deck bed liner type material...

tod osier

Well-known member
Supporter
I'm working on a raft trailer and I want a bed liner type material for the deck that I can roll on to seal the surface and lock any splinters in. I'm looking for a easy solution (read: complete half-assed). This is a plywood deck on a raft trailer. A raft trailer never gets dunked so the under surface will nearly never get wet and the trailer will be stored with a raft on it inside its entire life in the desert where everything dries quickly.

Obviously, painting the deck with epoxy and then adding a bed liner material on top would last well, but I'm not doing that. I want something I can just roll on and maybe not even paint the bottom of the plywood to let it breathe (and make the project easier and cheaper). Suggestions, the deck is 5x12'.
 
I'm working on a raft trailer and I want a bed liner type material for the deck that I can roll on to seal the surface and lock any splinters in. I'm looking for a easy solution (read: complete half-assed). This is a plywood deck on a raft trailer. A raft trailer never gets dunked so the under surface will nearly never get wet and the trailer will be stored with a raft on it inside its entire life in the desert where everything dries quickly.

Obviously, painting the deck with epoxy and then adding a bed liner material on top would last well, but I'm not doing that. I want something I can just roll on and maybe not even paint the bottom of the plywood to let it breathe (and make the project easier and cheaper). Suggestions, the deck is 5x12'.

I might even use OSB as the deck material.
 

Thanks Dave, I like the idea of something meant to rejuvenate weathered wood like that Kilz product, since it would be designed to penetrate and hold things together.

Does that Kilz product you have used have a decent amount of body to it? I don't need really the rubberiness of bed liner and bed liner is meant to stick to metal, not penetrate. I'd think something that went on pretty thick would be better than simple paint as far as holding up too.

We had a piece of 3/4 inch OSB underlayment as a shelf on our first RV that came that way from the factory. They sprayed it on 5 sides (and some wrap onto the bottom and that held up really well (and looked real sharp).
 
Thanks Dave, I like the idea of something meant to rejuvenate weathered wood like that Kilz product, since it would be designed to penetrate and hold things together.

Does that Kilz product you have used have a decent amount of body to it? I don't need really the rubberiness of bed liner and bed liner is meant to stick to metal, not penetrate. I'd think something that went on pretty thick would be better than simple paint as far as holding up too.

We had a piece of 3/4 inch OSB underlayment as a shelf on our first RV that came that way from the factory. They sprayed it on 5 sides (and some wrap onto the bottom and that held up really well (and looked real sharp).

Watched the product video, looks pretty thick and since it only covers about 1/4-1/5 of what regular paint does, it is obviously going on thick. It looks like it has a texture in it, which would be good for me.
 
Watched the product video, looks pretty thick and since it only covers about 1/4-1/5 of what regular paint does, it is obviously going on thick. It looks like it has a texture in it, which would be good for me.
I agree it looks like a good fit for your application. The Kilz product I have used in the past was their original oil based primer. Which does a good job of blocking wood sap bleed thru. Different sort of application.
The specs for this product call for a dry film thickness of 11mills. So dried film, thicker than a typical paint, but probably not as thick as actual bedliner. (would be my best guess)

Much of the machinery we built in the machine shop, had to meet paint film specs in the "industrial applications" range.
Common Paint Thickness Guidelines:
  • Automotive:
    • Factory paint typically falls between 4-7 mils (100-180 microns).

    • Consistency across a panel is key, with small variations expected.

    • Repainted areas may have slightly thicker paint.
    • General Paint Applications:
        • Aim for a thickness of 2-5 mils (50-125 microns) for a smooth, glossy finish.
        • Thicker coats can lead to a rippled effect and disrupt the gloss.
    • Industrial/Architectural:
        • Industrial applications may require thicker coatings, potentially up to 10 mils (250 microns) or more.
        • Architectural coatings often fall within the 2.4 to 3.2 mils (60 to 80 microns) range.
 
I agree it looks like a good fit for your application. The Kilz product I have used in the past was their original oil based primer. Which does a good job of blocking wood sap bleed thru. Different sort of application.
The specs for this product call for a dry film thickness of 11mills. So dried film, thicker than a typical paint, but probably not as thick as actual bedliner. (would be my best guess)

Much of the machinery we built in the machine shop, had to meet paint film specs in the "industrial applications" range.
Common Paint Thickness Guidelines:
  • Automotive:
    • Factory paint typically falls between 4-7 mils (100-180 microns).

    • Consistency across a panel is key, with small variations expected.

    • Repainted areas may have slightly thicker paint.
    • General Paint Applications:
        • Aim for a thickness of 2-5 mils (50-125 microns) for a smooth, glossy finish.
        • Thicker coats can lead to a rippled effect and disrupt the gloss.
    • Industrial/Architectural:
        • Industrial applications may require thicker coatings, potentially up to 10 mils (250 microns) or more.
        • Architectural coatings often fall within the 2.4 to 3.2 mils (60 to 80 microns) range.

Sounds good, I've used a boatload of Kilz primers in a number of forms, this stuff gets good reviews and it is cheaper than a lot of options per gallon.
 
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