheel wells. They might require a tiny bit of extra elevation over the wheel wells, as the height at the TOP is 12" but the aluminum tubing thickness might not clear the actual 11" wheel well hight. Also a plus, they only have 4 corner legs, no middle support necessary.

Place the racks in the bed, clamp and drill, secure them together with bolts and wings nuts, then place my plywood on top. Underneath I figure I can make some simple slides / trays, to act like drawers. I know I can come up with something to slide out from under the racks. I don't plan on loading it up with crazy heavy amount of tools, etc. A piece of plywood with (Harbor Freight) rollerballs on the underside is an option. Place a couple side mounted rails to keep it from wandering.

What's great about the racks is; the 3 in total = 21 pounds and crazy strong. They are comparable in price to wood; about $120 for the three and they can easily moved/removed.

If anyone has any pro/cons they could add, that'd be helpful. You know, it's always good to hear feedback, ideas and troubleshooting.

If this ends up being the route I take. I'll be sure to make a video about it.

 

[JFlightRisk]

Sounds like a fun project, and much less than the BedSlide we have in our bed. Ours is very handy to load camping gear on and push back into the box (we have a cap on ours) without crawling in.

The only thing I would devise is a locking mechanism to keep it in place in your box. Our BedSlide locks in place, at halfway out, and fully extended.

 

[JudyK-JAY22rb]

Right. Something to keep the slide rear from moving up when the drawer is extended and the entire thing anchored. I figure I'm going to have to attach the racks to the bed. Maybe some turn buckles...off the tie down spots? I've seen them used for the wood versions.

Maybe a couple long 2x4s, on each side, along the bed length...against the wheel wells, front to back, attached to racks and THOSE turn buckled to the tie down points. They can also serve as the slide side supports, for the base that slides out. OR set the racks ON the same 2 x 4s. They can serve as the tiny bit of extra elevation needed to clear the wheel wells AND for tie downs and for pull out side glides.

 

[JudyK-JAY22rb]

So it looks like my 5.5 inch bed would fit best: 2, 48 x 20 x 12 and 1, 48 x 24 x 12.

This, with shipping comes to $300. That's still within the build budget AND saves a lot of cutting, measuring and building time/effort. It's much more light weight and weatherproof, as far as the main support, structure. I still need to buy plywood for the top and slide bases, as well as a couple 2 x4's for the slide support sides and the rollerballs for the underside.

 

[OnTheGo]

... good idea and well thought out. The rack legs look smooth their entire length which makes me think heavy duty Velcro strips would be a legitimate fastener.

And you're right about not knowing about aluminum dunnage racks. I can think of several projects where I might have used them. I got it now.

 

[JudyK-JAY22rb]

Good idea with the Velcro!

I've done some more considering. I can get 60' x 24' x 12' racks. 2 of them lengthwise in the bed. there will openings for about a 22 inch slider of some sort. Maybe a drawer slide on one side and the other side could hold one of these carry-all type sleds. Store, then use to drag around some fire wood or whatever. Still, weather proof.

 

[JudyK-JAY22rb]

My truck bed does not have a plastic or spray in liner, nor does it have a mat etc. I thought about something that would be 'slick' for the sled or drawer to slide upon, if I didn't get fancy with rollers or intricate drawer slides/glides. I used FRP panels in my restaurant build, years ago, so I went looking. I found this: which could be used on the floor of the bed and under the drawer...for ease of sliding.

 

[JudyK-JAY22rb]

Sounds like a fun project, and much less than the BedSlide we have in our bed. Ours is very handy to load camping gear on and push back into the box (we have a cap on ours) without crawling in.

The only thing I would devise is a locking mechanism to keep it in place in your box. Our BedSlide locks in place, at halfway out, and fully extended.

I'll have a cap by Spring. I got this (Softopper) for Christmas and it's still in the box. Also, the reason why I'm looking to utilize the newly acquired vertical space in the bed, once it is installed.

 

[JFlightRisk]

Very nice! You're going to like it.

 

[Jayhawk 29]

I don't know if that thin 1/16" sheet for your bed bottom will be sturdy enough. Of course starboard , which is probably similar to what you are talking about using in your restaurant is certainly slick enough. But the thicker it is, the heavier it is too.

But coming up with this idea is really typical for a lot of people when they are sitting inside during long winters . Looking foward of seeing photos of your upgrade.

 

[Glamper64]

This reminds me of our before RV days when we slept in the work van and set up a kitchen tent...oh the good ole days
I made a two pc. removable raised bed in the back just above the wheel wells. I used 2X2 framing and 5/8" plywood with 2X4 legs...made two sections and screwed them together and to the walls with metal brackets...4" foam made a great bed with lots of storage underneath and easy to remove if needed.
Anyway, enough about me I just wanted to say good idea and mention you should start by covering the entire bed with 1/2" or 5/8" plywood. This will give you a flat surface to work on and allow you to screw down things like wood for drawers tracks and secure the aluminum legs. No need to fasten down plywood...fit it snug and use flat pcs. Making it in two sections would make it easy to remove one or both when/if needed

 

[JudyK-JAY22rb]

This reminds me of our before RV days when we slept in the work van and set up a kitchen tent...oh the good ole days
I made a two pc. removable raised bed in the back just above the wheel wells. I used 2X2 framing and 5/8" plywood with 2X4 legs...made two sections and screwed them together and to the walls with metal brackets...4" foam made a great bed with lots of storage underneath and easy to remove if needed.
Anyway, enough about me I just wanted to say good idea and mention you should start by covering the entire bed with 1/2" or 5/8" plywood. This will give you a flat surface to work on and allow you to screw down things like wood for drawers tracks and secure the aluminum legs. No need to fasten down plywood...fit it snug and use flat pcs. Making it in two sections would make it easy to remove one or both when/if needed

I decided to go with 60" long (dunnage racks) x 24" wide x 12" high. That's two long racks inside the bed. That gives me 'slide or drawer' space under each rack approximately 22" wide and the length of the bed. The racks are crazy strong, each holding more than 1,850# pounds and weighing only 12# total.

As for the floor, I've been thinking...I have this screenshot from one of the many YouTube builds. I think I'm gong to do something like this (photo) and use it as a way to attach the racks to the bed floor (with brackets) and still have some surface area that can serve as a base for whatever glide system I decide to use OR just go full ply base, 4 foot wide and cut to 65" just shy of tailgate. I guess that'd be easier....I dunno...so many ways to skin that cat, I guess. Still not sure if I'm going to do simple slide floors with plywood, with some edges (so stuff doesn't fall off the back/sides, pull glide on a few rollers OR make actual drawers. No matter, I'll be running some type of wood edge down the inside of each leg, to keep anything gliding in and out from migrating sideways, helping to keep it tracked, inside the legs all the way to the rear.

 

[JudyK-JAY22rb]

I don't know if that thin 1/16" sheet for your bed bottom will be sturdy enough. Of course starboard , which is probably similar to what you are talking about using in your restaurant is certainly slick enough. But the thicker it is, the heavier it is too.

But coming up with this idea is really typical for a lot of people when they are sitting inside during long winters . Looking foward of seeing photos of your upgrade.

That plastic is more for slide ability than support (if I were to make simple sled pulls that glide on the floor of the truck bed, between the rack legs)...but you're right. I think if I do anything, it'll be a pressure treated plywood bottom, 1/2" should suffice, for the racks to be secured (L brackets and self tapping screws on the outer part of the legs, then in some way, secure it all to the bed via turn buckles at the top end of the bed, near the cab, attached to the tie downs.) I've seen this type a few times in the Youtube builds and looks to be a good choice. I figure 3/4" ply for the top. The length of wood I'll be running down the inside of the legs, to keep the slides tracking correctly can also serve as the anchor for the turn buckles. The wood will actually be pulled tightly against the inside of the dunnage rack leg, which I think is good.

Just waiting for this crazy windy fridgid weather to break, here in CT. From what I can tell, we have some mild days coming up. That's good because I'm on vacation for 3 weeks and really want to start.

 

[JudyK-JAY22rb]

This reminds me of our before RV days when we slept in the work van and set up a kitchen tent...oh the good ole days
I made a two pc. removable raised bed in the back just above the wheel wells. I used 2X2 framing and 5/8" plywood with 2X4 legs...made two sections and screwed them together and to the walls with metal brackets...4" foam made a great bed with lots of storage underneath and easy to remove if needed.

Have you seen those INFLATABLE truck bed caps!? They look good and talk about convenience. They're super expensive, though. My SofTopper wasn't cheap, but wasn't as much as that inflatable thing.

 

[Glamper64]

I hadn't heard of those inflatable caps so I goggled it...they do look good and expensive
As far as your truck bed reno goes I wouldn't bother with that cut-out plywood system, it's way more work than just putting down one 4' x 6' solid pc of ply and it's a better job Imo...you'll have a full surface with no cutouts/holes for stuff to fall into and maximum fastening options.
Drawers would've been great under my work van bed, but I had these HD plastic stackable trays from my wife's work that were approx. 6" high x 18" wide x 24" long the perfect size to fit between the bed legs It worked out great...I screwed down a 3/4" x 3/4" stop on the plywood floor for the stacked trays and left the other side open for longer things...so many options I had with the fully covered plywood floor

 

[JudyK-JAY22rb]

Yeah, you'e right about piecing the floor together (I'm realizing now the person in the video did that because he had pieces on hand.) One sheet of 4 x 6 is a good idea for the floor, after I thought about it more. I think 1/2" should work fine for the floor, since it isn't really supporting anything. Once I get the racks and check out where their legs will land, I'll make up my mind to go thicker or not, if the legs land over a bed groove vs. a bed 'lump.' I might want to use the 3/4" as I don't want to have the bed floor piece flexing.

I have my cuts for the top pieces all planned out, from a piece of 4 x 8 x 3/4"

 

[Glamper64]

You want some thickness on the plywood floor to fasten screws for leg brackets and drawer hardware...I would go 5/8" min. for a decent size screw for solid fastening while under braking especially if you're carrying a lot of weight.

 

[JudyK-JAY22rb]

They're here! 60 x 24 x 12
Gonna go throw them in the bed. See how they fit....
Nice fit, even though they don't need go over the wheel well, if I needed them to, they clear it just fine. together they span 48". The inside of the wheel is 50. -something"
Their leg span lands on differing heights of the bed on each side of the racks when they are placed directly together, so a plywood base will be necessary. I can pick these racks up with 2 fingers.

 

[Glamper64]

Looks good, now the fun begins
Plywood on the bottom for sure. I would use 5/8" on top as well and make it in two sections for easy removal incase you need the height on one side or both. Nice to have the plywood cut larger/overhanging the racks to fill entire bed space snuggly front to back and side to side. This would hold the units in place and give you a larger deck with no gaps for stuff to fall off

 

[JudyK-JAY22rb]

I'm not exactly well informed on plywood types, except I know I want something that if exposed to wetness, it's not going to go all bad on me. I think this is a good choice for deck. It is pressure/weather treated. Now, if it would just stop raining. If I can find some thinner treated stuff for the floor, I might get that. It's merely serving as e leveler for the legs of the racks. But like I said, I'm saying this, but have no idea if it actually exists in the world of lumber/wood. I'm not going to put any crazy heavy single items on the upper deck. The most is a 100lb generator.