ToughOX is a truck bed liner spray paint manufactured by UK company ProXL. When ProXL wanted to publish a simple to follow guide on how to apply ToughOX, they turned to The Write Company.

How To Apply ToughOX

ToughOX is a highly durable two-part polyurethane structured liner coating used to protect truck bed liners and other surfaces on heavy machinery and industrial structures. It is available in black or as a tintable version that can be custom coloured by the addition of pigments. As an aerosol, it is also available in white.

ToughOX is available as a ready to use aerosol or in a 1 litre tin for application by spray gun or roller.

Priming the surface

No primer required

Original paintwork and e-coatings in sound condition don’t usually require priming. To prepare these surfaces for ToughOX liner coating:

  1. Remove any loose rust or other particles and lightly abrade the surface with P180
  2. Ensure the surface is dry and free of grease and dust – we recommend cleaning with a high-quality panel wipe

Difficult surfaces

If ToughOX is being applied to a difficult surface, we recommend the use of ToughOX Pre-Adhesion Primer, available as a 500ml aerosol. This is fast drying with a very low film build-up and is suitable for a wide range of substrates including most types of plastic, non-ferrous metals (including aluminium and stainless steel), glass, porcelain and e-coatings.

To apply ToughOX Pre-Adhesion Primer:

  1. If the surface has a high-gloss finish, abrade it with P180 to give the primer a key
  2. Remove any loose dust or other particles
  3. Thoroughly remove all possible grease or oil-based contaminants with an appropriate degreaser
  4. Wear an appropriate respirator and PPE
  5. Shake the tin vigorously for at least two minutes after the agitator ball starts to rattle
  6. Apply two light coats, waiting 2-3 minutes between them to allow the primer to flash off
  7. Leave the primer to dry for 10 minutes, but apply ToughOX topcoat within 60 minutes

Fast priming

If a fast and inexpensive job is required, ToughOX 1K Epoxy Primer is very quick drying, with excellent adhesion to bare metal and suitable as a welding primer. ToughOX 1K Epoxy Primer is available as a 500ml aerosol supplied with two nozzles for different spray patterns.

To apply ToughOX 1K Epoxy Primer:

  1. Remove any loose rust or other particles and abrade the surface with P180
  2. Ensure the surface is dry and free of grease and dust
  3. Wear an appropriate respirator and PPE
  4. Shake the tin vigorously for at least two minutes after the agitator ball starts to rattle
  5. .

Ultimate priming

For excellent high build and sealing properties, we recommend using our isocyanate-free ToughOX 2K Epoxy Primer. Available as a 200ml aerosol with our unique Vari-nozzle that gives a choice of spray patterns, ToughOX 2K Epoxy Primer can be applied to a wide range of substrates. It also has a long pot life of 5 days at 20°C.

To apply ToughOX 2K Epoxy Primer:

  1. Remove any loose rust or other particles and abrade the surface with P180
  2. Ensure the surface is dry and free of grease and dust
  3. Wear an appropriate respirator and PPE
  4. Remove the cap from the base of the tin and insert the metal ring into the lug in the base of the tin
  5. Pull the ring fully down (10mm) and turn it through 360° to release the activator into the primer
  6. Shake the tin vigorously for at least two minutes after the agitator ball starts to rattle
  7. Select the correct nozzle setting for the required spray pattern by turning the small lever on the back of the Vari-nozzle
  8. Apply the primer in cross-directions from a distance of 250mm
  9. After use, turn the tin upside down and spray it to empty the valve
  10. ToughOX liner coating can be applied after 20 minutes.

Applying the liner coating

ToughOX 2K liner coating is available as a 400ml aerosol or a 1 litre tin for spray gun or roller application.

Applying by aerosol

ToughOX tintable aerosols premixed to specification by your ToughOX distributor.

  1. Remove the cap from the base of the tin and insert the metal ring into the lug in the base of the tin
  2. Pull the ring fully down (10mm) and turn it through 360° to release the activator into the primer
  3. Shake the tin vigorously for at least two minutes after the agitator ball starts to rattle
  4. For a coarse finish, use the red nozzle provided with the tin and spray at a distance of 40-100cm from the surface
  5. For a fine finish, use the white nozzle and spray at a distance of 40-60cm from the surface
  6. After use, turn the tin upside down and spray it to empty the valve

Adding tint and hardener (spray gun and roller application only)

  1. Open the 1 litre tin of ToughOX liner coating
  2. Add 125ml of a solvent-based tinter of your choice
  3. Add one full 200ml tin of TOG20-H hardener
  4. Replace the metal cap and shake well for 2 minutes
  5. Once the hardener has been thoroughly mixed with the liner coating, remove the cap from the tin and screw the tin onto your application gun

Applying with a UBS spray gun

  1. Adjust the settings as follows:

Nozzle:      

3.0mm (coarse texture)

Pressure:   

3-4 bar (45-60 PSI)

Applying with an HVLP spray gun

  1. Adjust the settings as follows:

Nozzle:      

1.8-2mm (fine texture)

2.5mm (coarse texture)

Pressure:   

2 bar (30 PSI)

  • Apply the coating at a minimum distance of 20cm from the surface in an even, sweeping motion
  • Allow each coat to flash off for 10-15 minutes at 20°C before applying a further coat
  • The first coat should be an even wet coat, followed by 2-3 coats applied at a reduced pressure to achieve an appropriately coarse finish

Applying with a roller

  1. For a uniform appearance, complete all the rolling as a single coat while the product is still wet
  2. Do not over-apply the liner coating, as this can lead to solvents being trapped
  3. If the coating is over-applied or starts to pool, disperse it with a brush
  4. The texture can be increased with additional rolling

Drying and curing

ToughOX liner coating will be touch dry within 60 minutes at 20°C and can be baked for 30 minutes at 60°C (IR curing is not recommended). Full curing is achieved within 5-7 days, with a thicker coating resulting in a longer cure time.

Don’t stack or load heavy objects on the surface until the coating is fully cured.

If you would like to know more about ToughOX liner coatings, contact ProXL on 01634 823900 or via our website’s Contact page.