Do you have to sand before applying DIY bedliner? The short answer is Yes. Typically, you will be required to sand the truck bed or the surface you are applying so that the spray-in bedliner will adhere to the surface, whether it is the truck bed or any other smooth metal surface.
If you think of applying a DIY bedliner, this article will give you more instructions on sanding the surface first. Follow along for more information in depth.
Do You Have to Sand Before Applying the Spray-In DIY Bedliner?
Before spray painting the truck bed, you must remove the old liners and prepare the surface so that the spray-in liner has a surface to adhere to. Sanding is necessary for this. Some truckers assume it is not necessary and spray without sanding the surface first. Well, it does not mean that the liner will automatically fall off if you don’t sand first, but it will not stick to the truck’s surface as well as a pre-sanded surface.
Use a mask and respirator to avoid inhaling any harmful particles as you sand the truck bed or any other part. The mask will keep debris out of your lungs. It goes without saying that you should wear safety glasses to avoid injury when spraying your old plastic insert liner. The old plastic lay-in bedliner should remove fairly easily as it is usually just placed into the bed and snaps into place.
If you are covering an existing, old, spray-in liner then sanding ahead of time will help the two surfaces (old and new) adhere together quite easily.
The Importance of Sanding the Surface
It is crucial to sand the truck bed surface before spraying the new liner. This will provide better adhesion to the truck bed.
More effort and focus should be on stubborn areas where there may be some rust or rock-hard dirt; this includes both surfaces near corners and edges that have less contact with air but more contact with your air filter housing or exhaust pipe undercarriage area.
If there are any major areas where it’s possible that sanding may not produce consistent results due to accumulated grime or rust, consider cleaning those areas first by looking for an alternative. Working on this area without getting rid of that grim or hard dirt will have some deformities once you spray the liner. And the liner won’t adhere to the dirt.
Steps to Spray-In DIY Bedliner
Spray-on bed liners have been around for a while now. They come in many colors and styles, but just like any other product that promises to work as well or better than the “pros,” only a few deliver on their claims. In contrast, DIY kits allow you to spray on your truck bed liner yourself with professional results in a quick afternoon and without going through an expensive process of getting it done by professionals. Below are some straightforward steps to follow to spray the bed liner.
Preparing the Truck Bed
Remove all accessories. You could even remove the tailgate first and spray it separately. This is where you also secure the bed and ensure that the spray will not land on other surfaces where you do not wish.
Wash the bed – consider cleaning the car with soap that doesn’t contain wax or protectants and allow it to dry fully. Clean thoroughly such that there are dirt spots and marks on the bed.
Scuff the surface of the bed with 30 to 60 grit sandpaper or equivalent. This provides a good surface for your liner to adhere to. As mentioned earlier, the main aim of sanding is to curate a ‘roughened’ texture to which the liner will stick. Be careful as you scuff the surface, and put on protective clothing.
Wipe off all sanding debris, dust, and mask off areas where you do not want your liner on. After sanding the surface, there will be lots of debris and paint chips on the truck’s bed. All this debris should be cleaned from the car before you start spraying. You could vacuum the bed to ensure there are no pieces or materials on the bed before you spray. If you do not remove all debris and dust, you could have issues with the liner, such as bubbles.
To get all the dust out of the bed you will need denatured alcohol. Simply use a clean rag and rub the surface with the alcohol to remove the small particles of dust. After this, coat the bed with the adhesion promoter provided with your kit (depending on the product you purchased).
Set Up For Spraying
After the processes above, you will have to connect the spray gun and adjust the air pressure accordingly. You can mix a minute amount of the spray first and test it on cardboard. Assess how it sprays and then adjusts accordingly to your liking.
Bed Coating
You can now start coating your bed after you are okay with how the spray-gun works. Use sweeping motions to ensure there is a pattern. First, apply thin coats and allow enough drying time between coats. Repeat until you have the desired thickness. After you have sprayed to your likeness remove the masking tape and allow your liner to cure.
How Long Should It Take for This Project?
Installing a DIY spray-in liner is not as complicated as some people make it seem. As long as you know what to expect and what you are doing. With this type of liner installation, the part that takes more time is the initial preparation. Otherwise, the spraying part takes very little time. Even the drying time for this type of bed liner is relatively fast compared to roll-on.
With that said, spray-in bed lining takes around 2-3 man-hours to complete. However, this is subject to several factors, but the entire process should be completed in a day, no matter how massive your truck could be. The bed preparation part takes a bigger chunk of time. That is because you have to open some screws and nuts on the bed. If there was a plastic bed liner, you had to remove it carefully.
You will also have to remove the tailgate, which will also take several minutes or an hour, depending on its complexity. From there, you have to sand the bed, which will take a few hours, especially if you decide to do it manually. Your edges and corners will require manual sanding since the machine cannot get to these areas effectively.
Where Should You Buy Raptor DIY Spray-In Bedliner?
There are very many places you can purchase the raptor spray-in bed liner. You could even walk into a store nearby that sells bed liners and secure the raptor liner. However, a liner for your car is not something to take lightly, more so knowing that it will spend several years on your truck. The liner will stay on your bed for more than five years, so you must ensure it is authentic and long-lasting.
I purchased my Raptor Spray-In Liner from Amazon. This was the least expensive and arrived in a couple of days.
Final Thoughts On Your DIY Bedliner
Sanding is a must before spraying your truck bed. It provides the perfect texture for better adhesion of the liner. For more about Raptor Spray In Bedliner check out our recent article here.
