Nerf Bar Repair?

I have a 2013 TSS Double Cab 4x4, with stock Nerf Bars (Step bars). I scraped a parking lot pole while on vacation and messed up the nerf bars and my rear door. I'm probably going to have the body shop fix the door, but for the nerf bars, I'm going to fix myself since structurally, they're still fine. Under the rear "Pad" for the step, it got bent in about an inch and the whole length behind the bracket is bent a little bit. I might try and get a picture later. Anyway I got most of the yellow paint off by using 150 grit sandpaper, however there are still a few areas of bare metal exposed now and the rough finish is now smooth in that area. I dont' care about the texture as much as I do the bare metal. The guy at the body shop recommended spray on rubber undercoating to cover that up. I was also thinking spray on bedliner from my local auto parts store. What do you guys think is the best way to go about it? Do I need to sand it down to bare metal before attempting a fix? Or can I spray right on top of the black material that's already there?

 

Take the bar off and use some ingenuity to bend it back...

 

pull em off and do weld on sliders. you'll never have that happen again.

 

I'm not interested in bending it back, I'm fine with leaving it bent in like it is, I just want it to look more seamless. I did some more research and someone suggested instead of undercoating, which never really dries and is tacky, to do bed-liner, which I think is a much better option. I'm probably gonna tackle it this next week once the rains stop here. I was just looking for guidance on how to go about fixing it, as i'm a big noob when it comes to body work.

 

I did my front bumper and sliders in Rustoleum Bedliner. It has a little bit of texture to it, and since its a spray can, I can touch it up whenever. Haven't had to yet, buts its only been 6 months.

 

Get yourself a can of spray on bedliner, good masking tape and a roll of either paper or plastic. Mask the truck well and spray away. Follow the directions on the spray can as you'll have to shake it ever so often.