How a Do-It-Yourself Bed Liner Works

A do it yourself bed liner costs only a fraction of what you pay for a spray on bed liner. It looks far the same but is thinner and less durable. Based on our experience it makes a very helpful finish especially on an old,cheap truck. Here are tips for getting it done.

1. Clean very carefully.

Truck bed paint will not stay on top of grease and ancient wax. That means you should very carefully fresh the bed before you do anything else. Do not sand before cleaning. Sanding drives the grime into the surface. Use a ordinary auto grease remover or acetone. Wipe it down good and then wash very carefully after the cleaner.

2. Get extra paint.

One gallon won’t actually cover a full size truck bed. Get at least another quart. When you consider that professional spray liners take about 5 gallons, don’t skimp on the material. Extra paint makes for a thicker coat and one less most likely to show damage.

3. Sanding rough.

After cleaning and washing the sanded surfaces, you sand. Get serious too. This is no time for any kind of good sanding. What you want is a very coarse finish using extremely aggressive abrasives. The rougher the surface the much better the stick. So sand away to get a really coarse surface.

4. Masking.

Use plenty of masking tape and paper. There’s a fine reason for that. This paint wants to stick and you want it only where you want it. Anywhere else creates a terrible mess. So cover areas where you want no paint to save a mess later.

5. Finishing with truck bed paint.

Putting the paint on could not be easier. The thick paint covers well and levels as it dries. That is why a rolled on coating settles to look like it was sprayed on after only a few minutes.

Of course you can put on liner paint with a brush as well or you could actually spry it on yourself. Then again you can buy spray cans and use it that way as well. But know that you actually can’t tell it was rolled on or brushed on either. Spraying it on does small to make it look much better.

A do it yourself bed liner looks almost just like a much more expensive spray on bed liner. Especially for an older pickup with some actual bed damage, this is a cheap way to improve the looks of your pickup. Expect a finish that looks fine but is much less thick and durable than the professional model. Also expect to do some serious preparation to get a coat that stays.

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