Bedliner as toolbox drawer liner?

[Wallyman]

I've repurposed some blueprint drawers into tool storage and was debating spraying the inside with truck bedliner. Did a search and found only a couple of people mentioning having done it. Anyone have opinions/experiences?

The drawers aren't going to see a ton of use as they hold my spare saw blades (circular and band), caulk gun and caulk/liquid nails, levels and squares... but all the **** slides around every time I close it since they are are quite deep and bare metal and I end up with all the stuff at the back every time I close a drawer.

Figured bedliner would offer protection, offer slip resistance and be cheaper than a ton of drawer liner stuff... thoughts anyone? Oh, and was probably going to just use some rattlecan variety, unless that is a bad call (I've never used the stuff for anything so no clue!). I think there are 10 or 12 drawers total, 24x36 if memory serves.

 

[deter]

It should work okay, but probably a little plastic-ey, so stuff might still slide. I prefer low nap carpet remnant personally. And those are usually free

 

[Wallyman]

It should work okay, but probably a little plastic-ey, so stuff might still slide. I prefer low nap carpet remnant personally. And those are usually free

Good idea and definitely free, I work at an A&E firm where I can get all the carpet samples I can stand (carpeted a few basement spaces at the house with them, heh). I don't think I can get it to fit though, these drawers are pretty slim and some tools barely fit without any liner at all. Adding 1/4-3/8" worth of carpet would sink me.

Plasic-ey, yeah, I didn't think about that but the ones I have seen in trucks is more slippery than rubbery.

Perhaps more of an undercoating than a bedliner, tho I definitely don't want it coming off it it gets warm.

 

[Craptain]

What about the drawer/shelf liner for home use? I get it at the $ store and it is definitely non slip. The cheap stuff comes in 1' x 10' rolls for $1. If you really want one piece in each drawer you can also get that but at a higher price. I can't remember where I found the big stuff, but it was cut from a roll about 3' wide and as long as I wanted.

 

[bazzateer]

Why not just shut the drawers carefully?

 

[InPrimer]

I bought several yards of rubber runners at Lowes. It's 36" wide and grooved . It doesn't allow tools to roll around and about 1/2 the price of ready made KOBALT liner

 

[Wallyman]

Why not just shut the drawers carefully?

Now THAT is a silly question! The trouble is they are so large and have a bit of mass, they roll nice and hit harder than a toolbox drawer typically would (hows that for a lame excuse?)

 

[Wallyman]

What about the drawer/shelf liner for home use? I get it at the $ store and it is definitely non slip. The cheap stuff comes in 1' x 10' rolls for $1. If you really want one piece in each drawer you can also get that but at a higher price. I can't remember where I found the big stuff, but it was cut from a roll about 3' wide and as long as I wanted.

Craptain - The big stuff would be nice, I think, if you can remember where you find it please let me know. Not a fan of piecing 3 runs together if possible, I find they always get messed up.

InPrimer - Good idea on runner, but cost is too high. The runner at Lowes (or similar) is like $3-4 a foot (I looked at it for it's intended purpose and about died). I would have more in the liner than I do in the units! I would need 27' or more, so around $100.. ugh .

 

[BMWFatherFigure]

How about 1/8th MDF cut with U shapes?

 

[Wallyman]

How about 1/8th MDF cut with U shapes?

U shapes.. ? Explain, please! Using it as a divider, essentially (creating a pocket for **** to stay in)?

 

[fiaroadster]

I use indoor/outdoor carpet from Home Depot. Thin, durable (in my work box for over 30 years) and cheap. A spritz of 3m spray adhesive and your done. Really "quiets" the drawer.

 

[Wallyman]

I use indoor/outdoor carpet from Home Depot. Thin, durable (in my work box for over 30 years) and cheap. A spritz of 3m spray adhesive and your done. Really "quiets" the drawer.

The green fake grass looking stuff? Hmmmmmm...... It's not overly thick so that may work. I'll check it tomorrow when I pick up my hot deal flex ratchet, woot!

 

[fiaroadster]

No, No, No. Not fake grass in your tool box! Its the flat grey, or tan, sometimes red material.

 

[Simz144]

Done one drawers and the top portion of my 4 drawers Napa took cart in Line-X, Great finish, look good, protect them well. Not enought grip to stop tool from moving around.

Was easy to do, use to works in a garage that does Line-X to!

 

[wrench409]

Rather than spraying the inside of a toolbox with the spray, try this.

Cut out waxed paper (hobby store, meat market type) the sizes you need for each drawer. Spray the correct side of the waxed paper with a uniform thickness of your bed liner, undercoating spray, whatever. Two coats if necessary. Do the smallest drawer as a test. Let it dry per mfgr suggestions. peel way the waxed paper backing from the coating.

This will make the drawer liners easy to clean, easy to change. And make selling the box easier when that time comes. I'd hate to be one that had to scrape a drawer to get something I didn't like off it (unless of course I got a Snap-On KRA-557 for like $20 because of the crappy drawer liners sprayed on).

Just a suggestion.

 

[Wallyman]

No, No, No. Not fake grass in your tool box! Its the flat grey, or tan, sometimes red material.

Found it, 0.78 per sq ft means $7 per drawer...ugh. Plus I think it would be too thick in this case, print drawers are pretty shallow.

Bought a can of rustoleum spray on liner, 4 coats on a test and its not going to work... Too thin.

I need to find a quart of brush on liner to try. The box I am going to line isn't a snap on, so no worry about ruining it.

 

[NUTTSGT]

When I repainted a side box, I rolled in some Herculiner on the inside of the drawers. It was easier to do that than sanding to paint and painting it. I still added some drawer liner though.

 

[sbduncan]

Have you though about Plasti-Dip? You can get in different colors and also mix a gritty substance into it. It peels off if you change your mind. Grease from my grease gun ate it though.

 

[dragracer98]

I've repurposed some blueprint drawers into tool storage and was debating spraying the inside with truck bedliner. Did a search and found only a couple of people mentioning having done it. Anyone have opinions/experiences?

The drawers aren't going to see a ton of use as they hold my spare saw blades (circular and band), caulk gun and caulk/liquid nails, levels and squares... but all the **** slides around every time I close it since they are are quite deep and bare metal and I end up with all the stuff at the back every time I close a drawer.

Figured bedliner would offer protection, offer slip resistance and be cheaper than a ton of drawer liner stuff... thoughts anyone? Oh, and was probably going to just use some rattlecan variety, unless that is a bad call (I've never used the stuff for anything so no clue!). I think there are 10 or 12 drawers total, 24x36 if memory serves.

Wallyman,


I discovered a great light to medium use drawer liner. I bought a roll of something that looked like drawer liner for $5.00 at the Habitat Store one day. I wasn't sure what it was but got it home and cut some pieces for some drawers. While it wasn't a full length roll it was 43 in wide. Good for any of the drawers I had. Like you I hate trying to piece things together.

Further investigation revealed it was called Roberts Black Jack Flooring Underlayment, avail from Home Depot. It comes in a roll that is 28 ft long and 43 in wide. I have had it for several months and it has served me very well. It is somewhat slip resistant for tools and such and you could tack it down in the drawer with double sided carpet tape if needed.

Looks like based on the size you need you could cut this into single pieces for each drawer. I believe it is around 2.5mm thick, good for shallow drawers. One drawback is that you have to buy a whole roll ( but I would check with your local store) and I think it is around $45 or $46. Maybe the store has partial rolls, since they do install floors. Perhaps you could split a roll with someone if you didn't need need that much. Hope this info helps.


Randy

 

[Wallyman]

Wallyman,

I discovered a great light to medium use drawer liner. I bought a roll of something that looked like drawer liner for $5.00 at the Habitat Store one day. I wasn't sure what it was but got it home and cut some pieces for some drawers. While it wasn't a full length roll it was 43 in wide. Good for any of the drawers I had. Like you I hate trying to piece things together.

Further investigation revealed it was called Roberts Black Jack Flooring Underlayment, avail from Home Depot. It comes in a roll that is 28 ft long and 43 in wide. I have had it for several months and it has served me very well. It is somewhat slip resistant for tools and such and you could tack it down in the drawer with double sided carpet tape if needed.

Looks like based on the size you need you could cut this into single pieces for each drawer. I believe it is around 2.5mm thick, good for shallow drawers. One drawback is that you have to buy a whole roll ( but I would check with your local store) and I think it is around $45 or $46. Maybe the store has partial rolls, since they do install floors. Perhaps you could split a roll with someone if you didn't need need that much. Hope this info helps.


Randy

That sounds like the ticket! Found it:

Roberts Black Jack 100 sq. ft., 28 ft. x 43 in. x 2.5 mm Roll of 2-in-1 Laminate and Engineered Wood Flooring Underlayment
Model # 70-026
Internet # 202549346
Store SKU # 591759

$45.98 at my local store, which is about a mile from the office.. perfecto! I think I can do all 10 drawers almost exactly with a single roll of the stuff (each drawer is 33x34" IIRC). This certainly would be easier than bedliner. Good point on the installers, perhaps I can grab a piece from them to try out, but honestly it sounds good.

In an effort to better organize tools this weekend I picked up some additional drawer units (big box store loose hardware bins, 24w x 22d x 25.5h 7 drawer units) some of which will also need liner. Very timely!

Thanks Randy!

 

[Eric402]

You could use shelf liner to line it up and keep everything from moving around. For about 56 sq feet you can buy this one for a little less than 18 bucks (shipping included in that estimate, website says 5 dollars for shipping). It's a makeshift way to solve this problem, but I think it could work.

 

[Wallyman]

That sounds like the ticket! Found it:

Roberts Black Jack 100 sq. ft., 28 ft. x 43 in. x 2.5 mm Roll of 2-in-1 Laminate and Engineered Wood Flooring Underlayment
Model # 70-026
Internet # 202549346
Store SKU # 591759

$45.98 at my local store, which is about a mile from the office.. perfecto! I think I can do all 10 drawers almost exactly with a single roll of the stuff (each drawer is 33x34" IIRC). This certainly would be easier than bedliner. Good point on the installers, perhaps I can grab a piece from them to try out, but honestly it sounds good.

In an effort to better organize tools this weekend I picked up some additional drawer units (big box store loose hardware bins, 24w x 22d x 25.5h 7 drawer units) some of which will also need liner. Very timely!

Thanks Randy!

A little followup.. I bought the blackjack and installed is using some 3M spray goo.. I don't recall that exact one but it was the "extreme" or "maximum hold" or similar stuff, big fat can.

Glue
PRO - Fast set, holds great.
CON - Messy to use, but well, it's pressurized glue, what do you expect? Also, going to be hellish to remove that padding I think, but well, it's glue.. you kind of want it to hold.

Padding
PRO - big enough to cover drawer with single piece and edges to spare. Super thin, which was required given shallow drawers. Big roll, did 2 blueprint cabinets with about 5 feet left over. Per sq. foot price is really good.
CON - little on the soft side, has a memory to heavy items but padding is decent enough that you aren't banging metal tools on metal drawers. Does tear relatively easily, so you have to be careful with pointy stuff. Printing on one side of roll meant you install it so the edges curl up, not so much a con as a consideration, the printing is on the outside of the roll as you see it so when you put it printing down, the end curl upwards. Glue solved that. Had to be glued down, just putting it in the drawer without adhesive the items would slide it all fore/aft when you open or shut the drawer.

Overall
For my needs it gets 7/10 . I used the entire roll to do a pair of blueprint cabinets, things no longer slide around when I open and close.. so that's a plus. Legitimate complaints I guess none really, if it was tougher that would be nice and cheaper would be nice.

Thanks, All!
Wallyman

 

[archirelic]

Get us some pics so we can see the results!

 

[Wallyman]

Get us some pics so we can see the results!

Here ya go.. picture really doesn't do it justice.

The second one shows in the lower right how it can be dented or creased, no big deal really, though. Works fine with glued in with some wicked 3M spray adhesive.

I may try to get some better photos later, once I unbury that workbench again.