What to use for truck running board paint?

[oldrelics]

I want something somewhat durable to stand up to a little footwork anyway.
What did you use and hows it holding up?

[Scott H in Wheaton]

Not sure how it is going to holdup yet, but my '36 running boards are sprayed with a couple coats of Ace Hardware Black Epoxy Appliance Paint. Glossy, but not like show-car over-restored glossy.

[FortyNiner]

I used POR 15 five years ago and it has held up well.

[oldrelics]

Do you have any pictures?

[Ray Balukas]

I used Sems Rock It Bedliner. Get the tintable if you want to color match, your paint store can mix the paint with no binders. Ray

[cretin]

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Personally, If I planned on using running boards for the intended purpose, I would cover them in rubber, or at least where you are going to step in rubber with some kind of trim around it. Will wear better then paint, but thats just an opinion.

[oldandtired]

If you want to drive the vehicle and not have to worry when someone steps onto the running board and twists their foot as they enter the cab to sit down, I would recommend that you use one of the quality spray-on bed liners. They come in everything from the really rough texture Rhino to a relatively smooth finish like Linex. I do not know which year vehicle you are working on, but I believe the 35-37 pickups were pretty much just black running boards. POR is amazingly durable for a gloss black, but it seems like the early POR was not UV friendly...perhaps they make a UV resistant formula now. If you use POR, be careful because it is the Dickens to clean up if you spill some.

[chap52]

I find that Rustoleum Engine paint is very durable. But with the foot traffic you might consider doing the step area with one of those bed liner paints already suggested. A combination with just the top done with the more durable step liner in lieu of rubber matting would look nice and last awhile. Either that or have everyone remove their shoes before entering. Next post will be about "strange odors" in the cab..

[rotorwrench]

Epoxy paint is the most durable but it is not UV resistant at all plus it's not easy to source now days. Polyurethane is tough stuff but it has to cure for a good period of time to come to it's greatest hardness and be chip resistant. A lot of folks use the accessory step plates to step on directly but others view them as somewhat gaudy.

[waterboychuck]

You might want to look at Valspar tractor paint. You can roll it on, brush it on, or spray it on and it will last.

[37fordpickup]

I painted my rims with a 2 part urethane and since I had paint left over, I also painted my running boards.

[DD931]

I was planning to remove mine and have them powder coated. Any comments?

[Marvin/TN]

Powder coating was going to be my suggestion.

[Vics Stuff]

I sprayed my 41 ford truck running boards with 2 coats of rocker shutz. Rocker panel under paint spray covering. lightly sanding between coats to smooth out the coating
to give it that light vinyl texture look . Then top coated it with Acrylic Enamel color with hardner, I cleared it with Poly Urethane ( Imron ) It has been 28 years ago and this has held up real well even with a lot of daily foot traffic.
Would do it again on my next truck in a heart beat. I would actually say it looks the day I sprayed it.
Vic

[DD931]

Been doing some research. POR-15 seems to be a good choice, but may be somewhat UV susceptible. So, POR now offers POR-15 TOP COAT, which is specifically UV resistant. Apparently the thing to do is use POR-15 regular stuff for a couple of coats and the put a coat of TOP COAT over that. I think that's the path I'm going to follow. It should be a lot cheaper than powder coating!

[Barry-ct]

All your suspension parts from the new car makers are powder coated and once it cracks or gets a tiny chip in it, it will trap water under it and things tend to rot very quickly. By the time you find this has happened, it's pretty nasty under the coat. If you're never going to drive your truck in the rain, it might work. I don't think I will use it. There is no metal primer under it on production parts. I have had several John Deere riding tractors where the coating could be peeled off in sheets. Must be a lot cheaper to powder coat for them, than use paint!

[FortyNiner]

Did somebody ask for a picture? POR15 still looks good despite three years of unkind use.

[TJ]

Take them to any shop that installs spray on bed liner. A friend has done this on his '40 and '35 pickup. and it has held up well. I think he had two running boards done for less than $75.

[oldrelics]

Thanks guys, I was looking into the bed liner stuff but they want $350 to do it

[cmbrucew]

https://www.napaonline.com/napa/en/p/DC_TR250/
Napa has bed liner in rattle cans.
May this myself to save removing the boards.
There is also a masking tape with a wire to make straight lines.
Bruce