Truck Box Topper Looks Like Fine Furniture
“The topper I built for my pickup cost about $200 in materials, way less than the $2,000 I would’ve spent on one from a manufacturer,” says Minnesota carpenter Brad Kane. “And better yet, now I have exactly what I want rather than having to re-work a standard pre-built model.”
Kane calls his creation a “tonneau topper” because it extends above and outside the box of his 2010 Nissan Frontier pickup. “It’s not really a topper and it’s not really a tonneau, so I just combined the names,” he says. The risers on each side are 2 by 10-in. planks fastened to the rail of the box sides with self-tapping screws. Horizontal planks extend 5 in. outside the uprights, supported by 5 wood gussets on each side and screwed into the uprights. The top of each side panel has J guides made from 1 by 6 boards. Kane’s two 6-ft. wide work tables slide inside those J guides toward the front of the bed and provide the cover. The tables are held in place with a locking wooden bracket so he can secure his tools. Kane says the design allows him to carry a gang box of tools and his chop saw under cover, out of the weather.
“Even though the tonneau topper isn’t 100 percent waterproof, I can easily cover my tools with a canvas to keep them dry,” Kane says. “I’m going to add a weather strip seal on the inside of the J channel and put a seal on the edge of the tables so there’s not a crack for water to get in. Overall the design is a simple way to carry work tables without having to throw them in on top of the tools.”
Kane used his finish carpentry skills to sand, hone, polish and stain his wooden tonneau topper to look like a custom-made piece of furniture. “It definitely looks like a carpenter owns it because it’s not like anything else on the road,” Kane adds.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Brad Kane, Lakeville, Minn. (www.kanecarpentry.com.; kanecarpentryllc@gmail.com)
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Truck Box Topper Looks Like Fine Furniture FARM HOME Furniture “The topper I built for my pickup cost about $200 in materials way less than the $2 000 I would’ve spent on one from a manufacturer ” says Minnesota carpenter Brad Kane “And better yet now I have exactly what I want rather than having to re-work a standard pre-built model ” Kane calls his creation a “tonneau topper” because it extends above and outside the box of his 2010 Nissan Frontier pickup “It’s not really a topper and it’s not really a tonneau so I just combined the names ” he says The risers on each side are 2 by 10-in planks fastened to the rail of the box sides with self-tapping screws Horizontal planks extend 5 in outside the uprights supported by 5 wood gussets on each side and screwed into the uprights The top of each side panel has J guides made from 1 by 6 boards Kane’s two 6-ft wide work tables slide inside those J guides toward the front of the bed and provide the cover The tables are held in place with a locking wooden bracket so he can secure his tools Kane says the design allows him to carry a gang box of tools and his chop saw under cover out of the weather “Even though the tonneau topper isn’t 100 percent waterproof I can easily cover my tools with a canvas to keep them dry ” Kane says “I’m going to add a weather strip seal on the inside of the J channel and put a seal on the edge of the tables so there’s not a crack for water to get in Overall the design is a simple way to carry work tables without having to throw them in on top of the tools ” Kane used his finish carpentry skills to sand hone polish and stain his wooden tonneau topper to look like a custom-made piece of furniture “It definitely looks like a carpenter owns it because it’s not like anything else on the road ” Kane adds Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Brad Kane Lakeville Minn www kanecarpentry com ; kanecarpentryllc@gmail com
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