herculiner use???

[WoodSmith]

Lets see if I can get this to work right. This should be my Line-X truck


And this should be my neighbors Herculiner.


The white spots are where the Herculiner has worn through or off. I don't know what he paid for the Herculiner, but I'd have to save a HUGE amount of dough to have to reapply every couple of years to keep the protection.

Note that both or the trucks have a dent on the wheel well, I know that dent happened after application on mine, I think his did as well.

One other thing is that the texture of the Line-X is "softer" it still has a non slip grip to it, but the Herculiner feels like 40 grit sandpaper.

[Guest]

Thanks Glen,
I don't think I'll be using that stuff...

[WoodSmith]

I just want to reiterate that I can't vouch for the prep work on my neighbors truck. I would hope that he followed directions but I wasn't there to hold his hand.

On the other hand, we are talking about applying it to plywood, not the sheetmetal it was designed for

[dahoon]

Dean, I am going to use Herculiner on the frame and under-side of my floor. And am sure that it will cover and last along time. Especially, after how it has stood up in my pick for the last three years.

I have been selling the product for the last 6 years and have not had problems with the application of the product. Remeber that the surface needs to clean, dry and dull, just like with and paint product. Also, the temperature needs to be between 40 and 70 degrees, preferably out of direct sunlight.

Woodsmith, it sounds and looks like your neighbor applied the Herculiner too thin which is a draw back to their kit. There is not enough product in a kit to properly coat a full size pick up box. He should have purchased another quart to finish the job. For that matter, what you paid at Line-X he could have put three coats of Herculiner down. The reason for the sandpaper gritty finish is probably from him trying to spread the Herculiner out and get it to stretch far enough to cover the entire bed, the roller that comes with the kit is like a sponge and as the coating dries it will leave a rough and coarse finish. So it sounds like to me that he tried to stretch it too far and for too long.

I have a S-10 pick and got a good coat on it. Beings it was a small pickup I had product left over and the finish was more like an orange peal.

Thats my story and I'm sticking to it.

[cguardsman]

Well i would like to stick up for Herculiner as now I have some first hand knowledge on the application and have talked to some friends that have used it in their trucks. It is all about preparation of the surface before application! Line-x and Rhinoliner is the same way if they are not properly prepped it will not adhere to the surface. The other issue is about amount of product....you have to use several coats and then touch up areas you missed or it will look like your pictures.. what I do like about it that if you do damage it you can fix it right on the spot damage without having to scrape the rest of the material off and reapply the whole liner. My .02 cents.

[IraRat]

Well, yesterday, I received a letter from Durabak with two samples. (Didn't even remember I requested anything from their site. I must have done it after lunch, which means after a few beers.)

Anyway, we're not talking about a huge, sophisticated company here. Their marketing materials give the impression that they're mixing this stuff in a bathtub. However, I'm sure they're not--and the stuff looks awesome on some levels, but not so awesome on others.

Their "mailing piece" also includes a reprint of an artice from Off-Road something magazine, where they install it for bedlining purposes. While you can indeed use a brush, the easiest way to successfully do so is to finish the piece flat, and then install. Otherwise, it's a roller--which is OUR only option, because we're not going to drive fasteners into it after it's applied. According to that 1998 article, they give you special rollers with your order.

First, the samples...provided on thin aluminum...are virtually indestructible. You can't damage it. It also is not like the "cushiony" materials you see elsewhere. It's pretty rigid, and it looks DAMN easy to keep clean. They only gave me two TEXTURED samples, neither color of which I'm interested in. You would think they would supply more swatches, but get this letter yourself, and you'll understand their marketing mentality.

It's premixed, which is a big plus, and it's best to use a paint mixer attachment on an electric drill to stir--to make sure the rubber particles are properly/eveny suspended. It's polyurethane based, so right from the get-go, you know you're getting good protection. (And the rubber particles for the darker colors come from recycled tires!)

They claim a 6-month shelf life, which I refuse to believe. But even at 6 months, it's not like you're going to be able to use the stuff to touch up anything down the road. However, no special preparation is required for overcoating in the future. Just roll it on. But they say the stuff never comes off anyway.

The negatives?

I stare at my two sample swatches, amazed at their durability, but I keep thinking "industrial." In other words, despite all of its great functional characteristics, it just doesn't "move" me. It doesn't look bad at all, and you may LOVE it, but tactile-wise, nothing special. I might STILL splurge for a hundred bucks to give it a test, but I think that finished wood or aluminum on the roof will look so much better in the end than this--which is sort of like Marcite for pools.

Something just tells me that Durabak will give you a very "Coleman" looking TD, with little personality and character.

[cguardsman]

that is the great thing about bulding your own tear to each his own! i like the look and may try it on my build when i get started but am still in the planning stage. i did apply herculiner to my truck bed and really like the looks. variety of tears adds to the interest !

[Will Smith]

I have seen some people coat their PU bed with one color, then do a logo or a design in a contrasting color.