Novak Conversions Jeep Wrangler TJ engine mounts

Hard Top Texture

Beachhead

Member
Original poster
Supporting Member
Joined
Aug 30, 2021
Messages
96
Location
Chico, CA
One of my next projects is to repair my hard top. This will require some sanding and reapplication of fiberglass. My tan hard top has a texture to it, sort of like little dots under the paint. Can this be accurately replicated for when I will need to repaint the top?

I know a popular method is to roll on that bedliner material, but I'm not sure about using that stuff as it seems like it would be pretty rough and hard to deal with.

Thanks
 
I'm not sure what the proper application would be, but I suspect Bed Liner might work. When I repainted my hard top I didn't bother with texture personally.
 
Maybe @jscherb would be willing to chime in. He’s a master in his craft with fiberglass and I think he managed to successfully repair a JK top with similar texture.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Apparition
Maybe @jscherb would be willing to chime in. He’s a master in his craft with fiberglass and I think he managed to successfully repair a JK top with similar texture.

In my experience, the texture of bed liner is much too rough to match the more subtle texture on a factory hardtop so if you're doing small repairs I don't recommend it.

I use MOPAR hardtop touch up paint (https://www.quadratec.com/products/92156_2903.htm) with a special technique - I do several light coats to establish full coverage, and then I do a texture coat with the rattle can at a greater distance from the surface. In my experience what happens with more distance is that the atomized paint will form slightly larger droplets traveling that distance and when the droplets hit the surface they don't fully cover so they form a texture. I do the texture coat fairly soon after the last color coat, after the color coat no longer looks wet but before it's fully dry, that way good adhesion of the texture is achieved.

If that technique doesn't work for someone, you could do an undercoat of a hardware store rattle can texture paint followed by color coats of the MOPAR paint. I've used Rustoleum rattle can texture paint for this a time or two. They have a few varieties and I'm not home right now so I can't grab a can to tell you what it is, but I've used the one with the lest texture. That coat usually goes on a bit grainy, but after a few color coats of the MOPAR paint it smooths out to a reasonable match for the hardtop finish.

BTW I'm writing this from a hotel in Pigeon Forge, TN, I'm helping Overland Outfitters with the Smoky Mountain Jeep Invasion. Anyone here going? Their booth will be inside the convention center, stop by and say hi. You'll probably find me at their booth, which you can recognize because they'll be using my JKU and trailer in the booth.

The hotel I'm staying at doesn't like trailers, last year they told me I would have to find somewhere else to park for the night before load-in day at the show, so I promised them I would fit the Jeep and the trailer into one spot. I did the same this year, I backed the trailer over the barrier at the back of a spot and onto the river bank. One spot. Done. Parked in the same single spot last night :).

TrailerParking.jpg


Hey, I designed it to be an offroad camp trailer, so why not take advantage of that.
 
Novak Conversions Jeep Wrangler TJ engine mounts