The truck bed floor may be one of the most vulnerable areas of your truck. Due to exposure to rain, snow, and other elements, rust can quickly set in and cause grave damage.
Lucky you, we are here to unveil how to fix rusted truck bed floor with details. With several steps, you will sort the issue out soon.
Scroll down and restore the rusted truck bed to the top shape.
How To Fix Rusted Truck Bed Floor
How to fix truck bed rust? Here are one preparation steps with all materials in need and prime steps to conduct:
What To Prepare
Rust not only ruins your wheel hubs but also your truck bed floor. You only need a few essential tools for a rusty truck bed repair. All of these things are available at any decent hardware shop.
- Respiratory protection or breathing mask
- 80-150 grit sander (dual action)
- Rustless primer
- Protective goggles
- 120 grit metal grinder
- Acid for rust removal
- Electric drill with sanding disc attachment
- Paint
- Paint primer
- Hammer
Prep The Working Area
Repairing the rust in truck bed begins with cleaning and scraping all the rust.
To commence, cover up the space that the rust has not harmed, employing several layers of masking tape or paper for maximum defense.
To remove the truck bed rust, use a wire brush and some sandpaper, but always be cautious not to scratch the adjacent surfaces.
Eliminate All The Rust Using A Drill Or Wire Brush Wheel
Regarding how to fix a rusted truck bed, after you’ve entirely wrapped the truck bed parts, which are still intact, start erasing rust by using a wire brush wheel and drill.
The objective is to let off the rust as rapidly as possible using a harsh technique involving a lot of manual labor.
Don’t fret if you pierce the bed or slightly expand a hole during the session. Keep going until you run out of rust to remove.
Sand Down All Residual Rust
After discarding whatever, you can go over any places with 80-grit sandpaper to remove any residual rust on truck bed.
Remember that painted surfaces can also be affected by rust, which can seep beneath the surface. Scrape some paint from the sanded area’s margins for rusted truck bed repair.
Next, sand that area using 150-grit paper to smooth it. This will strengthen the adhesion of paint and patching materials.
Wash Off The Sediment & Dust
After you’ve finished sanding, cleanse your truck bed to get rid of all the silt, road debris, road salts, and dirt that have gathered. Check it carefully to make sure there is no corrosion left.
Take Advantage Of A Rust Restorer Or Chemical Rust Remover
Be sure to employ a rust restorer or a chemical rust remover as an extra layer of assurance to treat all the rust and finish the task.
Adhere to all label instructions, particularly those that necessitate proper protective gear.
Weld The Problematic Patches & Paint Your Truck Bed
Once the truck bed is free of dirt and moisture, cover the exposed metal with rust-inhibiting paint.
Ensure to apply a thin, even coat, paying close attention to the margins of any cracks or areas where the paint has chipped off, such as the bed’s underside.
Use Body Filler
When corrosion and rust cause holes, body filler is appropriate for tackling the issue.
Yet just before you begin mixing your filler, you must apply the patching mesh and other elements included with the patching kit.
After that, apply your patching mesh, following the manufacturer’s guidelines. If the ratios are off, the filler can solidify too rapidly or even not at all. Thus, you must adhere to the directions strictly.
You should also know that all fillers will harden after mixing. You’ll need to move swiftly until you fill all holes. Do not care about how aesthetically nice it is.
Sand Your Patch Down Smooth
The filler usually hardens in about 2 hours, though this time frame might range from product to product.
The filler must dry before sanding it nicely with 150-grit paper. It’s best to start at the top and proceed downward the body using an increasingly finer grit.
Apply Primer Properly
Once you are satisfied with the patch’s smoothness, prime the patch and any exposed metal with an auto primer.
After waiting an hour for the primer to finish, sand the place down to 400 grit. Apply another coat of primer, wait until it’s dry, and then sand it down again using the identical paper.
Restore Your Finish
The next day, after the primer dries after applying a second layer and smoothes the surface, wash and dry your truck bed again. You must have the truck primed before repainting it.
Paint should be applied in three separate coats for the most significant effects, with each coat being sanded in between with 400-grit sandpaper, much like the primer.
Once you’re done with the third layer, sand that area down to a clean finish once more, but now, wet the paper to leave a smoother, more refined look.
Add a clear coat after the last layer gets dried to protect the paint job. This coating is significantly more robust than the paint layer and safeguards the underlying layers.
It also makes the truck’s bed look sleek and polished.
After the clear coat dries, peel off the masking tape and wipe the area sparingly. Although not required, wax the space for extra defense and aesthetics.
These fixes typically persist for 5 years or more before they need to be retouched.
Still, especially during the initial year, it’s a good idea to examine the repaired area regularly to ensure no additional rust accumulates.
You’ve just walked through how to fix rusted truck bed. Next, get inside the method with the fiberglass kit.
How To Apply The Fiberglass Repair Kit To Cope With Rust Holes
How to fix rust holes in truck bed using a fiberglass kit? Stick to these 6 steps:
Sand The Rusted Patches
Sand away the corrosion area until it’s left with a solid base frame.
Apply Your Rust Primer
Paint the area around the bolt with the prepared primer to prevent further rusting. You can use a rust converter instead. Put it on according to the label’s directions.
Even Out All Edges
Try hammering just on a rust hole to smooth out the edges to the surface level.
Apply The Fiberglass Repair Kit
Combine the fiberglass resin and hardener as directed. Cover the gap with fiberglass batting and paint the floor with resin using a paintbrush.
The next step is to wait for the area to dry as directed. Make the most of the 3M fiberglass resin repair kit with industry standards.
Sand Off The Layer
Then, sand your layer using sandpaper of 180 grits till it’s seamless.
Primer & Paint
Coat it with a primer layer, and paint the area using your spray gun. There you have it – the entire process!
FAQs
How To Prevent Spreading Rust Holes?
The first step is to stop the rust from further expanding by removing all of it.
To polish it, use just sandpaper. To make a difference, fill it with something like body filler. Also, POR-15 is another option and rust-inhibiting paint can serve as an anti-corrosion bed coating.
How Long Can Your Rust Repairs Remain?
If you’ve repaired the rust efficiently, it could endure for up to six years, based on the climate.
Periodically inspecting your rust repair and touching it up with paints or filler will help protect it from rusting again.
How Can I Take Care Of My Truck Bed?
The truck bed is the truck’s cornerstone, no doubt. It offers space to carry gears, goods, hefty groceries, etc., and gives your car better grip and traction with the proper truck bed weight.
To keep the truck bed rust-free, it’s crucial to maintain it dry. While it’s raining, you shouldn’t leave it uncovered. After each wash, wait until it’s dry before wrapping it up again.
Final Words!
Rust can be a huge problem for truck bed floors and cannot be ignored. It’s ungodlily terrible when it quickly destroys the truck corner, weakening the metal and making it more likely to corrode and fail.
But we bet it no longer gets you on your nerves as you now know how to fix rusted truck bed floor.
With the right supplies and proper materials and tools, you can do things quickly and restore the strength of your truck bed floor. Finally, you could keep it looking great for years to come.
Do not hesitate to forward this post to other guys as well!