My exterior-coating diary records both the work and the disappointing areas of the finish. This black canned coating is another purchase in that kit, with the diary's preparation sequence providing the project context.
My van with masking around the exterior areas prepared for coating.
The item in my kit
I bought Rust-Oleum Black Truck Bed Coating as part of my camper van equipment.
My exterior-coating diary records both the work and the disappointing areas of the finish. This black canned coating is another purchase in that kit, with the diary's preparation sequence providing the project context.
Where it fits my build
I taped the boundaries and covered the areas that would not be painted with plastic sheeting. I then sanded the exposed areas with an orbital sander and 60-grit abrasive, blew away the dust with a compressor, and cleaned and degreased the surfaces.
I mixed clear bedliner with white tint and sprayed the van. After it dried, I removed the masking. The tape and sheeting stage alone took around eight hours, and the finished edges still needed some touch-up.
The side of the van during the white-bedliner project.
My build notes
The most useful detail in my diary is the result, including the problems. Rust-Oleum pooled and dripped in places, and trying to repair one area with a paintbrush made it worse. I wrote that I would use a foam roller for touch-ups and preferred the more consistent finish I had obtained with RAPTOR.
Masking, preparation and application method each became a substantial part of the exterior-coating job.
Alternative products
Two alternatives to compare
RAPTOR provides a bottle-based coating kit. Herculiner supplies a roll-on system, offering another material and applicator combination.
U-POL RAPTOR Black Bedliner Kit
This urethane coating kit includes a spray gun for applying a textured finish. It offers a larger coating-system format than a small aerosol can.
