Herculiner - HCL1B8 - Brush-on Bed Liner Kit

I already had a spray-in bedliner in my truck, I actually used this product under the body line to protect from chips while off-roading etc. I must say, when all was said and done, I thought the Herculiner was as good looking, if not better than the spray-in.

The supplies provided are actually fairly quality. The roller is smooth, the brush doesn't gum up, the scuff pad seems like a real Scotch pad too. All I had to buy was a roll of blue tape, a paint pan, and some Xylene, if no Xylene can be obtained some acetone or MEK will suffice. So about 20 bucks in additional supplies.

The steps are simple once you've acquired the extra supplies: Wash, tape, scuff, wipe down with Xylene, let dry and roll the Herculiner on. You should make certain to have mixed the product thoroughly. After a good while (as the product takes a while in 45 degrees to cure) it's time to re-apply; when it's about to lose it's tacky feeling. Pull the tape while it's all still curing and...voila! Fresh clean lines with a great textured finish.

The result is wonderful, it's basically a poly-something-or-other with tiny rubbery peices in it. The peices seem to allow the product to be applied thicker than normal enamels, and the rubber pieces wind up being distributed fairly evenly, resulting in a clean, textured finish. I have no doubt it will be far more durable than anything I'll be putting it through, with the exception (perhaps) of scraping it on rocks to the point of damaging the fender itself.

So, with quality supplies included with the kit, some cheap seperate supplies, some careful thought-out prep work, you can no doubt create a very desirable and durable finish on most anything. This product can also be applied to most things, wood, concrete, asphalt, plastics, metals etc., which multiplies it's usefulness several fold.

In my opinion, with the ease of application, the quality and durability of the product, and the decent supplies included; Herculiner is a wonderful buy. If you weigh the cost of a professional liner job, the inexpensiveness of Herculiner, and them both resulting in roughly the same end, I can't really see the point of not using Herculiner. I must say though, to achieve a more lasting finish, I would recommend more like 3-4 coats to assure a finish that would outlast most needs.

It should be mentioned that Herculiner can bond to itself, so even in the event of damage, it's simply repaired. Also, even if it becomes faded, I've read reviews that state a simple application of Armor-all can rejuvinate it's deep black color. It also supposedly comes in other colors; red, grey, and white I think -I may be wrong though, I used the black. I recommend this product, it's far to inexpensive compared to a "pro" job, and far too reliable and simple to not recommend.

* Update *
It's been about a year since I applied this to my truck, and it's still as durable and isn't peeling or anything. One thing worth mention, it becomes a little dull if it sits in the sun for a long time, but I figure that's what the UV protector is for, you know, that UV protector I didn't get :) No big deal, throw a little on it (or maybe even some spray wax) ought to shine it right back up. Still been a good product though, all bedliners get dull in the sun anyway.

The product appears to be equal to the more expensive comercial spray in products that cost 6x the price. The trade off is elbow grease. You have to prep the bed, and degloss the surface. The small sanding sheet provided would take too long and certainly never do a fullsize pickup. I am skeptical that it would give the surface the scuff it really needs to hold for a lifetime. I used a 5 inch random orbit sander, took my time (4 hours) and then applied the product. It put it on a 2006 truck, and it took courage to sand down the bed thinking if it didnt work well that I just ruined my new truck. The roller that was provided worked well. The handle has a threaded end for a pole so pick one up, as you will need it to recoat the bed when you have completed the first coat and can't get back in the bed. Time will be the utimate test but it looks good, seems tough and worked well. Also pick up a 3 dollar paint stir attachment for your drill. You need to keep the small particles suspended while you are painting on the product. I believe this will easily add several hundred dollars at trade-in time. My effort was worth it.

This kit was easy to apply and looks great. Herculiner defiantly had the strength and durability I was looking for. Great job for a "do it yourselfer" and it has many different application possibilities. Best thing I ever did to my 2000 Dodge Dakota and I would recommend it to anyone who has a truck.