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DIY bedliner vs. WERM vs. Polylast on aluminum trailer floor

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Limerock
Reg. Aug 2016
Posted 2016-09-01 4:11 PM (#168252)
Subject: DIY bedliner vs. WERM vs. Polylast on aluminum trailer floor


Member


Posts: 5

For a trailer one plans on keeping for a long time, what are the pros and cons of DIY install of bedliner material vs. pro install of WERM vs. pro install of Polylast?

I know the cost difference, and that floor mats sill need to be used with bedliner material.

Mostly interested in overall longevity and making sure that, over the years, urine does not get under under the material and cause unseen corrosion to the floor.

Also, will be repairing pitting and some small holes prior to using any product, so if any bond especially well (require less prep) and/or give a little extra structural support, that's a plus I'd like to hear about.

I would especially like to hear from anybody that has been using any of these products for many years, and how they've held up.
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huntseat
Reg. Oct 2003
Posted 2016-09-02 5:38 PM (#168273 - in reply to #168252)
Subject: RE: DIY bedliner vs. WERM vs. Polylast on aluminum trailer floor


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Location: South Central OK
I had back surgery last year and then ordered a new trailer that I could use with my new "limitations."  Knowing I could not carry/drag heavy mats while bent over for very long I opted for the WERM floors installed before I took delivery.  I LOVE this flooring!  In an emergency I can take a shod horse to the vet without bedding and it cleans in under ten minutes, including the washing out part.  Nothing has slipped, I've got firm footing under me so I don't need to grab the sides when getting in or out and so do the critters.  No mat slippage that leaves gaps and lumps under the horses.  The WERM floor is mixed and then troweled out over the prepped aluminum floor like you'd think of mortar when laying tile.  It seals the entire floor all the way to the walls.  Urine does not permeate the rubber so no urine can contact the flooring or more importantly the floor supports and cause damage.  I absolutely recommend WERM and my father now wishes he had it in his trailer.  If I couldn't have the WERM flooring I'd have the rumber planks installed instead.

I don't own a Polylast floor but the fact that (in the trailer version) the urine runs through the floor and then can erode the floor and supporting structure would worry me. How would you ever check the floor for corrosion? How can you know that you have cleaned the urine and not left pockets of residue behind?

The bed liner sounds great but will you still be pulling mats? What if the liner cracks/fails and a small pocket forms under it holding the urine accelerating the damage? Have you ever heard of suncoating? It was a disaster and caused entire years of one brands trailers to be nearly worthless, google it.


 
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loveduffy
Reg. Feb 2006
Posted 2016-09-02 10:19 PM (#168275 - in reply to #168252)
Subject: RE: DIY bedliner vs. WERM vs. Polylast on aluminum trailer floor



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Posts: 1871
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Location: NY
warm flooring is the way to go 
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johnsnowkornar
Reg. Aug 2017
Posted 2019-04-23 1:19 AM (#172343 - in reply to #168252)
Subject: RE: DIY bedliner vs. WERM vs. Polylast on aluminum trailer floor


Member


Posts: 11

Location: United States
Limerock - 2016-09-01 4:11 PM

For a trailer one plans on keeping for a long time, what are the pros and cons of DIY install of bedliner material vs. pro install of WERM vs. pro install of Polylast?

I know the cost difference, and that floor mats sill need to be used with bedliner material.

Mostly interested in overall longevity and making sure that, over the years, urine does not get under under the material and cause unseen corrosion to the floor.

Also, will be repairing pitting and some small holes prior to using any product, so if any bond especially well (require less prep) and/or give a little extra structural support, that's a plus I'd like to hear about.

I would especially like to hear from anybody that has been using any of these products for many years, and how they've held up.

https://reviewsdone.com/best-diy-bedliner-do-it-yourself/
What I'm looking for is feedback from people who have had 1 or more bedliner products installed on the exterior of their vehicle and have had time to form an opinion about the product they chose. What product(s) have they had? What did they like about them? What didn't they like
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RTSmith
Reg. Nov 2003
Posted 2019-04-24 6:42 AM (#172344 - in reply to #168252)
Subject: RE: DIY bedliner vs. WERM vs. Polylast on aluminum trailer floor


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Location: Tenn/Ala.
I assume you mean interior of trailer, rather than exterior. With that, on an aluminum trailer floor the largest issue is that nothing likes to stick to aluminum. Over the past 25 years different manufacturers and owners have tried various ways to seal the floor, and we've seen issues with many. A spray on bedliner product hasn't shown to hold up long term in a production type scenario as Hosspuller noted in another thread. As a rule of thumb, we remove the Suncoating on any Sundowner that we see come through on trade before it is resold, if there is any sign of lifting, which most show to have. Frankly, we've seen WERM lift as well, but it can be repaired. I've not seen much of the Polylast but it is popular with several trailer manufacturers, and it appears different in that I understand it is porous, and the floor has been treated for water/urine to wash through holes in the floor. Someone with more knowledge of it may jump in here hopefuly. 

So my opinion is formed to use traditional rubber mats on an aluminum floor, or Polylast (until which time it is proven problematic). The other ways seem to allow the floor to stay hidden, until it has allowed damage to occur. And of course, all this is just my opinion. 


Edited by RTSmith 2019-04-24 6:43 AM
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Johnson2017
Reg. Apr 2019
Posted 2019-04-28 6:01 AM (#172354 - in reply to #168252)
Subject: RE: DIY bedliner vs. WERM vs. Polylast on aluminum trailer floor


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Posts: 3

We have a Polylast style system.

They clean the floor first, drill any additional drainage holes needed (my trailer already had a few) and the coat the floor with a sealant. Then put on the rubber/epoxy coat.

I talked to several trailer dealers before we had it done and they weren’t seeing issues with it.

I love it. I don’t haul with shavings, which I think is better for their lungs anyway, they still pee in there (my one gelding won’t pee on a surface that splashes him). I scoop the poop out after every trip and every couple weeks (we haul a lot in the summer) I grab the power washer and do a quick rinse.
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buenavides
Reg. Apr 2019
Posted 2019-05-01 9:09 PM (#172359 - in reply to #168252)
Subject: RE: DIY bedliner vs. WERM vs. Polylast on aluminum trailer floor


New User


Posts: 3

Anyone who knows which type of doggie beds is best for breeds like Bernese Mountain dog?
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akinstrailers
Reg. Apr 2009
Posted 2019-05-02 10:11 AM (#172361 - in reply to #168252)
Subject: RE: DIY bedliner vs. WERM vs. Polylast on aluminum trailer floor


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Posts: 144
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Location: Harrisburg, OR
We install the Polylast floor in trailers and have found it to be very durable when installed correctly.  If you have a solid aluminum floor make sure that they seal the floor with the primer from Polylast first.  Recently we've replaced several floors on new trailers (less than 6 months old) where the manufacturer did not use the primer.  The Polylast will not adhere to the aluminum properly without it and will start to lift over time.  It also traps the urine on the floor causing corrosion.         
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crowleysridgegirl
Reg. Apr 2005
Posted 2019-05-11 11:02 AM (#172374 - in reply to #168252)
Subject: RE: DIY bedliner vs. WERM vs. Polylast on aluminum trailer floor


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 At one time,there was a pinned thread here about treating aluminum flooring for the do it yourself er- those who already had trailers without WERM, Rumber,before Polylast was developed,etc. Gard had posted it and Dave had pinned it so it may still be found. I have done three trailers by these recommendations,exactly as the instructions said.The newest was our 2006 Exiss with almost new looking floring and the oldest was a 1995 4Star with some corrosion seen, I can tell you that,it's time consuming but aa pretty good way to go if you don't haul a lot.we have found that ordinary friction created by the overlying mats with trailer motion and horses standing,WILL rub Duplicoat off in spots. And since Gard recommends removal of the mats once a year( which wasn't easy for us 20 years ago much less at ages 65)- you need to weigh the effort vs your usage and requirements for flooring.
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Spin Doctor
Reg. Nov 2008
Posted 2019-05-14 1:39 PM (#172378 - in reply to #168252)
Subject: RE: DIY bedliner vs. WERM vs. Polylast on aluminum trailer floor


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Posts: 402
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Location: Valentine, NE
We used the duplicolor product. Had 100k miles on the trailer in 6 years or so. Did have 3 spots where it it came up but not a big deal. Have not done our new trailer and probably won't as don't think it was worth it. We try to pull mats, clean/spray our's out every month.

I reallly question both the two "new" products. I know what the dealers all say but in my formal training in my metallurgist days, I just can't bring myself to trust a product that lets corrorisive fluid come into contact with aluminum that is than traped and unable to be cleaned. Also, drilling holes in a panel designed for structure rigidity, is questionable.  The nonpourious product might make sense, but for the cost, I just can't justify it as the duplicolor is plumb cheap when compared and, IMO, does the same thing.

I want to have someone do a cross section of both products of a floor that have been used for >5 years and 100k miles. If the floor shows no corrision, I might be interested. But I am doubtful.

 

Edited by Spin Doctor 2019-05-14 1:40 PM
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