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The Line-X solution: Project Sierra gets a spray-in bed liner


Zane

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Zane & Josh Merva

Copyright GM-Trucks.com

 

It’s often one of the first decisions a truck owner has to make: Do I get a bed liner? If you’re smart, the answer will undoubtedly be yes. However, even then you’ve got yet another choice: Drop in or spray on? We recently had to hash out this very conundrum with Project Sierra. After some hearty debate, it ended up being a no-brainer. Here’s why we got a Line-X spray in bedliner and a behind the scenes look at the entire process.

The problem

The best thing about having a full size truck is having a massive bed to haul things around. Unfortunately, straight from the factory that huge steel bin behind you isn’t made for heavy duty use. It’s covered in the same paint the rest of the vehicle is and scratches easily. When wet that same paint offers no traction, and even worse, dent and dings are just bound to happen.

For years the solution was drop-in bed liners. They offered protection for your bed in an easy to use package. Unfortunately, anyone who has actually owned a drop-in knows they have a pretty bad downside. After years of sitting on-top of your trucks bed, they effectively wear off the paint and turn the surface under the liner into rust city. They also trap dirt and debris; further reducing the useful life of your vehicle’s most useful asset. Also, drop-in bed liners aren’t form fitting and subsequently take up valuable bed space.

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Why Line-X?

Line-X has been an option in the bed liner scene for over a decade. Unlike drop-in liners, Line-X is an epoxy/plastic like material that is sprayed onto the bed, creating a permanent bond with your truck’s paint. It’s specifically designed to be resistant to hazardous fluids like gasoline and diesel fuel and abrasion resistant to rock, blocks, and metal. It will never come off and that’s the point. When you Line-X your truck, you’re basically coating it in high-strength plastic… for life.

But Line-X isn’t the only “spray-on” bed liner product on the market. In our research we came across a few other options available. After comparing all the products, Line-X was the clear winner. It’s harder, stronger, and more durable than every other alternative. That said, Line-X is also the most expensive. While we’re not normally one to suggest the highest priced option, you really do get what you pay for in this situation. We also figure that considering all the junk we’ll be throwing in the bed, a solid level of protection is a sound investment.

While a typical drop-in bedliner only costs around $150, Line-X starts around $500 depending on the dealer and the application. Our extended cab regular bed GMC Sierra with an over-the-rail application was quoted at $529. We splurged on the “Premium” top coat, offering a slightly darker finish and more UV protection for another $99. The extra UV protection is designed to keep the liner looking brand new for life. The final retail cost to get Project Sierra coated with Line-X Premium was just under $630.

If you don’t like the look of a black bedliner, Line-X can match any paint with a color code for an extra $250 over the base price. The reason that it costs more is because the plural mixing sprayer need to be cleaned and flushed and thus requires more labor. Since Project Sierra is black already, we went with the standard color.

The Line-X process

So what is Line-X and how is it applied? First, Line-X is a two component thermoplastic polyurethane and polyurea that contain no volatile compounds. Since there are no solvents present in Line-X, the finished bedliner is extremely resistant to a wide variety of acids and chemicals. It’s also environmentally friendly.

Second, unlike some other spray/roll in liners, you can’t apply Line-X yourself. The liner requires specific equipment for the whole process to work. At the heart of the entire process is a “plural component internal mixing polyurethane spray machine”. In non-chemist terminology, Line-X comes in two parts that set when mixed. The plural mixing spray machine takes an equal part (1:1) of each and heats it to 120-140 degrees. Only once the two parts reach the tip of the spray gun do they combine at a force of 2,000 psi. By the time the mixture hits the surface it’s fully set. Plural mixing machines like the one you see below can cost around $25,000!

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We had the chance to check in with Project Sierra during the entire 2.5-hour Line-X Premium application process. Here is the basic gist of how it went down:

Step 1: The tailgate is removed and the application area masked off. The bed is cleaned out with compressed air and the paint is scuffed. The surface is cleaned to remove dust, dirt, and grease.

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Step 2: The truck is backed into the spray booth and a drop-cloth is hung between the bed and the cab to protect the rest of the vehicle.

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Step 3: The two part Line-X compound is heated, combined, and sprayed onto the prepared surface at 2,000 psi. It drys in only 3-5 seconds. The optional Line-X Premium top-coat is sprayed on afterwards and dries for 45 minutes.

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Step 4: The masking is taken off and tailgate re-attached. Customers are advised to keep the tail-gate down and heavy loads off the bedliner for 24 hours to allow the material to fully cure.

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Our Line-X experience

The finished product is almost ready for use the minute you drive away. Line-X advises that owners wait 24 hours before any heavy use of the bed and/or before applying any additional accessories (like bed covers) over the new Line-X.

The coated bed surface is hard, durable, and has the grip of mild sand paper without being abrasive. It’s ready for years of use and because we upgraded to Line-X Premium, should never fade. Line-X also has a limited life-time warranty. Should the bed liner ever become damaged because of a product defect, Line-X will repair it for free. Even if you do manage to damage the coating yourself, any Line-X shop can fix the damage with ease.

We had Project Sierra sprayed at Line-X Of Merrimack Valley in Bow, New Hampshire. The shop’s owner, Steve Owen, answered every single one of our questions (even the stupid ones). He was knowledgeable, kind, and extremely professional. If you happen to be in the New England area, we’d highly and enthusiastically recommend Line-X Of Merrimack Valley.

Before, During & After Pictures

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Full Disclosure: Line-X Corporate provided our liner pro-gratis. Line-X of MV provided no consideration and was chosen by us at random.

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Great write up! I've been in this vortex for quite some time now trying to figure out which way to go! My '09 had a drop in, and now my '11 has nothing. It's hard to come up with the $500+ for just some plastic in the back, but already my bed is showing the tell tale signs of having no protection. Your write up has definitely made my mind up, now just have to have the boss authorize the funds! Living in Northern Vermont, I would have to travel for Line-X anyways, closest to me is Littleton, NH. Bow, NH shouldn't be too much further away for a great product.

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Great write up! I've been in this vortex for quite some time now trying to figure out which way to go! My '09 had a drop in, and now my '11 has nothing. It's hard to come up with the $500+ for just some plastic in the back, but already my bed is showing the tell tale signs of having no protection. Your write up has definitely made my mind up, now just have to have the boss authorize the funds! Living in Northern Vermont, I would have to travel for Line-X anyways, closest to me is Littleton, NH. Bow, NH shouldn't be too much further away for a great product.

 

 

The price is the biggest hurdle but let me tell you, the end product is really nice. We finally feel like we can get up in and work in the bed safely and without worry. Over the winter we hated to put stuff in the bed for fear it would scratch or ding. We also hated that there was no grip when wet. Line-X solves all of those issues.

 

Line-X of Merrimack Valley is a great place to get it done and only 2 miles from I-89 coming from VT. Let us know what you decide!

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nice write up! i think i'll do the Line-X in my next truck. i got too good of a deal from a friend that runs a truck accessories shop to pass on my Line-x generic brand bedliner on my current truck

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I had a spray in liner installed today on my project Sierra.....Xtreme liner, I was able to get a really good deal on it, it was 100$ cheaper than the Linex, and after a ton of research, I feel like it is as good of a product as Linex...I am very happy with it and Shane at The Truck Zone did an awesome job on it.

 

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I had a spray in liner installed today on my project Sierra.....Xtreme liner, I was able to get a really good deal on it, it was 100$ cheaper than the Linex, and after a ton of research, I feel like it is as good of a product as Linex...I am very happy with it and Shane at The Truck Zone did an awesome job on it.

 

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Looks good....There is a reason it was cheaper than the Line-X, it doesn't compare. I don't have Line-X in my Silverado, saved money and sprayed it myself. Holding up great but not even close to being Line-X quality.

 

Hope you have good luck with that product.

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  • 2 years later...
  • 4 months later...

You talking about that one they put by the tailgate that says LineX and has the store info on it?

 

On my,old one they,put a yellow on my bsck window as well.

I'm going Wednesday for the install, they were busy.

Gonna get a tailgate lock and some step Bars as well

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  • 9 months later...
  • 3 months later...

I had mine done in June. With a Deep Ruby Red truck - I went with the color match. Came out beautiful, and several people noticed it and commented on it.

 

I could be quite wrong - but a few years ago I understood that they used the OEM Paint to Mix With the liner material. Thus achieving the color match. That was not the case in June. They used a red LineX material to spray the bed - then they top coat it with the OEM Paint/Color. This looked beautiful - - BUT - - when I had items in the bed - they actually scratched the surface, allowing the LineX Red material to show in the surface scratches. Not too happy about that. If the entire LineX material had been color matched - the minor surface scratches would not have been so clearly visible.

 

It leaves me wondering - is that the Official LineX method of Color Matching - or did my Local LineX Dealer just find a way to save some money by only surface coating the bed liner with OEM Paint?

 

FWIW,

Carl B.

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  • 1 month later...

i had gator hyde sprayed in mine thicker than line x i've seen a lot of gator hyde sprayed on and it is tuff

my brother in law has a new truck with line x and we compared them and the gator is a lot better

both black his was a 650 adder 5.8 bed

i paid 300 for mine 6.5 bed and i love it

also got a friend that has a line liner and he's got a couple of scratches in his not very thick mines about double

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