First of all, it's great to be back between the covers of CLASSIC TRUCKS, (even if it's only for an occasional visit). This time around I wanted to show you folks what I think is a great product that though may not be something you'll choose to use in your classic show truck, you'd be smart to consider for any truck that carries even a occasional load.

Sure, there's lots of options available when it comes to what I lightheartedly refer to as "cargo condoms" nowadays. You've got your typical dealer or parts retailer-type plastic slide-in units, commercially applied spray-in coatings, and the much more economical and customizable self-applied coatings -- and to be fair, all of 'em have their good and bad points.

Prefabricated injection molded units are the easiest and cleanest to install (just drop the gate and slide 'em in), but "slide" is the operative word here. These liners seem to be distant relatives of ice skating rinks, items carried in them inevitably seem to traverse every square inch of bed floor as you maneuver through town - unless you spend sufficient time securing them into place before you hit the road (something I rarely ever remember to do).

On the upside, commercially applied spray -in coatings are usually much less "slick" and seem to protect your bed from fidgety cargo to a certain extent, at least better than hard plastic - making them, in my eyes anyway, superior to hard plastic liners. Their drawback is the fact that they've got to be professionally applied, which involves making appointments, driving cross town to a dealer, and leaving your baby in the hands of a "qualified installer." Another thing to consider is cost. Commercially-applied coatings ain't cheap. Depending on where you're located, these products can run you anywhere from $300.00 to $500.00 bucks!

This leaves us with self-applied coatings. This category's my choice, as this option fits both my budget and my needs. But, there are considerations to be made as there are a few different brands and formulas on the market so check 'em out and choose the one you believe is the best. I did my homework and decided on Herculiner (manufactured by Old World Industries). I chose it because of a few reasons. First, it's a polyurethane based product that contains granulated rubber which provides a coarser-than-average finish. This makes it virtually slip-free and the rubber "grit" I think will stand up better than a sand or silica-based mixture. Next, it can be roller applied, brush applied, or sprayed. And, it's both affordable (under a $100.00 for a standard 6-foot bed) and available in a selection of colors - black, red, gray and perhaps by the time you read this, white. But, one of the things I liked about Herculiner is the fact that in case I screw it up, by gouging somehow down the road, it can be spot repaired unlike some other brands that won't allow a fresh coat to adhere to a cured one. For goons like me this is a real plus.

Anyway, as I said earlier, bed protection is a good idea for any truck that carries a load, so follow along as we coat the bed of an early Chevy - with Herculiner.

Here's what we started out...        read full caption Here's what we started out with, a more than weary wooden bed floor. This was a perfect candidate for a few good coats of Herculiner that'd be sure to improve its looks and provide a non-slip durable foundation to seal the pickups weathered but still solid floor.

A closer look at the existing...        read full caption A closer look at the existing floor shows how dried out and split the wooden floor is. Though it looks pretty shaky, the floor is surprisingly solid and worth coating rather than replacing.

Herculiner was chosen for...        read full caption Herculiner was chosen for the task for a few reasons. I liked the idea of a urethane coating that is resilient, skid-free, and repairable if the need should ever arise. Plus, unlike some others once, it dries it's not highly flammable, and it's a heck of a lot more affordable than its professionally applied brethren.

The kit (which sells for just...        read full caption The kit (which sells for just under $100) comes complete with a gallon of coating (enough for the average 6-foot bed - an additional quart will allow coverage on an 8-footer), a roller, two specially designed applicator rollers, a scuff pad for roughing up the original finish, a disposable brush for those hard to reach areas, and a complete set of application instructions.

Because the bed wood was in...        read full caption Because the bed wood was in the shape that it is I thought it'd be a good idea to fill some of the larger gaps in the wood, more for looks than anything else. Rob and I decided on an all-purpose putty akin to Bondo for the task.

Using a putty knife I proceeded...        read full caption Using a putty knife I proceeded to apply the filler to the areas that needed it most. Once cured I went back and hit it with some 60-grit sandpaper to bring it down level with the existing wood, it worked out quite well for what was intended.

Once the bed floor was prepped...        read full caption Once the bed floor was prepped it was then time to scuff the original finish using the supplied scuff pad. This was preceded and followed by a good cleaning with a wax and grease remover to ensure good adhesion of the Herculiner material. You'll notice I left the cleaning up to editor Fortier - no sense in me working too hard, plus if we ever ran into any kind of adhesion problem I could blame his poor prep work.

Here you can see the special...        read full caption Here you can see the special roller and pad supplied with the kit. Its large pours, along with the granulated rubber in the Herculiner formula are what produce the course texture of the coating and provide the skid-resistant finish.

Thorough mixing of the Herculiner...        read full caption Thorough mixing of the Herculiner compound is very important as the granulated rubber sinks to the bottom of the container as it sits. Thankfully it mixes up really easily as the size and coarseness of the granules allow the urethane to keep the mass in the bottom of the can wet rather than congealing into a solid mass on the bottom.

The actual application is...        read full caption The actual application is easy, as you might imagine. For best results apply the coating by rolling it in one direction only, and don't try to get complete coverage in one coat, cuz that won't happen.

Much to Mr. Fortier's disappointment,...        read full caption Much to Mr. Fortier's disappointment, I didn't paint myself into a corner. Here you can see quite a contrast between what the bed looked like before and after the initial coat - quite an improvement, don't you think?

A majority of the first coat...        read full caption A majority of the first coat soaked into the dry and porous wood surface - typical on a wooded floor but not a problem with a metal one. The first coat served to seal the wood and the subsequent coat gave us the desired finish.

This close-up gives you an...        read full caption This close-up gives you an idea of what the finish looks like. It's quite apparent just how rough and skid-resistant the surface ends up.

I did have to go back and...        read full caption I did have to go back and touch up some thin spots here and there but that was due to applicator error more than anything else.

The finished product looks...        read full caption The finished product looks great and will be a distinct advantage over that old splintered bed wood. No matter if your bed floor is wood or metal; a good coating of Herculiner will not only protect what's there but give you a skid-resistant coating that'll keep most cargo in place without tie downs. Like I said earlier this product is a must for any truck that carries cargo of any kind, and it'll be finding its way into the bed of my own pickup soon.