Applying Bedliner - Tips, Tricks, Advice?

Sometime this week, as work and my own motivation permit, I am going to be applying bedliner to the interior of the 96 XJ I picked up a couple weeks back.

The interior is a mix of bare metal, where patches were welded in to fix rust spots, and factory paint. I've already scuffed the painted areas pretty well, what I am wondering is whether or not I should prime the bare metal areas? I have a couple cans of Rust-O rusty metal primer, would that work or should I pick something else up?

As for the bedliner itself, I think I am probably going to go with a roll on product like Herculiner for ease of use. Would there be any reason to consider the spray can stuff instead? Any recommendations for a particular brand? I would greatly prefer something available locally.

I used duplicolor bed armor in the back of the elky. Degreased excessively. Even though it rolls on, I masked off everything I could and was glad I did. That E36 M3 goes everwhere. I went right over scuffed primer, scuffed surface rust, and bare metal. Only did three coats so far.

The stuff takes longer to fully dry than they claim. Plan on three days in the sun before full cure.

Only adhesion problems I had are where I dripped sweat on the bed as I was working. Its held up well to moderate abuse so far, even bein thinner than it should.

The rattle can version is crap. Don't waste your money.

I used Herculiner w/ stipple roller. Similar to your situation... degrease, scuff painted surfaces, primed bare metal like patches w/ Rustoleum rusty metal primer, dry and scuff. What Dusterbud said... mask off. I wore one of those paper painter suits... well worth it, cause that stuff goes everywhere. I'd only use the rattle can to touch up spots later down the road if you ran outta Herculiner. I did a XJ and a full size Chevy PU floors w/ Herculiner w/ good results.

Good luck.

Don't get on hootus.

In reply to fasted58:

I do plan on masking extensively, as I tend to be a bit sloppy when painting. Hoping to knock all that out tonight, did most of the rest of the cleaning and prep work over the weekend. I'll plan to give a good wipedown with acetone and go over everything with a tack cloth before laying any liner down.

You both mention priming and then scuffing the primer. Without having the can handy to look at, don't most primers have a window for top coating before needing to be scuffed? Think I would be ok working within that window? Really hoping to avoid doing another cleaning job prior to the bedliner.

Good call on the painter's suit, I've read through biddaddylee's Muffin build thread a few times and have no desire to receive a denatured alcohol sponge bath! Plus, I'll be at the beach the next couple weekends, so I gotta stay looking fly for that . There's gotta be a backstory on the hootus, though. Seems like no one around here can mention bedliner without it coming up and now I'm curious.

In reply to Dusterbd13:

What's the texture of the Duplicolor stuff like? From what I understand, Herculiner tends to be on the more-textured, chunkier end of the spectrum and I wouldn't mind something with a bit less texture to it. Not that I'm all that picky about it anyways, just might end up being the tie breaker, all other things being equal.

Damn, I wanted to be the first in this thread to mention the word hootus.

The duplicolor definitely has some texture. Pretty chunky, really. But it seemed to get less chunky on each coat. So it may level out when I finally finish it.

Did the Herculiner on a small pick up at work. It took a while to do and honestly the results have been poor. It's simply not held up to even mild scrapes and has "worn away" exposing the steel bed underneath.

I don't remember the brand (not Herculiner) but another DIY bedliner that I treated my mother's truck with around the same time and it has peeled and flaked extensively.

Both of these were scuffed and cleaned according to the directions and applied indoors at the correct temperature. The work truck got even more attention as we were getting paid to do it.

My recommendation is to spend a few more dollars and have a professional company do it for you. Their stuff really is a lot better.

Here was my thread about it, years ago. Prep is key. Never had any issues with it, had it for 6+ years afterwards.

http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f9/my-u-pol-raptor-documentary-lining-tub-580879/

Edit: this is the Raptor liner product

Yes, you need to prep, clean, and mask obsessively. As far as products, I used Herculiner on the bed of a pickup some years ago. It went on nice and looked good, but honestly, it doesn't do much in the way of protection. It scratches very easily. I think that's going to be true of anything that just air drys.

I keep kicking around the idea of doing the bed in my F-150, since professional coatings like Line-X are crazy expensive. I did some research, and there are some 2-part DIY solutions that get good reviews, like Raptor Liner. That's probably what I'd go with.

KyAllroad wrote: My recommendation is to spend a few more dollars and have a professional company do it for you. Their stuff really is a lot better.

This is going into a $700 Cherokee, paying a pro as much as I paid for the entire vehicle is not an option. Cheap is the name of the game here. If I get 3 years out of this truck, I'll have gotten my money's worth.

That being said, your results are a little troubling to me. Seems that most of the other guys I've read about that got poor results were due to a lack of proper prep work. Guess I'll just do what I can for prep and hope for the best.

I've used the Duplicolor spray-on w/ the gun (gallon container) also underhood and on new fenderwell panels. It dried hard. Less grit/ grip than Herculiner. It holds up in that situation and touch up w/ their rattle can spray. Don't know if I'd try it on floors though.

I went w/ the Herculiner on my floors because if it's an off-roader well, mud n stuff, need the extra grit for traction w/ muddy boots etc. Ain't gonna wear like if used in a truck bed ftm. It's all compromises.

Tom_Spangler wrote: Yes, you need to prep, clean, and mask obsessively. As far as products, I used Herculiner on the bed of a pickup some years ago. It went on nice and looked good, but honestly, it doesn't do much in the way of protection. It scratches very easily. I think that's going to be true of anything that just air drys. I keep kicking around the idea of doing the bed in my F-150, since professional coatings like Line-X are crazy expensive. I did some research, and there are some 2-part DIY solutions that get good reviews, like Raptor Liner. That's probably what I'd go with.

I've read good things about Raptor Liner as well, but I'm under the impression that it's spray on only. Really looking to stick with a roll-on product for ease of application, plus I don't own a spray gun or have any experience with one.

Prep, prep, prep, and do 2 coats.

If you have a compressor, the gun comes with the raptor kit.

In reply to Furious_E:

I'd check out Monsta-liner product. It got real popular a bit after I did the raptor liner(I wasn't aware of it yet).

http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f247/monstaliner-monstaliner-896523

You can spray or roll it.

Edit: and yes read my link already posted regarding the raptor product. It was great. Comes with spray gun. A cheap pancake compressor should have no problem keeping up. Borrow or rent one if needed.

I think I actually like the texture of Raptor the best, from what I can tell in pics, but is maybe a little pricier, I would have to wait on shipping, and must be sprayed.

Compressor isn't an issue, I have that covered, I just didn't want to have to spend money on "one more thing" at the moment, not knowing the kit actually came with the spray gun. The other issue with spraying is that I am going to try to leave the seatbelts in place and mask them, because 1) I am lazy 2) rusty torx fasteners are the spawn of Satan himself 3) berkeley it, its a $700 Jeep.

I am now severely overthinking all of this. Best strategy at this point is probably to just have a few while masking tonight and let the liquor do the thinkin'

This guy used Raptor...on the outside of an Audi. Became an internet sensation.

https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/build-projects-and-project-cars/muffin-1997-jeep-wranglertj/89687/page2/

Prep, prep, prep, prep, prep, and prep some more.

I used Al's Liner, I was already familiar with their Scorpion brand commercial product, and am very pleased with the results. I've had the tub of my Jeep lined for approximately a year now.

Folks at Al's suggested priming the entire surface I was applying product to, I too have various surface finishes, and having a homogeneous surface was going to provide better/more consistent results.

You can read about it in that thread above. I think I linked to page 2 where I really start the bed liner prep.

• Lee

Furious_E wrote:

Tom_Spangler wrote: Yes, you need to prep, clean, and mask obsessively. As far as products, I used Herculiner on the bed of a pickup some years ago. It went on nice and looked good, but honestly, it doesn't do much in the way of protection. It scratches very easily. I think that's going to be true of anything that just air drys. I keep kicking around the idea of doing the bed in my F-150, since professional coatings like Line-X are crazy expensive. I did some research, and there are some 2-part DIY solutions that get good reviews, like Raptor Liner. That's probably what I'd go with.

I've read good things about Raptor Liner as well, but I'm under the impression that it's spray on only. Really looking to stick with a roll-on product for ease of application, plus I don't own a spray gun or have any experience with one.

If you really want ease of application, spray is the answer, roll on is a pain in the ass, and takes forever. A cheap texture gun, and a home garage 20-ish gallon air compressor is all you really need. You'll get more waste/overspray, but it's a hell of a lot easier than rolling it on.

This company has colors: http://www.durabakcompany.com/automotive.htm

I used it on the floor and interior ceiling of my 78 Camaro.

I've used the cheap stuff from Walmart and Advance. Scuff up the service good. I learned on my 99 GMC Z71 (did the roof, hood, front bumper, and bottom of the sides) prep is key.

We did the front and back ends of my son's 2000 Impala -

https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/build-projects-and-project-cars/2000-chevy-impala-9c1-reborn/97549/page1/

Furious_E wrote: There's gotta be a backstory on the hootus, though. Seems like no one around here can mention bedliner without it coming up and now I'm curious.

Hootus backstory originated on www.explorerforum.com around Summer of 2000.

A member, GJarrett, IIRC posted "Help, I got herculiner on my hootus!".. and the post drew (I think) a million page views within a couple days.

I had just bought an 1998 explorer, right before my son was born, and I was new to that board. Somehow, I saw it happen in real time.

Related.. shortly thereafter, the whole Firestone tire + Ford Explorer = rollover situation went down and (shocker) I lost a bunch of money on that one, basically overnight.

It's funny, but once again my experience with the stuff is pretty much opposite as everyone else's.

I painted the back chrome bumper of my Suburban with bedliner in a rattle can because it was rusty and scratched. I did minimum prep (scuffed with sandpaper, and a quick clean with acetone), applied some self-etch primer and sprayed some duplicolor bedliner from a rattle can.

Three years later, few scratches that haven't gone thru and great adhesion still. The only problem spot is some rust getting back thru because I botched the rust removal.

YMMV obviously.

if you don't have a paint suit, be sure to wear long pants long sleeve shirt gloves etc

the stuff stinks also FYI if inside use a mask or respirator

"Don't get any bedliner on your hootus."
But if you DO, then consult a professional hootus cleaner ...

I did a piece of 14" channel iron as a bumper on my old truck with the duplicolor stuff and it dried so hard it felt like thick peeling paint in two years.