Ultimate Truck Bed A do-it-yourself project from DIY Network's series Wasted Spaces: Karl Champley helps a contractor divide his truck bed in half horizontally, then build huge, pull-out drawers for all his gear.

Contractor Matt Hill’s truck is his home away from home – and good storage on the road is crucial to getting the job done. Host Karl Champley helps busy contractor Matt Hill trick out his truck for the ultimate in tool storage. Matt and Karl unload the truck, take a good look at Matt’s storage needs and design a custom system that will keep him rolling. This normal-looking truck bed... Hides enough tool storage for a full workshop. Materials: lumber (3) 4’x8’ sheets of 3/4"AC sanded plywood (1) 4’x8’ sheet of 1/2" birch plywood 1/2" trim (for spacing) 2-1/2" drywall screws wood glue paste wax galvanized L-brackets 2" metal brackets exterior screws 5’ strip of 45 mil rubber liner roofing nails pre-purchased truck bed liner Tools: safety glasses straight edge utility knife chalk line table saw cordless drill miter saw compressor 18-gauge nail gun hammer drill with 3/8" bit Paint Colors: Benjamin Moore, Ready Mix Exterior, Platinum Gray Designing the Custom Truck Bed Careful measurement means a custom space for even bulky tools. Measure, measure and measure some more. Karl and Matt unload his truck and carefully measure the available space to help plan the storage unit. When measuring a truck bed, car trunk or trailer interior, make sure to measure and make notes on wheel wells, permanent tool boxes, spare tires and any other features that may extend into the storage space. You don’t want to build a great custom unit and have it not fit. The custom truck bed doesn’t just have to fit the truck, it also needs to fit Matt’s tools and other materials. Lay out all the tools and other items to be stored, and measure bulkier items. Use these measurements when designing the storage unit so everything will have a snug home and items won’t shift dramatically when the truck is in motion. Sketch out a scale drawing of the truck storage unit, based on the measurements for the truck bed and the main items to be stored. Allow extra space to handle new tools and other acquisitions.   1 | 2 | 3  NEXT