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After buying a brand new pickup truck one of the first things you want to do is protect the bed and keep the truck looking good. At this point you are faced with a few options.
- Do nothing
- Drop in bed liner
- Spray in bed liner
After careful consideration there is really only one option that is best for the protection, durability, and appearance of your new investment. Doing nothing is the least favored course of action because the only thing protecting your bed is the factory paint, which will wear very quickly and if left untreated can turn into a complete eyesore. Who wants to roll up in a good looking rig and drop the tailgate only to have the entire bed look like its 10 years older than the truck? The disadvantage to a drop in bed liner is the wear and corrosion you do not see, as they typically trap water and debris between the liner and the bed. As a result, a drop-in liner can actually promote condensation, water damage, abrasion, rust and corrosion.
By comparison, a spray-on bed liner is installed by preparing the surface and coating it with a protective material. Once the bed liner is installed, you should expect it to provide maximum resistance to dents, scratches/scrapes, damage caused by trapped water, and other potential problems.
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From Left to Right: Brian, George, John, Tommy, Jamie, Justin
LINE-X of Friendswood, TX is located about 20 miles SE of the Houston city center and happens to be the only authorized dealer servicing the immediate Houston area. They also have the added capability to spray lifted trucks which is afforded by the 16'x19' entrance to their spray booth. Current owners Jamie and George have expanded their services to include stenciling various graphics and designs to the bed liner, custom color matching, and UV protection. They also offer a variety of other services to include automotive accessories/kits, audio/visual/alarms, suspension, and engine modifications.
4542 FM 2351 Suite B
Friendswood, TX 77546
Phone: (281) 648-5463
Email: steelers@ev1.net
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One of the many reasons a spray-on bed liner looks appealing is due to the custom look of the sprayed finish. One leading spray-on company (LINE-X) has developed a product that will protect the liner from UV exposure, giving the truck bed a lasting visual appeal while maintaining its protective qualities for the lifetime of the truck. Their bed liners mold perfectly to the truck's bed to ensure a perfect fit with ultra-consistent material thickness and hardness. LINE-X also comes with a nationwide warrantee so you can rest assure that any problems you may have will be addressed wherever you are without having to negotiate with the original installer for repairs.
For Project "JAKD" we chose LINE-X as the spray-in liner of choice. For our application, LINE-X offered the best combination of protection, durability, and appearance. Our objective was not having a bed liner that was too soft promoting premature wear, and having a liner that would withstand the Texas heat and still look good for the life of the truck. LINE-X is a two-part polyurethane elastomer system. It uses equal parts of an "A" component or hardener and a "B" component or resin. When combined properly it produces a polyurethane elastomer similar to the bottoms of your work boot.
 
We were pleased to see LINE-X of Friendswood, TX take extra precautions when they take receipt of a vehicle for spraying. This was a good indication that they took pride in their work and it will be evident in the finished product later in this article.
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