Can I apply your truck bed liner with a roller?
Question:
Can I use a roller to apply your truck bedliner, or do I need to use a hopper spray gun?
Answer:
The preferred method of application is texture hopper spray gun. Using a roller always ends up with a coarser finished product since the stickiness of the product leaves a higher profile texture. Also… it is difficult to get the high build with a roller since the thicker the application, the coarser the texture. Since you would have to apply additional thin coats, you would have to allow the first coat to almost fully cure in order to not dislodge it and cause a mess.
If you need to use a roller, and want a smoother finish, we recommend using less the Poly Powder (if included with your kit) for the initial coats. The coatings will self level if not thickened with the Poly Powder. You can then apply a finish coat using more of the powder for final texture.
If you find that the coat you just applied is too coarse, you can also very lightly pass over the surface with a brush dampened in some of the bedliner mixed with a bit of lacquer thinner. this will smooth out the peaks from the roller.
NOTE: When selecting a roller for bedliner application, use on with no more than 3/8″ nap. It should also be solvent resistant since you may need to use lacquer thinner for your application. Foam rollers are not advised except on small areas when no solvent is involved.
You may want to review this article as well: Can I use a brush to apply your coatings?