maine07jk

I have tried a search, but for the life of me can't find it today. I am having a custom bumper made. Should I get it powder coated of rattle can it? I live in Maine and it's going to take sand/salt/rocks and abuse!

AlgoDan

If you rattle can it, you can always touch up trail rash with the same and cheaper. Powder coat then you touch up to match..your choice

BadPunkin

Line-x. It will last forever

scamp_71

i vote prep it well and rattle it. i've rattle canned a number of items and i think it looks just fine if you take your time on the initial prep (sanding it down and making sure its nice and clean before priming). as mentioned, touch-ups will be easy after. pics please when its done

sringer

I would have it bedlinered

EzK

When I get my Brawler Lite I 100% plan having it line-x'ed. I don't want to deal with rust and abrasions at all. 2nd choice would be a home paint job.

Southern Girl

Rattle can it! You can use the rustoleum textured spray or bed liner and it will work great plus it's easier on the wallet! I did it on my rockers and most people think I had it bed lined....NOPE, rattle can!

JKlad

I've found that the most important step if you're painting metal (either by brush, rattle can or high-pressure spray gun) is to properly coat the bare metal first with etch primer, and then give it a few coats of quality rust-preventative metal undercoat. Finally, you can then give it 2 or 3 (or more) good coats of enamel, allowing the proper amount of curing time between coats.

If you follow all the steps and prep the metal properly, you'll find that the final finish will often be almost as durable as powdercoat and if it does scratch then usually it will just be the outer layers and you can always just sand back to the primer & re-paint that spot (etch primer on the bare metal is very important in order to get the undercoat to adhere properly and give the paint a hard, scratch-resistant finish). I've painted a few aluminum boats in my time and have found that if etch primer is applied to the sanded hull first followed by proper undercoat and a good few thick layers of topcoat, the paint will last 30 years or more & never peel (aluminum oxidizes differently to steel and paint is notorious for peeling off it)

On the other hand if you just roughly rattlecan a topcoat on to the bumper it will probably rust and scratch easily, so powdercoating may be the way to go.

damon.l

i think it winds down to cost / benefit.

if you can and want to spend the $, go powdercoat. it will be more durable and handle more abuse than rattle can.

however, if you are trying to do it on the cheap, go rattle can and like others have said its an easy touch-up.

rkboyer911

Id go with powder or Line X....Now one thing to remember is...One day I was getting my truck bed line X'd and a guy brought in a bumper to have sprayed and the owner said he had to have the powder coat sandblasted off because the line X wouldn't stick to it.. So if you ever think u want to line x it i wouldn't powder coat it due to how hard it is to get off with a sandblaster. Good luck!