Okay, so, I finally got around to building some drawers for the back of my truck. It’s something I’ve been meaning to do for ages, and let me tell you, it’s a game changer! I used to just toss everything in the bed, and it would all slide around and get messed up. Now, I actually have a way to keep my gear organized.
First, I thought about what I really needed to store back there. You know, I didn’t want to build something massive if I didn’t need to. That’s something you have to think about, how much stuff you actually have to organize. Some of the options you can buy are insane, they totally change your whole truck bed, which is cool, but maybe not for everyone.
I spent a good day just measuring everything out. Twice. Measure twice, cut once, you know the saying! I used some scrap plywood I had lying around from an old project, which was nice, saved me some money there. I decided to go with two long drawers, side by side. That way I can still use the top of them to put larger things.
Building the frame was probably the most time-consuming part. I built a simple box frame that fit snugly in my truck bed. I used 2x4s for that, making sure it was all square and level. And I also measured the length, width, and height of my truck bed to ensure that the frame would fit properly. It is important to do the right measurements, or you may waste a lot of time and money.
- Used 2x4s to build a box frame
- Ensured the frame was square and level
- Double-checked measurements to fit the truck bed
Then came the drawers themselves. I used more of that plywood, cut to size, and used some heavy-duty drawer slides I picked up from the hardware store. This is where that DECKED brand comes in, they are known for their drawer systems. I decided not to use them, but the slides, they were good. Those slides are the key, you don’t want them getting stuck or breaking when you have a bunch of stuff in the drawers.
- Cut plywood to size for the drawers
- Attached heavy-duty drawer slides
- Ensured smooth operation of the drawers
Assembly Time
After that, it was just a matter of putting it all together. I secured the frame to the truck bed using some bolts. For that, I drilled some holes to make it steady. I didn’t want the whole thing sliding around when I’m driving. Then I just slid the drawers into the frame. I added some handles to the front of the drawers to make them easier to open.
Honestly, it took me a couple of weekends to get it all done, working on and off. But it was totally worth it! Now, I can keep my tools, camping gear, whatever, all organized and easy to access. And the best part is, I built it myself! If you’re thinking about doing something like this, I say go for it! Just take your time, measure everything carefully, and make sure you get those strong drawer slides.
