Did you spill paint on your bed liner accidentally? Are you wondering how to get paint off the bed liner? You’ve come to the right place. We have researched this question, and we have the answer for you.
Today’s article will discuss how to get paint off the bed liner.
What Is Bed Liner Used For
A bed liner is a protector applied or installed into a truck bed. You can use it to protect the truck’s bed from impact and abrasive damage. There are two broad classifications of bed liners: «Drop-in» and «Spray-on/in.» You install Drop-in bed liners into a truck bed with little preparation work. They are removable for cleaning.
| BENEFITS OF SPRAY BED LINERS |
| UV PROTECTION |
| MAINTAINS THE VALUE OF YOUR VEHICLE |
| PROTECTS TRUCK BED AGAINST CORROSION |
| QUALITY SPRAY ON BED LINERS IS NON-SLIP |
| IT LOOKS COOL |
| LOW MAINTENANCE |
| CUSTOM-FIT |
| REPAIRABILITY |
How To Get Paint Off Bed Liner
A bed liner protects the bed of your truck from scratches, dents, and spills. Removing dried paint from your bed liner is much more effortless than from your truck’s bed.
Follow these simple steps to remove paint from your bed liner:
- Apply a small paintbrush to spread lacquer thinner over the paint stain.
- It would help if you let it sit for a few minutes.
- Utilize a medium-grade nylon brush to scrub off the paint.
- Wipe off the paint with a rag.
- Repeat steps 1 to 4 as needed.
How to remove a spray-on bed liner
A spray-on bed liner is a bed liner in liquid form that you may use on your truck, like paint. Unlike regular plastic bed liners, a spray-on bed liner doesn’t have the same resistance to chemicals.
Spraying on bed liners may resist corrosive chemicals. But, it is not resistant to any chemical that can remove paint. Chemicals that can remove or soften paint could also soften spray-on bed liners.
You’ll need the following tools:
- Chemical stripper
- A grinder
- A heat gun/torch
- A hammer and chisel
ASSESS THE TASK
Firstly, look at the condition of your liner and your truck bed. This gives you an idea of what kind of work you need to do to remove it. It would be best if you inspected for defects: search for bubbles, cracks, or flakes in the liner material. If plenty of bubbles and other defects are visible, the liner was poorly installed and can be relatively easy to remove. You should reconsider removing your liner if you don’t see many of these imperfections. It may be much more difficult.
CHEMICAL BATH
A commonly favored product among car enthusiasts for heavy-duty cleaning is Aircraft Remover. This cleaner effectively removes paint and rust from vintage muscle cars and has gained popularity among truck owners for removing spray-in bed liners. However, it is crucial to exercise extreme caution when using this product.
To utilize Aircraft Remover, apply the chemical onto the worn-out bed liner and allow it to soak for 5 to 15 minutes. Proceed to scrape away the loosened bed liner carefully. It is necessary to do this process multiple times, as it can take time to achieve the desired results.
With patience and careful handling, Aircraft Remover can effectively strip away the old liner without causing damage to your truck bed. The product has the potential to strip paint and melt plastic, so it is imperative to exercise utmost caution throughout its application.
HEAT IT AND CHISEL THE LINER
Removing the liner pieces is a breeze with the right tools. All you need is a heat gun and a chisel. Warm the pieces with the heat gun and then chip them away using the chisel. An aggressive air chisel does the trick for more stubborn pieces, but a paint scraper will do the job. You’ll have those liner pieces removed in no time!
SAND AWAY WHAT’S LEFT
Once you’ve done the intense chemical treatments, the grinding, heating, and chiseling, all that’s left is sanding. You need either a fine or heavy-duty grit, depending on how much residue is left.
How to remove plastic bed liners
Suppose you have a plastic bed liner in your truck and decide to remove it. There are some steps you’ll want to take to protect your vehicle. Some people remove plastic bed liners when they want to clean underneath. You may also need to remove the plastic bed liner if you can upgrade to a spray-in bed liner.
Here are the steps to consider when you are ready to remove the plastic bed liner.
First, you should open your tailgate and crawl into the bed. Find the Phillips-head screws located around the liner. These secure it to the bed. Find them along the top of the bed rail plus around the perimeter of your tailgate.
Be cert you unscrew all of them both on the bed liner and on the tailgate liner. You need a Phillips-head screwdriver to accomplish this.
You should lift your tailgate liner off the truck with your hands. Place it off to the side where it is safe.
Push your side panels on the bed liner together with your hands. These are the areas closest to the tailgate. Have your friend help you lift the bed liner from the truck’s bed through the tailgate hole. You might use circle cups or four small clips located near the top of each rail. If you have this design, you must also be careful to remove them.
Warnings When You Remove Plastic Bed Liner
You have to be careful when you remove a plastic bed liner. First of all, there’s a good option you’ll find numerous scratches under that liner. Therefore, we recommend never installing a plastic bed liner in a truck. Once you remove the liner, you may face some repairs before you can do anything else. Be prepared for this. You can also easily scratch the truck bed during the removal, so you’ll want to move slowly. Plus, it would help to be careful when uninstalling or reinstalling your liner. It’s easy to catch your fingers under the side rails. The lips are sharp and will quickly cut your fingers. Moreover, reinstalling the plastic liner makes getting your fingers stuck under the lip easy. It can be wise to do this with the help of a professional to protect yourself.
Can Paint Remover Remove Bed Liner
A paint remover is also popular with a paint stripper. It is a chemical product that you can use to remove paints and other finishes. You can use it to clean surfaces.
Paint removers may not affect plastic bed liners. But spray-on bed liners will soften and eventually peel off when exposed to paint strippers.
There are two types of paint removers. Caustic paint removers work by destroying the chemical binders in paint. Solvent-based paint removers penetrate the paint layer and remove the bond between the surface and the paint.
Both types of paint removers could wreak havoc on spray-on bed liners.
Does Paint Thinner Remove The Bed Liner
Paint thinners do not hurt plastic bed liners. But paint thinners soften spray-on bed liners. It may cause the bed liner to lose its grip on the truck bed’s surface. And it can easily be scraped off later. More potent paint thinners could soften and remove bed liners faster, even fully cured ones.
How Do I Clean Plastic Bed Liners
If you know what to avoid, keeping your bed liner clean and looking new is easy.
Below, there are the simple steps to clean your plastic bed liner thoroughly:
First, sweep off dirt and debris with a broom or a floor brush. Catch the dirt with a dustpan. Simply letting dirt slide off your truck may scratch some of the paint not protected by the bed liner.
Try to rinse the bed liner with clean water to remove any dirt the floor brush could not remove. You could apply a pressure washer to get rid of dirt from the hard-to-reach corners of your truck.
Apply soap to clean your bed liner. Automotive cleaners and common house detergents are perfect for your bed liner. Ensure the soap does not include chlorine or any chemicals that can harm your bed liner.
Rinse off the soap. Apply a pressure washer or water spray to rinse your bed liner. Be sure to rinse the soap off thoroughly from all corners. Any remaining soap may leave white markings on your bed liner.
Let your bed liner dry naturally. Alternatively, you may dry it with a clean towel. Drying your bed liner thoroughly is essential to avoid any possible mold growth.
How Do I Clean Spray-On Bed Liner
Cleaning spray-on bed liners look like cleaning plastic bed liners. But there are chemicals that you need to avoid. Any cleaning product with silicon makes your spray-on bed liner slippery, so you should avoid that.
Do not apply brake cleaners or any cleaner that includes solvent or lye. Any cleaner with solvent or lye can weaken and soften your spray-on bed liner and ruin it eventually. Brake cleaners have the same effect on your spray-on bed liner.
Applying a bed liner conditioner on your spray-on bed liner is a good idea to maintain its protective layer and keep it looking new.
A bed liner conditioner is a chemical recommended for your spray-on bed liner maintenance. Apply it twice a year to properly maintain your spray-on bed liner.
How Do I remove
What Will Dissolve The Bed Liner
You can remove spray-on bed liners with chemical paint strippers. This is more effective than grinding the spray-on bed liner of your truck.
Aircraft strippers are effective against spray-on bed liners. It works on it upon contact to weaken and soften the spray-on bed liner. You can scrap it off after just a few minutes, depending on the thickness of the spray-on bed liner.
Clean the surface with warm water and soap if you plan to paint your truck after removing the bed liner. Apply a clean rag with white spirits and wipe it over the surface before repainting.
Conclusion
The process of getting paint off your bed liner depends on the type of bed liner that you have. It is easier to remove a paint stain from a plastic bed liner, whereas the safest option to remove a paint stain on a spray-on bed liner is to apply another layer of spray-on bed liner over the paint stain. We hope you will find this article helpful for your future project.