Sliders - Powder Coat or DIY?

What are your opinions on powder coating sliders vs a DIY paint job? They're gonna get used, not beat to death but will eventually need touching up I'm sure, which is why I'm leery of powder coat. Flip side is I don't know if I want to invest the time and effort into a DIY paint job, especially because I'm afraid of messing it up I've been gathering quotes for powder coating all over San Diego and so far the range seems to be $400 - $450, which is a bit more than I was expecting. I've found a bunch of threads on here with DIY walk-throughs so I'm tempted to just go that route. Any thoughts from people who have done one or the other?

 

DIY, clean with acetone, then use rustolem flat black. It's pretty hard to mess that up.
Just don't point and spray one spot or it will run. Constantly move back and forth and use light several light coats.

 

This! For $50 you can get 2 or 3 cans of self-etching primer and 4 or 5 cans of Rustoleum flat or semi gloss. Much cheaper than a powdercoat and can be touched up any time.

 

I'm in Atlanta and just got two pairs of skids powder coated for 250 a pair. 450 sounds really high for one pair.

 

If you’ll use them and abuse then diy paint. It’s more prep the first time but super easy to touch up after a car wash

 

Have you thought about LineX?

 

Got mine rhinolined and love it. It does get pricy though. Cost 400 for the pair. I've beat them up and they still look good.

 

DIY all the way. If done correctly, it'll hold up just fine.

 

All the curves makes DIY sound like a PITA. I had mine “factory” powder coated.

The skids are flat surfaces, those I rattle can’d.

 

^This x2

 

Thanks for the input! Looks like I'll likely be doing the DIY method. Is that something that can be done in one day? Or maybe over 2 days? Drying time in between coats and whatnot concern me. I'd have to bring them to a park down the road from me, not enough room at home.

 

I went DIY with bedliner. Mine look good from the top and sides but the bottom got beat to hell from sand, gravel, and debris kicking up. That said I'd still go the diy route if I did it again, just be prepared to touch it up once or twice a year.

 

Take your time between coats I’m current sitting right now plastidipping a rear hitch from WarFab taking 45 minutes between coats with a fan blowing over the hitch.

 

I will be modifying my Predator running boards soon by cutting off the side steps, grinding down the welds and painting them with a chip resistant 2K coating made by Raptor. You get a professional quality spray gun finish from an aerosol can...

$165 U-POL 4883 Raptor 2K Aerosol Truck Bedliner Protective Coating - Black, 4-Pack

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07GNWRX2H/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

por 15 is a great product.

 

I did mine with Rustoleum Bedliner rattle cans. The bottoms are all blasted-off from road grit and salt in the highway. Just keep touching them up.

 

Diy. Painted my sliders & front bumper with steel-it. Looks really good & supposedly very durable. Kinda pricey but cheaper than powder coat. I applied several coats over the span of several weeks with light sanding in-between. Haven't installed them yet though.

 

I took my bed bar to work and out it powder coated on our paint line.

but yes, clean well and paint light layers. I did my inferno orange dash trim black a few months ago. Super happy it turned out well. I figured if it came out bad my gf’s dad does hydro dipping for deer skulls and stuff. Still may go that route later on

 

I used a bedliner kit from O'Reilly's, I think Dupli Color brand. It rolled on nice and thick, roller added some texture. It's only about 5 months old, but holding up great. I don't bang off rocks, but drive a ton on gravel and often go through sticks and brush. Sliders saved my ass this summer; a hidden broken limb flipped up on one end, when I drove over the other end. The heavy RCI slider made a massive thud; I can't imagine what it wound have done to my rocker panel, that one instance paid for them.

 

Correct me if I'm wrong. Aren't you supposed to not wait too long between coats on those? I thought you were supposed to have it still a bit moist between coats.