Started my Herculiner install today. I am starting with the tailgate. I took it off and brought it inside because it is too hot to mess around outside today. The worst part about it was prepping the surface and it took me nearly 20 minutes just to do the tailgate. If that is any indication, it will take all day to do the bed. Anyway, I should be doing bits and pieces over the next few days and I'll post pics when all is said and done.

 

dude, me and two buddies knocked it out in about 3 hours, thats prep. work and the second coat. We left everything together and the tailgate on. its much easier that way.

Tips: start at the tops and sides and do the floor last working your way to the back of the bed.

 

I did my old 98 F150. Used a cheap undercoating gun from Harbor Freight Tools and sprayed Durabak thinned with xylene. Scuffed the bed with 60 grit paper, blew it clean with compressed air then wiped it down with xylene. Taped everything and sprayed. I used about a 3' piece of vinyl tubing clipped to the Durabak can as a pickup for the undercoating gun and it was super easy with a great even finish.

Not as durable as a professional job but the results were much better than I ever expected. Had about six years of hard use when I sold the truck. Only had a couple of small scrapes where the material came off all the way back to the metal but I touched up those areas with some extra material I kept in a garage fridge which stayed usable the entire time in a sealed glass jar.

The Durabak was only like $65 a gallon for colors back then. About twice that much now though.

 

I want to paint my rockers and maybe the bottom 2 inches on my doors and bed. I am considering roll on Herculiner, but I read about a smooth liner that Durabak makes. Does anyone have experience with either of these for rocker panels? I am leaning towards textured because it is more forgiving and I fear messing up. Is it difficult to make the Durabak smooth look good and does Herculiner look alright?