Smooth bedliner...is there such a thing??

[airbrushguy]

I've seen a lot of nice thick bedliner products, but I'm thinking of using it to cover running boards on another car I own and don't want the bumpy surface. I need it to look like smooth rubber.
Has anyone used a bedliner that could do this? Would like to apply it myself, but would go through an installer if necessary. Would like it to be as thick and strong as Rhino-Liner.
Thanks

[Sammy]

If you wanted a rubber coating there are some available. Similar to what they use to coat hand tools with in colors also. The military used it to coat insides of the battery boxes on old jeeps. Liquid sorta rubber so it didn't short battery's out. Stuff was thick n difficult to remove similar to bed coating or Por 15. I'm sure someone still makes that type of product available.

[low&slow]

Originally Posted by Sammy

If you wanted a rubber coating there are some available. Similar to what they use to coat hand tools with in colors also. The military used it to coat insides of the battery boxes on old jeeps. Liquid sorta rubber so it didn't short battery's out. Stuff was thick n difficult to remove similar to bed coating or Por 15. I'm sure someone still makes that type of product available.

Still available. I found some in a small can at lowe's in the paint isle. I'm sure you can get it in a gallon or so, but yes they do use it on tools a lot.

[kentucky_smith]

Plastidip?

[airbrushguy]

Thanks, i think I need something that would withstand people standing/stepping on it. I know the stuff you're talking about, not sure it would be tough enough though.
I like the hardness of Rhino-Liner, I just don't want that lumpy texture. I suppose I could sand it down, but would prefer a product I could brush on and control its thickness on the highs and lows of the ribbing.
They want a thousand dollars to recover the boards with authentically correct matting vulcanized onto the steel frames. Out of my budget, looking for an alternative.
Thanks

[low&slow]

Not bashing on what you want to do, but I'm not sure it would be a good idea to have a smooth finish especially for running boards. If they get wet or even freeze or have muddy boots, it's going to get real iffy stepping on them. Where as if you were to have the texture, than you'd also have traction.

[airbrushguy]

Originally Posted by low&slow

Not bashing on what you want to do, but I'm not sure it would be a good idea to have a smooth finish especially for running boards. If they get wet or even freeze or have muddy boots, it's going to get real iffy stepping on them. Where as if you were to have the texture, than you'd also have traction.

Totally agree and appreciate your concern, but the car I want to do it to is a restorod and will probably never see anything remotely like rain....lol!

[Sammy]

If you didn't mind it gritty. There is also a non-slip floor covering for both concrete, wood n metal. Military use it on ships decks, aircraft walking surfaces. It has a silicone like sand in it. It is available in gallon cans. Sprayed or brushed on. Stuff is tough as nails. Commercial grade stuff is two part mix. A gallon of paint with a quart silicone/ hardener. Runs around $75-$80 I guess. I go to a auction occasionally see it on a pallet for industrial use.

[mikeoj]

Sammy,Do you have a source for that stuff?

[Sammy]

http://www.mscdirect.com/product/07806557?fromRR=Y

MSC has it in yellow or gray made Rust-oleum what i seen was in black.

[airbrushguy]

Nope, gritty is just what I don't want.

[special-K]

First of all,Line-X is smooth compared to Rhino-Liner. Rhino-Liner got to be the household word from being the first big one. But I replaced Line-X as the household word and forgot about Rhino-Liner since it came out. You can use tough paint if you want that kind of smooth,but for a rubberized coating use Line-X. You can't do it yourself because it takes specific equipment to do the "applied hot" process,which is what makes it bond better and be so much smoother than Rhino-Liner. Line-X is like a vinyl top or your dash pad

[mcmlxix]

here's my Line-X .. done yesterday... and I believe they have the ability to vary the texture slightly during the application process...

[MikeyMan]

How about that Flex Seal stuff that comes in spray cans?

They even have a couple color choices, black, white, & grey, I believe.

[Gumby]

Use a sketti strainer to removed the large stuff, and before you add the expoy activator........

[airbrushguy]

Originally Posted by Gumby

Use a sketti strainer to removed the large stuff, and before you add the expoy activator........

I like the LineX idea, if they will allow me to request a smooth finish, that would be the co. id go with.
But the idea of using a strainer is exactly what I'm thinking about. I used Herculiner about 10 years ago, and was very impressed with it but didn't like the rough finish.
At the time I thought it would be smart to ask the company itself about my idea of making a smoother top-cote by straining the rubber chips out of it....they said don't do it, and I didn't.
I still think it sounds possible, has anyone done this with any DIY liner?
I realize I'm asking about a process that most people would not want removed from their bed finish, but there are a lot of innovative members on this site and I thought somebody might have used bedliner beyond its original intention.

[mik4231]

For what its worth when we did my dads 53 Ford the body man used Lizard Skin on the bed sides. The result was a wavy texture but overall smooth to the touch.

[Hawghauler]

I use Herculiner a lot, and I've noticed that if a gallon of it sits new and unopened for a long time, and you open it without disturbing it, you'll have about 3" of solids free rubber. I've used it that way before and it came out pretty smooth. It was just as tough as the rough mix. I think they don't want you to do that because part of the protection of the solids is that your cargo usually hits it before the actual protective seal.

[airbrushguy]

Originally Posted by Hawghauler

I use Herculiner a lot, and I've noticed that if a gallon of it sits new and unopened for a long time, and you open it without disturbing it, you'll have about 3" of solids free rubber. I've used it that way before and it came out pretty smooth. It was just as tough as the rough mix. I think they don't want you to do that because part of the protection of the solids is that your cargo usually hits it before the actual protective seal.

Cool, I have an unopened can of Herculiner, maybe I'll try straining it and use it without the particles.
Thanks