DIY Retractable Bed Slide

Organize your pickup truck with a bed slide.

Most truck bed slides feature a metal construction and can cost more than $1,000. A DIY bed slide costs much less and uses plywood and wood boards as the base.

1. Create a large wood box from two 76-inch 2-by-4 boards and two 57-inch 2-by-4 boards. The box should measure 76 inches long and 60 inches wide when properly assembled. Apply wood glue to the edges of the boards and clamp.

2. Remove the clamps the next day and sink 3-inch decking screws through the edges of the box. Use a minimum of two screws in each corner. This gives you a large box, which serves as the base for your bed slide.

3. Apply wood glue to the top edges of the wood box. Center a plywood board measuring ¾-by-59-by-76 inches on top of the box. Clamp the plywood to the glue. After the glue dries, remove the clamps and sink 2-inch wood screws through the plywood and into the frame. Sink the screws every 2 to 3 inches around the plywood.

4. Place 12 rolling casters evenly around the plywood. The rolling casters feature a flat top with small holes around the edges. Sink 2-inch wood screws through each of the holes, attaching the casters to the plywood.

5. Turn the wood box over so that it sits on the rolling casters. Lay the box inside the truck bed and use as a bed slide. The casters let the box slide in and out of the truck bed, giving you access to the items toward the back of the truck bed.

Tip

Consider adding two folding legs to the front of the bed slide. When you pull the bed slide out of the truck, the legs drop down and support the weight of the bed slide. Without legs, you must keep one hand on the bed slide when pulling it out.