Have you got a bedliner and are thinking about painting it to match your vehicle? Last year, I purchased a Herculiner bed liner for my Toyota Tacoma. When I purchased it, I had it painted black to match my vehicle. Later, I discovered other factors that pushed me to make a comprehensive guide on Can You Paint Over Herculiner?
However, painting causes no harm to the Herculiner. But it fades away from some areas and minimizes the slip capability of the Herculiner. Herculiner is a spray-on bedliner that has a proprietary polyurethane and rubber formula. It offers a thick, rigid, and durable finish that resists dents, scratches, and flakes.
But do you think painting Herculiner is a good option? In this article, I will discuss how you can paint a Herculiner and what are other alternatives of paint.
Can you Paint over Herculiner?
Herculiner is a bedliner that protects the truck’s bed from dents, scratches, and weather damage. Additionally, it keeps the cargo from sliding around the truck bed. It gives peace of mind that the truck’s surface will not scratch and chip when you haul your truck.
Herculiner offers to make customized bedliners for their customers to match their vehicles. As truck owners, we all wish our trucks to look attractive and stylish yet maintain their original shape and appearance.
But in case you were unaware of this statement, got an unmatched bedliner for your vehicle and now want to paint it.
The best way to paint Herculiner bed liners is with polyurethane-based paint. Although colored polyurethane is hard to find, they are like material and have the exact pliability. You can get long-lasting coverage with this one.
Why polyurethane paint?
I prefer to use polyurethane paint because they have more pliability and which other paint does not have, and is less likely to crack and peel off. To make the paint longer, use Trisodium Phosphate (TSP). It peels a few top layers of Herculiner in order to stick the paint better.
Before painting, rinse and let dry the Herculiner. When you paint the Herculiner bedliner, you won’t expect the same finish you get on another surface. If you can not find this specific paint, you can also opt for other paints, but do not go for Lacquer. But remember that other paints do not go as long as polyurethane.
How to paint over Herculiner?
Painting over Herculiner is an unchallenging and straightforward process. The following is a quick guide on how to paint over Herculiner.
- To begin with, clean the surface of the truck’s bed. Remove every dust and debris so the paint can bond better with the bedliner.
- Next is to cover the other areas with masking tape so the paint can not bond there.
- Further, start painting over the Herculiner bedliner, and you are good to go.
- Carefully pull out the masking tape when the paint dries completely. Your painted Herculiner is ready.
Note: Remember to paint the bedliner in an enclosed area like a garage so the dirt and debris do not settle over the fresh and new paint.
Does Herculiner need primer?
Not only Herculiner, but every rough and tough surface also need a primer before coating. What primer does is smooth out the surface, no matter if it gets rusty, worn, or anything else. Herculiner has a good quality that quickly adheres to the sound metal surfaces.
Drawbacks of Paint over Herculiner
Herculiner can paint to match your vehicle. But do not you think that getting a Herculiner in the exact color you prefer? This way, you can save time plus money. Moreover, you won’t experience any damage or drawbacks.
A paint on Herculiner can hold for a pretty long time if it’s installed appropriately. What is the major drawback when you apply paint over Herculiner?
Paint Cracks/Peeling Off
The biggest disadvantage is the paint crack or peels off after some time, and the bedliner loses its factory look. Do you know why this happened? Because Herculiner does not construct to adhere to the paint for an extended period of time. No matter how well you prepare.
Slide and Slip Resistance Reduction
The other con of doing paint over Herculiner is it reduces the Herculiners slide and slips resistance ability. If you stand over the Herculiner, you must fall off or slip.
What are other options/alternatives for paint?
Painting the Herculiner bed liner is not a good option so far. The paint will start to crack and come off after some time. Here are other options/alternatives of paint you can consider.
Purchase a Herculiner in the color you want and prefer and install it properly. Besides this, purchase a bed liner paint that is tinted. The benefit of this is that you only have to apply the colored Herculiner and won’t need to paint it after this.
We have also covered Can You Paint Over Line-X? in a separate article. So, if you own a Line-X, you can go and check that.
Can Paint Damage Herculiner?
As such, painting over Herculiner won’t affect it much. Rather it can affect the overall structure and frame of the bedliner.
- First, it minimizes the slip resistance of the Herculiner bed liner.
- Secondly, when the paint starts to crack and come off, it affects the bedliner, and some of the bedliner layers should also peel off.
- The damage paint can do to a bedliner might not occur immediately, but this does not mean you can ignore these facts, and they won’t ever occur.
How many colors in Herculiner are available?
There are various colors such as black, white, red, and gray Herculiner available. But if you want another color besides these, you must paint it. However, if these colors match your vehicle, then buy it and install it correctly to protect your truck’s factory look. Have you checked How To Paint Plastic Fender Flares With Bedliner? yet? if not, you must check to increase your knowledge about painting plastic fenders as a tonneau pro.
Summing Up
If you have read the above-given article, you will know the answer. Herculiner is paintable but does not expect the smooth finish you get from other materials after painting. Keep in mind the damages it can cause to your bedliner. Additionally, the paint starts to crack and peel off after some time. So, prepare yourself rather than blame it later.
Ryan Thompson is a highly skilled and knowledgeable individual with a passion for the automotive industry. With a Bachelor’s degree in Automotive Engineering and over six years of experience working as a content curator at Best in Tonneau Covers, Ryan has developed a deep understanding of truck bed covers and accessories. He possesses excellent written and verbal communication skills, as well as proficiency in search engine optimization (SEO) and social media management.
In his free time, Ryan enjoys tinkering with his truck and trying out the latest automotive accessories. He is also a gearhead who loves everything about vehicles. In addition, Ryan has a passion for camping and spends his weekends exploring nature with his family.
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Ryan’s goal is to continue to provide valuable information to the website’s audience and to help them make informed decisions when it comes to buying truck bed covers. He also wants to expand his skillset by learning more about video production and podcasting, as he believes these will be the future of online content.