What all are you wanting to get coated?

 

I can't speak to the durability and longevity of the bedliner. I really like the way it looks. They do it at LMC in Houston.

I have my stuff powder coated. I like it but I'll tell you it chips easily. No matter how careful you are, it'll start flaking almost immediately. Especially on the latches.

 

if you're looking to get your aluminum hull coated, bedliner would probably your better solution out of the two. if you want to spend some money on quality decking I would suggest safe floor.

 

Sorry, should of clarified. I'm getting a front and rear tower along with a burn bar. Ill also want to get the leaning post done as well.

 

I would think bed liner would be the most durable, and powder coating looks better, on your leaning post take the foot rest off and put bed liner on it, send the rest off to powder coat. Anywhere there will be alot of traffic bed line it.

 

X2 on the bed liner being the most durable. I am rebuilding a boat for a guy that has bed liner all over it. That stuff bonds to anything and I'm having a heck of a time getting it off.

 

If the bed liner does start to peel off can it be easily touched up without it looking "off"?

 

Depends on how and where you store your boat, if it's in sunlight the bed liner will fade a little so if a touch up is needed the new spot will be darker. On a boat you shouldn't have a problem, if it works in truck beds for years it will hold up on a foot rest

 

If the bed liner lasts longer ill prob just bed line all the aluminum. Not just the foot rest.

 

That's what I would do, Its gunna fade but not as bad as your truck, and if you ever need a repair they can do it on the boat vs taking all it off your boat to do it, depending on what 3m they use, it might pull up the gel coat!

 

I had powder coated all my aluminum on my scooter. As soon as it chips, it will flake off like crazy. Stuff is pretty pricey and to see it chip off like that sucked. So if a rock or big bug ect hits it going down the highway it's a done deal.

 

For bed liner, I would check out Duplicolor Bed Armor. I used it on my truck bed a couple of years ago and It has not really faded (as advertised). It is rather bumpy though, but that looks good in the truck bed. It has held up very well. I used a paint brush to dab it on.

http://www.duplicolor.com/products/bedArmor/

 

Yea I don't think I want to do Powder Coat if it chips that bad. I put 350-450hrs a year on my rig and don't think Powder Coating would fit me well.

 

I was thinking about powder coating my leaning post, but now I'm leaning more towards bedliner. Who in the Baytown/Kemah area can bedline a leaning post???

Thx!!!

 

Back when I sold boats, my boss who knows boats incredibly well told me that rust can get under bedliner and eat it up from the inside while that won't happen with powder coating. Also powder coating has a smooth finish and will look cleaner as well.

 

I'm curious, how will aluminum rust? And just for conversation purposes, if it can rust, how would it not rust when powder coating chips off?

 

Bedliner

Bed liner. I've done both ways and even a third way and the bed liner is the best. Powder does chip easy at times and then here comes the corrosion. Bed liner is more durable and does not get as hot especially if they add a lot of texture. I have lots of aluminum and it's all bed lined and it's still looks brand new, and durable as hell.

 

So sounds like the pros out weigh the cons on the bed liner... Now, what brands do you guys like the best? As far as darability and long lasting looks? If money isnt a problem.

 

I had Line-X on my last truck and it was great. It was a little more pliable than this Armadillo Lining I have on my truck now. This stuff is tough and seems to be a lot harder and rougher than Line-X. Go check it out at C&S Plating on Saratoga. It's going to come down to personal preference. They're both good in their own way.

The guy up there said you can spray it in a bed, go set the gun down and then hop up in the truck and walk around in the bed.... it cures that fast.

 

Line X

 

Almost 2 years now

 

You guys know how much it runs to get a couple towers and a leaning post done? (Bedlined)

 

Are the towers already built? If you are having them built you can use regular unpolished aluminum to save money, and after bed lining it ends up around the same cost as polished aluminum.

 

They sprayed my brushguard for $125 I believe.

 

Bed Liner

You may want to talk to the guys @ Star Texas Truck and Fab in Pasadena. They are spraying bed liner on all sorts of items out there and have started doing boat trailers and boat box lids etc.... The only thing they have found so far that affects this stuff is chlorine. They use a high pressure spray by X-treme. These guys are fishermen and take all these projects as if they were their own. 281-220-2890. Talk to Steve.

 

powder coating looks better for the first year if your lucky, but like everyone else mentioned one chip and it all goes down hill from there. I would go with bed liner

 

The bedliner will probably stick to unpolished aluminum better anyways

 

I agree with all the statements above, making allowances for terminology. The bedliner is the way to go. It won't be slippery when wet, it will last much longer, it is much more durable than powder coat, but if weight is an issue, you should be aware that bedliner is not light. You will probably be adding somewhere in the neighborhood of 40 pounds, depending on the spray thickness and amount of material being covered.

I used to work at C&S plating on Saratoga in Corpus Christi. Al researched the spray on bedliners very thoroughly before committing to one product. I was the welder in the back, so I don't know the name of the product he chose. What I do know is, whenever that stuff got sprayed on my work, it looked good, and it lasts for frickin ever! I built some pedestals for a hose trainer. She has horses with steel shoes climb and stand on these pedestals. The bedliner Al sprayed on the plywood tops is still undamaged. These things have been sitting out in the sun and taking terrible abuse for nearly ten years now.

Mill finish aluminum is cheaper than anodized or polished aluminum. The savings could be huge.

If water does get under the bedliner, salt can become trapped and cause corrosion. The risk is low, but it is there. Just pressure wash. A gentle rinse by a sprinkler won't do justice. You can also consider going to Ztech. I think they may also have a variety of colors available. I know there are other places that do. I just don't know the names of the places or the quality of their product. I can only offer testimony for Al @ C&S Plating. I know for a fact that his product is extremely high quality and he has a good eye for detail. I just don't know which eye. If you go, tell him what I have said here. That ugly old bastard will treat you right.