DIY Spray in Bedliner results & review

[larzchill]

After much consideration, I decided to DIY a bedliner in my 23 XLT. I wanted to make a quick post here to hopefully help anyone else thinking of taking on the project themselves.

First, here are the before, during, and after results:

Why? I like the look and durability on the SIBL. I didn't love the drop in bedliner from ford, or the fact that you have to make some cuts to the plastic in order to fit over the cubbys, which I plan on eventually outfitting with some marine outlets down the line. I have always liked the look of SIBL on past trucks, and bought the maverick with a very DIY attitude. I want to do everything on this truck myself. Doing projects like this is the exact reason I bought the darn thing in the first place

How much? Overall I spent less that $200. The Raptor Liner was about $150, drop cloth, tape, new drill bits, etc was all about 30 ish bucks?

Also, it is important to note that I had access to borrow an air compressor, so I did not have to rent or buy one. If you plan on buying one just for this project, maybe look into getting it professionally done because your costs will most likely be close to the same in total. Just a thought.

How long? It took a long damn time. Probably longer than it needed to, but I was very meticulous because this is my first new vehicle ever. I started at 7am and wrapped up at about 4pm. The taping and laying of the drop cloths took the longest. Sanding was a breeze honestly because the paint in the bed is really thin. It reinforced my thinking that getting a spray it was the best way to go for the bed. The actual spraying was maybe 30 or 45 mins. Clean up took a while too.

Would you do it again? For me, yes. But I really enjoyed the process and experience of working on my own truck. If you don't get that sense of fulfillment, then definitely just spend the extra like 300 bucks and get it professionally done by LineX or use ford points and get the drop in bedliner if its all the same to you. For me not only was saving money a plus, but being able to stand back and see a successful project was worth it to me.

Things you wish you knew before hand?
- Get some Frog tape. I used the blue painters tape but was not satisfied and it made the whole thing take longer. A better tape will stand up to the random gusts of wind and stick better during a hot day.
- Have a helper. Someone to hold the air compressor hose for you and make sure you are getting the liner on every bump and hidden spot in the bed.
- Wear a mask, gloves, long sleeves, and plenty of drop cloths. This stuff is sticky and very annoying to get off skin.
- Understand the screw size inside of your bed. For my 2023 XLT, the tailgate screws are Torx T25, the clamps and T30, and the D rings are Torx Plus T40. The D rings were a major pain to get out. I ordered the wrong bit size and had to use the normal T40 bit to get them out. It took an impact drill and a lot of finesse to loosen them. I had trouble finding the screw size info anywhere online, so if I am wrong still, maybe someone can clarify in the comments.
- I cut some bed dividers based on this pic that has been floating around. After I finished spraying the bed, I sprayed my boards with the liner too. They came out really nice and I like how my dividers match the liner and kind of blend in. If you use Raptor liner, you will for sure have an entire bottle left over, so maybe something to do while you have all the gear out.
- From looking at pics in the forum, the factory bedliner from ford sprays right up until the lip of the back window, but leaves the top (where the window meets the bed) exposed. The LineX spray covers all the way up the bed until it hits the window. I opted to do the second option. One cool thing of doing it yourself means you get to choose what you think looks best. If you put a cover on the bed, you will never see it, but if not I like how the liner covers all the way to the window for a more finished look.

In conclusion... Please let me know if you have any questions about DIY bedliner. It was my first go at it and I really enjoyed the process and appreciated all of the knowledge already shared in this forum.

Sponsored

 

[Decayed]

Looks good. Any issues with overspray? I am thinking about using bedliner to touch up the cargo rack on my old explorer but I don't want to paint the neighbor's car.

 

[larzchill]

Looks good. Any issues with overspray? I am thinking about using bedliner to touch up the cargo rack on my old explorer but I don't want to paint the neighbor's car.

With the Raptor liner not really. You can adjust the nozzle and PSI with the gun that comes with the kit. You can also get a couple of drop cloths from home depot/lowes for like 3 bucks each to be safe.

 

[Rileyotta]

After much consideration, I decided to DIY a bedliner in my 23 XLT. I wanted to make a quick post here to hopefully help anyone else thinking of taking on the project themselves.

First, here are the before, during, and after results:

Why? I like the look and durability on the SIBL. I didn't love the drop in bedliner from ford, or the fact that you have to make some cuts to the plastic in order to fit over the cubbys, which I plan on eventually outfitting with some marine outlets down the line. I have always liked the look of SIBL on past trucks, and bought the maverick with a very DIY attitude. I want to do everything on this truck myself. Doing projects like this is the exact reason I bought the darn thing in the first place

How much? Overall I spent less that $200. The Raptor Liner was about $150, drop cloth, tape, new drill bits, etc was all about 30 ish bucks?

Also, it is important to note that I had access to borrow an air compressor, so I did not have to rent or buy one. If you plan on buying one just for this project, maybe look into getting it professionally done because your costs will most likely be close to the same in total. Just a thought.

How long? It took a long damn time. Probably longer than it needed to, but I was very meticulous because this is my first new vehicle ever. I started at 7am and wrapped up at about 4pm. The taping and laying of the drop cloths took the longest. Sanding was a breeze honestly because the paint in the bed is really thin. It reinforced my thinking that getting a spray it was the best way to go for the bed. The actual spraying was maybe 30 or 45 mins. Clean up took a while too.

Would you do it again? For me, yes. But I really enjoyed the process and experience of working on my own truck. If you don't get that sense of fulfillment, then definitely just spend the extra like 300 bucks and get it professionally done by LineX or use ford points and get the drop in bedliner if its all the same to you. For me not only was saving money a plus, but being able to stand back and see a successful project was worth it to me.

Things you wish you knew before hand?
- Get some Frog tape. I used the blue painters tape but was not satisfied and it made the whole thing take longer. A better tape will stand up to the random gusts of wind and stick better during a hot day.
- Have a helper. Someone to hold the air compressor hose for you and make sure you are getting the liner on every bump and hidden spot in the bed.
- Wear a mask, gloves, long sleeves, and plenty of drop cloths. This stuff is sticky and very annoying to get off skin.
- Understand the screw size inside of your bed. For my 2023 XLT, the tailgate screws are Torx T25, the clamps and T30, and the D rings are Torx Plus T40. The D rings were a major pain to get out. I ordered the wrong bit size and had to use the normal T40 bit to get them out. It took an impact drill and a lot of finesse to loosen them. I had trouble finding the screw size info anywhere online, so if I am wrong still, maybe someone can clarify in the comments.
- I cut some bed dividers based on this pic that has been floating around. After I finished spraying the bed, I sprayed my boards with the liner too. They came out really nice and I like how my dividers match the liner and kind of blend in. If you use Raptor liner, you will for sure have an entire bottle left over, so maybe something to do while you have all the gear out.
- From looking at pics in the forum, the factory bedliner from ford sprays right up until the lip of the back window, but leaves the top (where the window meets the bed) exposed. The LineX spray covers all the way up the bed until it hits the window. I opted to do the second option. One cool thing of doing it yourself means you get to choose what you think looks best. If you put a cover on the bed, you will never see it, but if not I like how the liner covers all the way to the window for a more finished look.

In conclusion... Please let me know if you have any questions about DIY bedliner. It was my first go at it and I really enjoyed the process and appreciated all of the knowledge already shared in this forum.

Looks great! Excellent execution!

 

[Ringo]

This what you get with proper preparation, taking your time and being careful. Great job! Too many folks rush in on DIY and wonder why it it looks bad.

 

[Halo9x]

After much consideration, I decided to DIY a bedliner in my 23 XLT. I wanted to make a quick post here to hopefully help anyone else thinking of taking on the project themselves.

First, here are the before, during, and after results:

Why? I like the look and durability on the SIBL. I didn't love the drop in bedliner from ford, or the fact that you have to make some cuts to the plastic in order to fit over the cubbys, which I plan on eventually outfitting with some marine outlets down the line. I have always liked the look of SIBL on past trucks, and bought the maverick with a very DIY attitude. I want to do everything on this truck myself. Doing projects like this is the exact reason I bought the darn thing in the first place

How much? Overall I spent less that $200. The Raptor Liner was about $150, drop cloth, tape, new drill bits, etc was all about 30 ish bucks?

Also, it is important to note that I had access to borrow an air compressor, so I did not have to rent or buy one. If you plan on buying one just for this project, maybe look into getting it professionally done because your costs will most likely be close to the same in total. Just a thought.

How long? It took a long damn time. Probably longer than it needed to, but I was very meticulous because this is my first new vehicle ever. I started at 7am and wrapped up at about 4pm. The taping and laying of the drop cloths took the longest. Sanding was a breeze honestly because the paint in the bed is really thin. It reinforced my thinking that getting a spray it was the best way to go for the bed. The actual spraying was maybe 30 or 45 mins. Clean up took a while too.

Would you do it again? For me, yes. But I really enjoyed the process and experience of working on my own truck. If you don't get that sense of fulfillment, then definitely just spend the extra like 300 bucks and get it professionally done by LineX or use ford points and get the drop in bedliner if its all the same to you. For me not only was saving money a plus, but being able to stand back and see a successful project was worth it to me.

Things you wish you knew before hand?
- Get some Frog tape. I used the blue painters tape but was not satisfied and it made the whole thing take longer. A better tape will stand up to the random gusts of wind and stick better during a hot day.
- Have a helper. Someone to hold the air compressor hose for you and make sure you are getting the liner on every bump and hidden spot in the bed.
- Wear a mask, gloves, long sleeves, and plenty of drop cloths. This stuff is sticky and very annoying to get off skin.
- Understand the screw size inside of your bed. For my 2023 XLT, the tailgate screws are Torx T25, the clamps and T30, and the D rings are Torx Plus T40. The D rings were a major pain to get out. I ordered the wrong bit size and had to use the normal T40 bit to get them out. It took an impact drill and a lot of finesse to loosen them. I had trouble finding the screw size info anywhere online, so if I am wrong still, maybe someone can clarify in the comments.
- I cut some bed dividers based on this pic that has been floating around. After I finished spraying the bed, I sprayed my boards with the liner too. They came out really nice and I like how my dividers match the liner and kind of blend in. If you use Raptor liner, you will for sure have an entire bottle left over, so maybe something to do while you have all the gear out.
- From looking at pics in the forum, the factory bedliner from ford sprays right up until the lip of the back window, but leaves the top (where the window meets the bed) exposed. The LineX spray covers all the way up the bed until it hits the window. I opted to do the second option. One cool thing of doing it yourself means you get to choose what you think looks best. If you put a cover on the bed, you will never see it, but if not I like how the liner covers all the way to the window for a more finished look.

In conclusion... Please let me know if you have any questions about DIY bedliner. It was my first go at it and I really enjoyed the process and appreciated all of the knowledge already shared in this forum.

Great job!

 

[bautek_mn]

Wow, that turned out great! You aren't kidding about the factory bed paint, even with a tarp I put a few to-the-metal scratches in mine with the first load of woody brush.

What kind of compressor did you use with the spray kit and how did it handle the load?

Also curious how you handled the back panel on the bed, if anything in the latch mechanism needs servicing that's the only way to get to it. I have a feeling that panel is a water trap as well, I pulled mine when installing the Ford tailgate cover and there was quite a bit of surface rust on the panel and the tailgate underneath.

 

[larzchill]

Wow, that turned out great! You aren't kidding about the factory bed paint, even with a tarp I put a few to-the-metal scratches in mine with the first load of woody brush.

What kind of compressor did you use with the spray kit and how did it handle the load?

Also curious how you handled the back panel on the bed, if anything in the latch mechanism needs servicing that's the only way to get to it. I have a feeling that panel is a water trap as well, I pulled mine when installing the Ford tailgate cover and there was quite a bit of surface rust on the panel and the tailgate underneath.

Thanks! I was really surprised how easy it was to sand all the way to the metal even with a really fine grit.

I was lucky enough to use a neighbors compressor. It was one of the hot dog style ones, like this. It worked really well, especially since the maverick bed is relatively small and the raptor liner psi only needs like 50. The spray gun itself is pretty flimsy so it was a one and done for me. I just tossed it in the trash after I finished, no use trying to keep it clean.

And for the back panel, do you mean the section on the tailgate that covers the entire latch system? If so, I unscrewed all of the bolts there and placed cardboard/tape over everything exposed underneath so I could just spray over it. Then after it dried, I screwed everything back in so if I do need to get in there at some point, all of those bolts are just how they came from the factory so won't be an issue unscrewing anything

 

[Jman79]

Anyone do some of the raptor colors that can post pics?

I'm pretty sure I'm going this route, just debating a possible color to spice things up. I'm getting the Atlas Blue for my truck and really would like to do a white bed and other white accents but guessing it may look like crap and dirty all the time. I plan on spending my time using my truck vs washing it. Perhaps someone can prove me wrong though and white will still look decent from about 10' no matter what's been in it.

 

[larzchill]

Anyone do some of the raptor colors that can post pics?

I'm pretty sure I'm going this route, just debating a possible color to spice things up. I'm getting the Atlas Blue for my truck and really would like to do a white bed and other white accents but guessing it may look like crap and dirty all the time. I plan on spending my time using my truck vs washing it. Perhaps someone can prove me wrong though and white will still look decent from about 10' no matter what's been in it.

Check out this thread. Not white, but they do touch on color tint with raptor liner

 

[Mike215]

I am not too confident in my spraying ability. Could it be brushed on?

 

[larzchill]

I am not too confident in my spraying ability. Could it be brushed on?

Spraying is the easiest part of the process. If you are thinking about rolling on bed liner, you are going to have to do all the same prep work, which is the real 'challenge'. If you are going to DIY, I would highly recommend to spray instead of roll. The roll on just does not have the same aesthetic or functional purpose in my opinion. If you are still not confident, which is totally fair as it is quite the project, then maybe taking it to LineX or getting the drop in (and maybe even using ford pass points) will serve you better.

 

[wax87]

After much consideration, I decided to DIY a bedliner in my 23 XLT. I wanted to make a quick post here to hopefully help anyone else thinking of taking on the project themselves.

First, here are the before, during, and after results:

Why? I like the look and durability on the SIBL. I didn't love the drop in bedliner from ford, or the fact that you have to make some cuts to the plastic in order to fit over the cubbys, which I plan on eventually outfitting with some marine outlets down the line. I have always liked the look of SIBL on past trucks, and bought the maverick with a very DIY attitude. I want to do everything on this truck myself. Doing projects like this is the exact reason I bought the darn thing in the first place

How much? Overall I spent less that $200. The Raptor Liner was about $150, drop cloth, tape, new drill bits, etc was all about 30 ish bucks?

Also, it is important to note that I had access to borrow an air compressor, so I did not have to rent or buy one. If you plan on buying one just for this project, maybe look into getting it professionally done because your costs will most likely be close to the same in total. Just a thought.

How long? It took a long damn time. Probably longer than it needed to, but I was very meticulous because this is my first new vehicle ever. I started at 7am and wrapped up at about 4pm. The taping and laying of the drop cloths took the longest. Sanding was a breeze honestly because the paint in the bed is really thin. It reinforced my thinking that getting a spray it was the best way to go for the bed. The actual spraying was maybe 30 or 45 mins. Clean up took a while too.

Would you do it again? For me, yes. But I really enjoyed the process and experience of working on my own truck. If you don't get that sense of fulfillment, then definitely just spend the extra like 300 bucks and get it professionally done by LineX or use ford points and get the drop in bedliner if its all the same to you. For me not only was saving money a plus, but being able to stand back and see a successful project was worth it to me.

Things you wish you knew before hand?
- Get some Frog tape. I used the blue painters tape but was not satisfied and it made the whole thing take longer. A better tape will stand up to the random gusts of wind and stick better during a hot day.
- Have a helper. Someone to hold the air compressor hose for you and make sure you are getting the liner on every bump and hidden spot in the bed.
- Wear a mask, gloves, long sleeves, and plenty of drop cloths. This stuff is sticky and very annoying to get off skin.
- Understand the screw size inside of your bed. For my 2023 XLT, the tailgate screws are Torx T25, the clamps and T30, and the D rings are Torx Plus T40. The D rings were a major pain to get out. I ordered the wrong bit size and had to use the normal T40 bit to get them out. It took an impact drill and a lot of finesse to loosen them. I had trouble finding the screw size info anywhere online, so if I am wrong still, maybe someone can clarify in the comments.
- I cut some bed dividers based on this pic that has been floating around. After I finished spraying the bed, I sprayed my boards with the liner too. They came out really nice and I like how my dividers match the liner and kind of blend in. If you use Raptor liner, you will for sure have an entire bottle left over, so maybe something to do while you have all the gear out.
- From looking at pics in the forum, the factory bedliner from ford sprays right up until the lip of the back window, but leaves the top (where the window meets the bed) exposed. The LineX spray covers all the way up the bed until it hits the window. I opted to do the second option. One cool thing of doing it yourself means you get to choose what you think looks best. If you put a cover on the bed, you will never see it, but if not I like how the liner covers all the way to the window for a more finished look.

In conclusion... Please let me know if you have any questions about DIY bedliner. It was my first go at it and I really enjoyed the process and appreciated all of the knowledge already shared in this forum.

After much consideration, I decided to DIY a bedliner in my 23 XLT. I wanted to make a quick post here to hopefully help anyone else thinking of taking on the project themselves.

First, here are the before, during, and after results:

Why? I like the look and durability on the SIBL. I didn't love the drop in bedliner from ford, or the fact that you have to make some cuts to the plastic in order to fit over the cubbys, which I plan on eventually outfitting with some marine outlets down the line. I have always liked the look of SIBL on past trucks, and bought the maverick with a very DIY attitude. I want to do everything on this truck myself. Doing projects like this is the exact reason I bought the darn thing in the first place

How much? Overall I spent less that $200. The Raptor Liner was about $150, drop cloth, tape, new drill bits, etc was all about 30 ish bucks?

Also, it is important to note that I had access to borrow an air compressor, so I did not have to rent or buy one. If you plan on buying one just for this project, maybe look into getting it professionally done because your costs will most likely be close to the same in total. Just a thought.

How long? It took a long damn time. Probably longer than it needed to, but I was very meticulous because this is my first new vehicle ever. I started at 7am and wrapped up at about 4pm. The taping and laying of the drop cloths took the longest. Sanding was a breeze honestly because the paint in the bed is really thin. It reinforced my thinking that getting a spray it was the best way to go for the bed. The actual spraying was maybe 30 or 45 mins. Clean up took a while too.

Would you do it again? For me, yes. But I really enjoyed the process and experience of working on my own truck. If you don't get that sense of fulfillment, then definitely just spend the extra like 300 bucks and get it professionally done by LineX or use ford points and get the drop in bedliner if its all the same to you. For me not only was saving money a plus, but being able to stand back and see a successful project was worth it to me.

Things you wish you knew before hand?
- Get some Frog tape. I used the blue painters tape but was not satisfied and it made the whole thing take longer. A better tape will stand up to the random gusts of wind and stick better during a hot day.
- Have a helper. Someone to hold the air compressor hose for you and make sure you are getting the liner on every bump and hidden spot in the bed.
- Wear a mask, gloves, long sleeves, and plenty of drop cloths. This stuff is sticky and very annoying to get off skin.
- Understand the screw size inside of your bed. For my 2023 XLT, the tailgate screws are Torx T25, the clamps and T30, and the D rings are Torx Plus T40. The D rings were a major pain to get out. I ordered the wrong bit size and had to use the normal T40 bit to get them out. It took an impact drill and a lot of finesse to loosen them. I had trouble finding the screw size info anywhere online, so if I am wrong still, maybe someone can clarify in the comments.
- I cut some bed dividers based on this pic that has been floating around. After I finished spraying the bed, I sprayed my boards with the liner too. They came out really nice and I like how my dividers match the liner and kind of blend in. If you use Raptor liner, you will for sure have an entire bottle left over, so maybe something to do while you have all the gear out.
- From looking at pics in the forum, the factory bedliner from ford sprays right up until the lip of the back window, but leaves the top (where the window meets the bed) exposed. The LineX spray covers all the way up the bed until it hits the window. I opted to do the second option. One cool thing of doing it yourself means you get to choose what you think looks best. If you put a cover on the bed, you will never see it, but if not I like how the liner covers all the way to the window for a more finished look.

In conclusion... Please let me know if you have any questions about DIY bedliner. It was my first go at it and I really enjoyed the process and appreciated all of the knowledge already shared in this forum.

This is on my list to do as well, did you use ear plugs to plug the threaded holes?
I always wonder about painting this area as well. It looks like there is enough room in there.

 

[larzchill]

This is on my list to do as well, did you use ear plugs to plug the threaded holes?
I always wonder about painting this area as well. It looks like there is enough room in there.

I didn't use ear plugs, but have seen others do that with success. I just used blue painters tape and rolled a piece up then stuck it into the hole to cover the thread. After I sprayed, I either got them out by hand or used needle nose pliers to get them out before the liner hardened too much. Once it dried for a few hours, I put all the pieces back in without a problem.

For the rear part of the bed that isn't lined, I just emulated what I saw on factory and linex bedliners. I suppose you could spray that part, but I cant imagine much scuffing that section of the paint, at least for what im using my truck for. Here are some other pics of that view in case you were curious.

.

 

[johnny99]

Looks fantastic. Like any project involving applying a new surface, prep is the key and what takes the longest.

Sponsored