Have you ever considered what the liner of your pickup truck is made of? Well, for one thing, it?s not your average rubber material, no matter how similar it may feel. The material that?s used to coat the beds of pickup trucks is known as polyurethane, which was first developed as a replacement for rubber at the start of World War II. The flexible polyurethane foam that?s used in truck bedliners now makes up about 30% of the polyurethane market in the United States. While it?s used largely for bedding and furniture, polyurethane also had a great impact on the automotive industry as well.
Pickup trucks have always been a popular vehicle among motorists. In fact, it?s been reported that the Ford F-150 has been the top-selling auto throughout the nation since 1982 and for every eight new models that were sold to U.S. citizens in 2013, at least one was a full-sized pickup truck. So, how does one fully coat an 8-foot bed of one of these popular vehicles? Read on to discover how polyurethane is effective as a spray on bedliner:
- Choose The Material To Use
There are two types of compounds that are used in polyurethane spray on bedliner ? aromatic and aliphatic. Aromatic compounds contain a pigment that reacts to the UV light from the sun and will fade over time while aliphatic compounds will not. The chemistry of aliphatic compounds reduces the material?s tendency to oxidize and will allow it to retain its color. - Select The Application Process
Both aromatic and aliphatic compounds can be applied through either a low pressure process that doesn?t require heat or a high pressure process that does require heat. Spray bedliner professionals usually recommend the high pressure process based on the fact that the heat used in this technique provides a better mix for the components of the spray on bedliner. You won?t have the rough texture that results from the low pressure procedure, giving the truck a higher quality look. For those doing it at home, a special spray gun for bedliner is required. - Spray The Truck Bed
Polyurethane spray on bedliners can be applied by a bedliner spray gun anywhere from 1/16-inch to 4-inches deep. It all depends on the application process you select. While a thinner coat has the potential to chip and crack over time, any type of spray on bedliner will offer your truck the protection it needs. With its rough, anti-skid surface, polyurethane spray on bedliners not only provides a safe surface to transport items, but it also helps to ward off any scratches, rust or chemical contamination from paint degradation.
If you’re a ell us why you enjoy having the additional protection of a spray on bedliner in the back of your truck! Comment below.