1953 Chevrolet Truck Wood Bed Refinishing Part 2 - Wooden You Know, Too

This is what you want to see-a smooth surface with no low spots. After sanding with 600, follow with the even finer paper to take out any scratches or small imperfections. If you're not satisfied with the finish at this point, or have burned through the varnish, just go back and apply more coats of full-strength varnish.

With the varnish all sanded down nice and flat, it's time to bring the shine back out. To do so, you'll need to have an adjustable-speed buffer, compound and finishing glazes, and the appropriate pads. Begin with the compound (Meguiar's Mirror Glaze #1 or similar), carefully cutting the surface. Be cautious to not burn through, especially on the edges, so keep the buffer on a lower speed. Also, make certain to wipe all remaining compound residue off before continuing.

Follow the compound with a machine glaze (Mirror Glaze #3 or similar) to bring the varnish's true shine to life. Use a dedicated foam pad for each buffing stage, never using one for both. When the surface begins to resemble a "mirror" with no cloudiness or dull spots, you're done buffing.

Both the wet-sanding and buffing can get messy, so make sure your work area is not surrounded by anything you don't want dirtied up. I worked outside the garage, but to keep the sun from drying anything out prematurely (water or compound), I used a small umbrella, which also helped keep the heat down.

I think you could call this board finished. You'll notice that some of the grain is still visible through an inconsistent surface-I chose to retain that real wood look. If you want a completely perfect surface, simply put down more coats of varnish...lots more!

By the time you've finished wet-sanding and buffing, the varnish should have had ample time to cure (though it won't be completely cured for about a month or so). When installing the bed for the last time, be cautious not to gouge your shiny new surface on any sharp metal edges, especially the side pieces.

Same goes for the stainless strips, too. Basically, treat this portion of the project like you would if you were reassembling a freshly painted truck-slow and easy! Nobody likes to fix mistakes this late in the game...I know I sure don't.

Once the last nut and bolt were tightened down, I was finally able to stand back and truly appreciate the fruits of my labor. Sure, there's still a long ways to go before she's ready to be called done, but at least she's got a bed that's sure to knock 'em dead!