DIY truck-drawers, part one: planning & materials.
I’ve always been envious of friends that have DIY truck drawers in their pickup beds. And being a novice Do-It-Yourselfer, I was hesitant to tackle such an imposing task. Sure, I can build stuff that works the way it’s intended, but the process is never as smooth as I think it will be (nor as quick as my wife believes it should be). However, desire finally overcame doubt, and I mustered the ambition to take on a truck-drawer project. Before rushing off to buy supplies, I had to settle on a plan, and come to find out, there are many out there.
Here we go...
In all the plans I scoured online, threre were lots of similarities but only two main differences: the way the drawers slid (either roller system or plastic runners) and the materials for the box (primarily plywood, with 1” x 10” or 1” x 12” boards). After careful consideration, I decided to go with 5 sheets of 3/4 inch plywood (48” x 96”) and plastic strips for sliding.
Additional Supplies
Box of 2” screws
1/2” screws for plastic and piano hinges
Slide latches (2)
Handles for drawers (2)
Piano hinges for side compartments (4)
Cabinet pulls for side compartments (4)
2’ chains (4)
Large eye hooks (4)
Carabiners (4)
All-weather carpet for the top of the box and inside the drawers
Wood glue
Staples
Wood stain
3/4” x 3/4" x 8’ corner guards (2)
Measure twice, read plan 10 times.
With most of my projects, cutting errors have resulted in unplanned adjustments. But with this one, I’d like to make just one trip to Kenyon Noble, a feat that I’ve yet to accomplish even with smaller tasks. But I’m feeling good, and with mapped-out cuts and a thorough list in hand, I’m off to Kenyon. Stay tuned to see how many trips I actually end up making.
