DIY Spray Bedliner for Jeep Wrangler Interior Floor

In this Instructable, I show you how to bedline a Jeep Wrangler interior. In addition, learn how to remove rust along with many other useful DIY tips.

I completed this project 3 years ago and it is holding up really well despite constant exposure to the Florida sun and salty air.

I use my 1992 Jeep Wrangler YJ Islander as a beach cruiser. I don't have any t didn't have a lift kit, massive tires, and extravagant mods. I like the classic look of this YJ Islander along with the everyday wear that comes with it. However, I noticed my floor was rusting under my carpet. This is a common problem with older Jeeps (especially in northern climates b/c of road salt), so I decided to remove the carpet, repair the floor rust, and apply a DIY spray bed liner kit.

There are several things which are difficult to fully explain with words and images, so be sure to check out the video tutorial above.

Supplies

Below are the tools and material I used to complete this project.

Raptor Tintable Bed Liner Kit w/ Spray Gun (Beige)

Spray Gun (buy if not included w/ kit)

Dewalt Grinder

Grinding Disc

50 grit metal sanding disc

Rust Removal Tool

POR15 Kit with Degreaser & Metal Prep

Step 1: Remove Interior Bolts & Carpet

First, I cleared my workshop to make space for my Jeep.

I removed all the bolts inside of the Jeep interior. These bolts were for the front seats, rear seat, seatbelts, center console, side doors, rear door, and any other hardware I was unable to tape off.

I should have realized removing these bolts would be challenging. By far, it was the most difficult part of the entire project.

For this step, I definitely recommend using a bolt gauge. Bolt gauges help you determine the following bolt most important attributes in order to purchase a suitable replacement:

SAE (US) or Metric
Thread Pitch
Diameter
Length

I found most of the replacement bolts at my local ACE Hardware and on Amazon.

The bolts used in my Jeep and many older Jeeps (and maybe newer ones as well) are Torx bolts, which are likely rusted and very difficult to remove.

I included 2 quick tips to help remove rusted bolts from a Jeep.

Try these tips before using a breaker bar and violently tugging on the bolts to remove them.

First, apply PB Blaster to the perimeter and under the bolt if possible. Next, allow it to sit for 24 hours.

Then, try to remove the bolt by slowly turning with a breaker bar. If PB Blaster doesn't work, use a mini torch on the head of the bolt. Heat the bolt for 45 to 60 seconds. Then, try to remove it.

There is a 75% chance the bolt will break if the Jeep is 10+ years old. So, be patient and try your best to remove it the natural way (i.e. without breaking it).

Step 2: Remove Rust & Patch Holes

The interior tub must be clean of all loose debris. This allows the Raptor DIY Spray Bed Liner to properly adhere properly. Surface preparation is the key to make the spray liner last a long time. I can't stress this enough - spend the time to prep and make the appropriate repairs to the interior tub.

My Jeep Wrangler YJ Islander had a coat of black paint or something else that was applied very poorly. Also, bondo was used in various places to patch holes. The bondo was also applied poorly with many high spots.

I had my work cut out for me in order to get this surface ready for spray on bedliner. I hope your situation is better than mine.

First, I used my angle grinder with a grinding disc to knock down the high spots and remove as much rust as I could. I lightly went over the surface in order to not puncture more holes in the interior tub.

Next, I used a 40 grit metal sanding disc to get a smooth surface. The goal is to simply remove the loose rust and achieve a somewhat smooth surface.

The driver side and passenger side floor had various small holes I needed to patch. Each hole was the size of a shirt button or smaller. Instead of using bondo on these small areas, I used an epoxy filler made by POR15. I highly recommend this product because it worked very well.

Step 3: Sand & Remove Adhesive

I used adhesive remover to remove the tacky strips used to hold the carpet in place. I sprayed the tacky areas and removed the material with a scotch brite pad or flat head screwdriver.

The original paint was in very good shape in the rear of the Jeep. So, I used my random orbital sander with 80 grit sandpaper to lightly scuff up these areas and remove embedded dirt.

Step 4: Degrease and Etch

Before I applied POR15 to reinforce the interior tub and provide a paintable surface, I prepared the surface with the included degreaser and metal etch in the POR15 kit.

My son and I rolled the Jeep out of the garage and I sprayed degreaser on the entire interior tub. I let this sit for 15 minutes. In the meantime, my son and I played a friendly game of HORSE. We are a competitive family, so there is no such thing as a 'friendly' game of anything at my house. By the way, I lost.

We rinsed the degreaser and allowed the interior surface to dry for a few hours. I applied the metal etching with a spray bottle and made sure to coat the exposed metal.

My son and I let this soak for 30 minutes, rinsed with water, and rolled the Jeep back into my workshop.

Step 5: Resurface With POR15

I used POR15 on the interior floor with rust and any other areas with minor rust. Although POR15 is normally used on the undercarriage and frame, it works just as well any place rust exists. POR15 is a rust-preventive paint designed for application directly on rusted or seasoned metal surfaces. Furthermore, it dries to a very hard, non-porous finish that won't chip, crack, or peel. Additionally, it prevents rust from reoccurring by protecting metal from further exposure to moisture.

First, I applied POR15 to each floor board and to all areas with surface rust with a chip brush. POR15 is really thin and goes a very long way as I only used 2 small cans. Furthermore, POR15 dries quickly and it is very hard. Be sure to wear a respirator and use gloves when applying POR15 as it has a very strong smell.

I allowed this to dry overnight and applied a second coat making sure to get all areas I missed the day before. Once the POR15 was completely dry, I lightly hand sanded with 80 grit sandpaper to lightly scuff the smooth surface. I did this to ensure the DIY spray bed liner would properly adhere to the surface.

Step 6: Cover and Mask Area

I used painters tape and plastic tarps to cover the Jeep and surrounding areas. This was my first time applying spray bed liner, so I was unsure about the overspray. As it turned out, the overspray was not bad at all.

Next, I used orange ear plugs and painters tape to cover the bolt and screw holes in the interior of the Jeep.

Step 7: Mix & Tint Bed Liner

I poured the hardener and the beige tint in the bottle according to the instructions. I quickly realized there was not enough room to properly mix the material by shaking it.

Raptor Liner's slogan is "Fill, Shake, Shoot." Well, there wouldn't be much 'shaking' going on in this bottle because there wasn't enough room. Obviously, this is an issue raptor liner needs to address.

As a workaround, I poured the material in a mixing container and then poured it back in the bottle over and over until I felt it was mixed. Later, I found a YouTube video of a person recommending a more viable workaround than mine which you will read about in a later step.

Step 8: Test Sprayer

I tested the air pressure to get the right consistency. The amount of air pressure determines the consistency of the material. 60 psi was my preferred setting.

I sprayed a piece of painters plastic. Then, I did a second test on my tailgate before spraying the interior.

Step 9: Spray Jeep Interior

I focused on the hard to reach places like behind the gas pedals, around the base of the roll bars, and in the corners.

I wanted to make sure to get a thin coat on the entire interior of my Jeep. When I felt the bottle getting lighter, I sprayed the outside edge of the Jeep.

I carried a chop brush with me to clean spills and get to hard to reach places. The spray gun has an air hole at the top. Therefore, material will spill out if it is turned upside down a particular way.

Step 10: Clean Spray Gun

First, I removed the Raptor Liner bottle from the spray gun. Next, I used acetone to clean the material from all parts of the gun. Then, I removed the tip of the gun and bottom piece and poured acetone into the gun chamber and to these pieces.

Finally, I wiped each piece with a shop towel. As a side note, I should have worn gloves when cleaning the gun. This stuff dries quickly, so I decided to not use gloves and be very careful to not spill any on my hands.

The Raptor Liner instructions did not specifically recommend a product to clean the spray bed liner gun. If they did recommend a product, I missed it.

Step 11: Mix Spray Liner for 2nd Coat

I poured all the material in a mixing container. I mixed the material with a the handle of a chip brush because I ran out of stir sticks. Then, I poured the material back into the bottle.

Step 12: Apply Second Coat

I was surprised at how much area I covered with one bottle. Once the material dried, I could see where I needed to spray more material.

I focused on the areas I missed and then applied an even coat on the rest of the interior of the Jeep.

Then, I removed the tape and allowed the material to set for 3 days before installing the seats, seat belts, and door hardware.

Step 13: Re-Install Seats and Hardware

Once I had the proper bolts and screws, I installed the seats and interior tub hardware.

My installation went very smooth and I want to share with you 2 important tips.

The 2 tips below will make your installation easy and it will also make removing the seats in the future go much smoother.

Use Proper Torque for Bolts

Before you tighten the bolts, make sure to read the Jeep manual regarding proper torque.

Obviously, you need to purchase a torque wrench.

The unit of measure for torque that we all know, the "ft-lb," "lb-ft," or "foot-pound" is the amount of turning force applied to move one pound a distance of onefoot around an axis at a radius of one foot. Additionally, the same concept applies to "inch pounds".