Utes have traditionally been the vehicle of choice for tradies, now they have reached a level of popularity that was never imagined when the first Aussie ute was built by Ford in Australia in 1934.
Keeping them looking good is a difficult matter when during the week the trays are full of tools and machinery hauled to work sites where the tools are pulled in and out over the tray floor. On weekends too, the ute is often loaded with leisure equipment like trail bikes or camping gear or rubbish for a quick run to the tip. This all means the ute floor gets quite a beating and it shows but not if the floor is treated with Herculiner.
Last year Herculiner proved to be the number one truck bed coating brand in North America ahead of five other brands and for good reason as it prevents rust, it is also resistant to petrol, oils, solvents and other chemicals. It has a high scratch resistance, adhesion, impact resistance, chemical and skid resistance. When cured, Herculiner provides a non-slip coating with a textured, tough, durable layer that won’t chip, flake or peel.
Its proprietary solvent-based formula allows Herculiner to adhere better to surfaces than water-based products, and it can bond to virtually any surface or material including wood, metal, concrete, aluminium, asphalt, rubber, fibreglass and plastics including PVC.
If damaged other coatings need to be removed or gouged, but as Herculiner adheres to itself it can easily be repaired with additional applications.
Various methods can be used to apply Herculiner – brush, roller or spray compressor.
Application is an easy process starting with preparing the surface by cleaning it of all dirt and grime and masking off areas to be painted. All paint areas must be scuffed to remove gloss and the surfaces wiped down with Xylene (Xylol), Acetone or MEK solution using a rag.
Herculiner must be thoroughly mixed before use, and mixed during application so that the rubber particles remain suspended to ensure an even application. A light first topcoat acts as a primer.
After about four hours Herculiner is dry to the touch and when it no longer feels tacky you apply a second coat. This is left to cure for at least 24 hours before light use or 3-5 days before heavy use.
Herculiner is available in a Bed Liner Kit with everything you need to get the job done including two rollers, one brush, 3.78L of Herculiner and one abrasive pad.
For those who already have brushes and abrasive pads there are two sizes of Herculiner tins one is 946ml and will cover around 1.4 square metres with two coats, and the larger is 3.78 litres which will cover around 5.5 square metres.
Herculiner is also available in an aerosol spray which is great for touch-ups, cutting in before applying with a roller or for protecting hard-to-reach areas like wheel wells.
Herculiner is a JB Weld product available in Australia through HPP Lunds. For more information visit www.hpplunds.com.au or call Ben Leonard on 07 3722 1111.