How To Paint A Truck Toolbox? (7 Easy Steps)

If you discovered that your old truck toolbox is getting faded and thinking about repainting your old truck toolbox, this article helps you with the steps on how to paint a truck toolbox. You can also use these suggestions when painting other materials like plastic and wood.

Your truck toolbox is always enduring the scorches heat of the sun and rain on the open truck. It would be best if you paint the truck toolbox for further use.

Most of the truck toolboxes are made of aluminum because aluminum is rust-free and corrosion-free. Aluminum is also lighter than steel. There is an aluminum oxide tarnish that has to remove before painting.

Here, we will show you the simple process of how to paint a truck toolbox most easily.

Necessary Equipment and Paints You Need

At first, manage the things and chemicals to paint the chest finely. If you have a diamond plate toolbox, this equipment will be fit for that.

  • Sandpaper 60 grit and 80-grit.
  • Degreaser
  • Rubbing alcohol
  • Etch primer
  • high-temperature paint (all-weather paint)
  • Adhesive tape
  • Tack cloth
  • Paint sealer
  • A plastic paper

7 Easy Steps on How to Paint a Truck Tool Box

If you want to ensure a fruitful paint task, beware of how to paint and what else I have to do.

Step 1) Making ready the box for paint

At first, choose a dry place and spread a plastic sheet on the floor. Your paint will drop and spread on this plastic and save your floor from getting colored.

Put something solid like a wooden or steel tool on the plastic to set the chest on it. I mean, you need a platform to set the chest for painting.

Set your tool chest on the platform. Now cover all the space with the tape you do not want to paint. You can tape on the logo, the handle, the lock bar, etc.

Step 2) Use sandpaper to erase the oily feel

Because of a coating of aluminum oxide, the box looks shiny and oily. If you paint without erasing this oxide, the paint will not last long.

There will be a rough finish and dye flakes after some time.

Scrub the outer of the box with 80-grit sandpaper. Move it up and down, right and left, and circling.

Apply sandpaper again for fine paint. This time use 60-grit. This sandpaper rubbing process erases the shininess of the box.

Step 3) Clean and degrease the whole box

Clean the dirt and dust of the box. Remove grime, grease, and oil by using a good quality degreaser.

You can check it by touching the box. If you feel any oily or sticky surface, then degrease it properly and clean it with a tack cloth.

Step 4) Use rubbing alcohol and wipe the box surface

Wipe the toolbox gently by rubbing alcohol. For this task, you can use a piece of cloth. This rubbing alcohol will ready your box for an actual painting.

Step 5) Apply primer two times

Wait for some time and let the box dry. Take your etch primer spray and shake it for two minutes.

Now, Spray the etch primer as the first coat. Wait for five minutes to blend the primer into the box and spray it for the second time.

Wait twenty minutes to cure the primer to the box’s body; otherwise, it will not adhere, and the paint will flake or break.

Step 6) High-temperature paint

Go paint your box. Use high-temperature all-weather paint for durable and sturdy painting. Choose a spray paint that you do not waste a drop of color.

Spray Paint is easy and hack-free. You won’t face any issue of wasting paint or get a stain on it.

After applying one coat of paint, wait for some time to dry the surface. Paint another coat. If you want to paint a truck toolbox black, then choose black color paint.

Spray again for a more delicate finish. You may need three to four times to spray to get your favorite color.

Step 7) Sealing for the preservation of the box. 

Complete your painting by applying a sealer to the chest. But before using a sealer, let the color of the box dry perfectly. This sealing process will preserve your box for a long time.

Painting a Truck Toolbox With Bedliner

If you want to paint your toolbox with a Bedliner, then spend some extra time on it. Buy a good quality all-weather plastic coat Bedliner paint spray.

Step 1) Sand the inside of the box and apply primer

Open the box. Sand the inner of the box with 80-grit sandpaper. Sand it well as the shiny looks go off.

Wipe and clean the surface. Then spray the primer on the bed. Let dry the primer for some time.

Step 2) Spray the Bedliner two to three times

For this task, choose an excellent quality paint and applying it after proper shaking. Spray the Bedliner on the box inner several times.

Let it dry for forty-eight hours. Bedliner will protect your tool from scratch while driving the truck.

Final Words

Paint in a toolbox enriches the life of a box. It makes the box more durable. You have to decide that you will complete the whole painting process within a day.

Do not let it down uncompleted or half done. If you know how to paint a truck toolbox you will consider more professional for the others.