How to build sliding tool boxes and a camper bed in your modern Toyota Tacoma for under $200. I’ve built this design in a 2018, 2017, and 2013 Tacoma. You’ll probably want to double check the dimensions of YOUR truckbed but if it’s a modern Tacoma odds are this design or something similar will work for you. This bed and box combo is designed to be lightweight, minimalist, and easy to remove or slide out of the way. If you desire more support for the bed consider adding 4-6′ wide strips of 3/4″ plywood overlapping between the bed sections.

Materials:
1.5 sheets 3/4″ AC plywood (~$80)
.75 sheet 3/8″ CDX plywood (~$20)
10′ 2×6 or 2×8 (~$12)
80 1.5″ Torx screws (~$10)
1.5″ 18 guage Brad nails (optional)
Paint or stain and finish ($free-$30)

Tools:
Circular Saw
Drill and Driver

Optional Tools:
Table saw (for more precise cuts)
Router (to round off edges)
Grinder (to round off edges)
Oscillating tool (for clean incuts)
Painting supplies (for finishing)

Step by step:
*Measure your bed length. Odds are its slsightly more than 6′ long.
*Measure your total bed width at the front of truckbed, top of the wheelwells, and near the tailgate. Odds are it’s close to 57 1/2″ wide. Subtract 1/4″ from total width for your platform width.
*Measure your bed width between the wheelwells. Subtract 1/2″ from this for the total width of your sliding storage boxes.
*Cut bed platform pieces and joists to fit. Double check the fit.
*Cut box pieces to fit. This design has a 24″ wide box and an 18″ wide box. You could make one 42″ wide box but when weighted down with tools that BIG box can be hard to slide.
*Build boxes. Don’t install corner braces until after routing or grinding the rim for a full pro build.
*Route or grind edges. I used a 1/4: roundover bit for everything.
*Paint, stain, finish. Floor finish is durable and slides well on the bed surface. For even less friction consider rubbing some household wax on the box bottoms.

*Hit the road and test it out!