Bedliner Paint Job

Bed liner paint job pros and cons

If you have a pickup or a truck, you know how useful its bed is. That’s where you dump your things and make moving around easier and comfortable. However, to get the most out of it, you need to take care of it the best way possible. While there are many ways to protect your vehicle, one of the best ways is through the bed liner paint job – a durable and reliable way to protect the bed. Read along to learn about the bed liner paint job.

The Cost of a Bed Liner Paint Job

Although there is no standard price for a bedliner paint job, you can expect to pay anywhere between $100 and $800. Some experts will charge you up to $1000 depending on various things, including the location.

In most cases, you can expect to pay from about $100 for a bed liner paint job and $800 to $1000 for the professional bed liner spray. Of course, you will pay more if you plan to paint the entire truck. The bedliner paint job is not difficult; you can do it yourself and complete it in a few hours if you have time and some skills. Ready to give the bed liner paint job a try? Let’s dive in.

Bed Liner Paint Job Pros and Cons

Before we look at the DIY bed liner paint job, it’s paramount to know its pros and cons. This way, you will make a better decision on whether to proceed with the bed liner paint job or not. Let’s look at liner paint job pros.

Bed Liner Paint Jobs Pros

  • High-quality bed liner paint is tough and durable, meaning it will last longer.
  • Bed liner paint will protect the truck bed from scratches. It will protect the cargo as well.
  • Besides scratches, it will protect against moisture, rust, UV rays, and corrosion.
  • Easier to clean than regular paint
  • The paint adheres to your truck contours flawlessly when done right
  • It’s more economical. Since it decreases the risk of damaging your truck bed, it will save you more money in the long run
  • It takes your truck’s bed liner to a whole new level, giving it a matte finish
  • Improves the ruggedness of your vehicle – this will be beneficial, especially if you hit off-road more often
  • Allows the option to customize the color of bed liners
  • Some bed liner paints, especially thicker ones, may help dampen sounds and absorb vibrations
  • No need to hire a professional to get the job done. This will save you lots of money in the long run

Bed liner paint Job Cons

  • You can easily mess up the process and not get the expected results. Sometimes you might need to hire an expert.
  • Dust and debris may get stuck in the wet bedliner paint during the curing process.
  • The paint will take a few or more hours to dry, which might require patience.
  • You might miss some areas like badges, side mirrors, etc. if you are not careful during the application, which will impact your final product.
  • You need a garage or a closed area to do the paint job. Otherwise, bugs will stick on the wet paint, and your work won’t appear professional.
  • Bedliner paint without UV protection will fade over time, giving your truck bed a less attractive look.
  • You could harm your health if you use a spray gun without a respirator

DIY Bed Liner Paint Job

Are you a DIY enthusiast? Pay much attention to this part. You’ve already seen the bed liner paint job pros and cons, and now you want to give it a try. Good for you. A bed liner will give your vehicle a hard, durable surface that can withstand frying rocks and dirt when driving off-road. Before we look at how to do a bed liner paint job, let’s look at what you’ll need for this work.

Tools and Materials you’ll Need

  • Respirator (approved): As earlier stated, it is dangerous to spray without a respirator. Ensure you have an approved respirator to shield you from harmful particles.
  • Bed liner: Another critical you’ll need is the bed liner itself. Ensure to choose a high-quality bedliner paint that’s right for your vehicle. Sometimes you may want to pick two-bed liner kits if one won’t be enough. Also, you have the option of choosing between black and tin tintable kits.
  • Paint: Paint is another crucial thing you will need and will depend on what color you choose for the liner kit. If you select a tintable bed liner kit, you have various colors to choose from.
  • Spray gun: You will use a spray gun to apply the liner over your truck. Some brands include the spray gun in the liner kit, although it is not guaranteed. If not, you’ll need to budget for it separately.
  • Masking paper: Remember you won’t apply the liner on all parts of your truck. Automotive masking tape will help cover the side mirrors, windows, etc.
  • Sandpaper and DA sander: A sandpaper and DA sander will help scuff off the surface of your vehicle before applying the paint to ensure a better and long-lasting outcome.
  • Air compressor: Depending on the job at hand, you will need a 60-gallon compressor or more.

Now that you have a list of the things you will need for the job, let’s get the job done.

Bed Liner Paint Job – Step-by-Step Guide

Prep the Vehicle

Like any other task, getting organized is vital before you start the bed liner job. The first step is to prepare your truck for the bedliner paint job. Here’s how:

Remove Everything from the Vehicle

Depending on your bedliner paint job, you might need to remove everything from your vehicle, including personal belongings and other movable items.

Mask off All Parts

Using the masking paper and tape, mask off everything you don’t want to apply the bed liner. Don’t rush this process. Do it slowly and carefully to ensure that every part is properly covered. This way, the pain won’t go to the areas where it is not supposed to go. Remember, once you apply the paint, it will not be easy to get rid of it.

Scuff the Vehicle

Using the sandpaper and DA, scuff the truck surface before applying the liner. Abrading the surface will ensure that the bed liner sticks properly, giving more appealing and long-lasting results.

However, be cautious when scuffing your vehicle, and don’t touch the masking paper with the sandpaper. After this, wipe off the dust paint and double-check your truck to ensure everything is ready for the next crucial step.

Spray the Bed Liner

Now it’s time for the actual bed liner paint job. Don’t fret, though. It’s an easy part.

That being the case, before you start applying the bed liner, read the user instructions carefully to understand the right way to use it. Like many other jobs, don’t hurry when applying bed liner paint to get excellent results.

By reading the instruction manual from the manufacturer, you will know how much bed liner to use and the amount of hardener to add. After you have understood all the instructions, shake and fix your spray gun and then begin to spray.

Consider spraying from top to bottom to minimize the chances of accidentally brushing up against the applied bed liner. More specifically, below are things to keep in mind when spraying the bed liner paint:

Ensure you have put on your respirator when spraying to protect yourself from harmful particles or chemicals

Cover all the panes of the truck with the paint. The trick is to apply a pretty thick coating.

Apply the paint slowly and neatly to ensure you have the best outcome. Ideally, ensure to apply the bed liner evenly.

Ensure to find the right distance to place your spray gun. In most cases, the further, the better.

Have all your supplies within reach

Making messes when spraying will ruin your paint job. Avoid that at all costs.

Give Your Bed Liner Time to Cure

Once you’ve applied the bed liner on your truck, it’s time to let it cure. In most cases, the manufacturer will provide the time for the painted bed liners to dry. If you cannot see any info on your bed liner kit, allow your truck a couple of hours to dry. At this time, don’t touch its surface, or you’ll interfere with your paint job.

After waiting for a couple of hours, you can get in your vehicle, provided you don’t interfere with the paint.

Unmasking

This is another critical part. By now, you have given your paint enough time to cure and are contemplating removing the masking paper and masking tape. After you unmask your vehicle, you will see what you have achieved after all the hard work.

However, you must remember to remove the masking tape when the paint is still tacky to prevent it from getting stuck to the car’s surface. This will leave a thick and matte bed liner coat.

Alternative Bed Liner Paint Job DIY

The DIY bed liner paint job is not for everyone. If you like this DIY project, you can go ahead and do it. Alternatively, you can go the pain-way only, which is simple, although it will require more time than the spray method. To that end, here is how to go about this process:

  • Start the process by choosing the right paint brand
  • Use the compressor blower to clean the surface carefully. Get rid of all debris and other particles
  • Carefully remove all the vehicle bundles and keep them somewhere safe
  • Do more scuffing on areas that you want to paint to ensure that the pain bonds properly to the surface
  • Rag and clean the surface
  • Using tapes, cover the areas you don’t want to paint, including handles, badges, side mirrors, and locks. Ensure to handle this step carefully and adequately.
  • Choose the liner texture and color you want and stir it well.
  • After color mixing, pour the paint in a separate container to make it easier to use the roll brush.
  • Apply your first coat. For an excellent texture for your truck bed, consider painting in a single direction. Allow the first layer to bond with the surface and then add the next layer. Add the next later after an hour and avoid dripping.
  • Now you are done. Remove the tapes and return the badges, and your bed liner paint job is good to go.

Bedliner Paint Jobs – Bottom Line

That’s it. Bed liner paint job makes your truck more rugged, increases resistance to dings, scratches, etc., and ultimately gives your vehicle a whole new look.

Having seen the bed liner paint job pros and cons, you are now in a better position to make an informed decision on whether to do it or not. If you are a DIY enthusiast, follow the above guideline and other resources to do the paint job independently. While this is way cheaper than hiring a professional, it requires some expertise and skill set. Whichever the case, ensure you have all the necessary tools and material to get the desired outcome.