- If you want to paint your Jeep with textured paint, Kevlar offers a lot of benefits
- There are certain grades of Kevlar, increasing in quality of strength or weight. The lowest quality Kevlar K-29 is used for cars while Kevlar KM2 is used for military armor.
- Kevlar Paint for a Jeep off-road truck is a match made in heaven
So you saw this truck with rough-textured automotive paint that makes it look like a rock? It is most likely a Kevlar paint job (“paint” used loosely). So, what is all the rage about the kevlar painting a Jeep?
A Kevlar painted Jeep is all the rage right now. It looks awesome and it can provide a lot of protection if you do go off-roading a lot. If you want to paint your Jeep with textured paint, Kevlar offers a lot of benefits.
But, it does not mean it comes without drawbacks as well. If you are thinking of slapping a Kevlar covering on your ride, there are some things to think about before. This is a big commitment and it will be front and center for the entire life of your truck.
That being said, that may be the best thing about it. Luckily I have researched and read everything I can about the subject so you can rest assured that after reading the following you will be able to decide once and for all whether doing this is best.
Table of Contents
What Is Kevlar Paint Exactly?
Kevlar is most commonly known as the bullet-stopping material in bulletproof vests. Many products add bits of Kevlar and use it as a marketing ploy to claim their product is badass.
Commercially known as Kevlar, poly-paraphenylene terephthalamide is a synthetic polymer that was discovered, like many great things, on accident and further developed at Dupont in the ’60s while looking for a fiber to reinforce tires.
It was an ugly waste product that caught the eye of a tech. When tested in a liquid state it was stronger than nylon. Further development found they could match the weight of steel and make it 5 times stronger and 8 times stronger than steel wire. Think of wearing steel body armor from the medieval ages that are 5x as thick but weighs the same.
Add phenylene-diamine and terephthaloyl chloride to get Kevlar and hydrochloric acid. Interconnected molecular hydrogen bonds give Kevlar its strength. It is stable in any natural temperature.
TL;DR
Kevlar, found on accident at Dupont, is lighter and stronger than steel.
It is a synthetic fiber that resembles cotton candy. Kevlar is used in a wide variety of applications including body armor, instruments, sports equipment, rope, airplanes, etc. It works great in all temperatures. There are certain grades of Kevlar increasing in quality of strength or weight for example the lowest quality Kevlar K-29 is used for cars while Kevlar KM2 is used for military armor.
Kevlar Paint Pros And Cons
Kevlar is an amazing thing. But is Kevlar paint for Jeep Wranglers ideal? Answer: It depends. Depends? Lame answer. But let’s look at the Kevlar paint pros and cons to see which you find important.
Kevlar Paint Versus Other Coatings
Kevlar is a goopy, rough, and tumble coating that is great for certain applications. But how does it compare to say, a truck bed liner like Line-X Body Armor? Or maybe a temporary vinyl wrap? We know the pros and cons of Kevlar. But what are the pros and cons of other wraps? Mainly, how do they compare to Kevlar? And what are the biggest deciding factors?
Looks-wise each finish is similar in appearance. Textures, thickness, and weight all have negligible differences. Color options may be limited with a Line-X Body Armor finish while color options are boundless with Kevlar and with a wrap only your imagination is your limit with color, pattern, logo, ads, etc.
Kevlar and Line-X coatings are permanent. That means you will have to spend thousands of hours and/or dollars on prepping the body if you want to change the finish. Want to go back to the original paint job?
Just saw a flashy purple candy glitter finish at SEMA last year? Too bad. You are screwed with this type of finish. On the other hand, a wrap can be removed at any time. It will give you pretty much the finish you had when you wrapped the car.
Looking for longevity and durability more than looks and flexibility? A Line-X type finish will give you that. It can last the longest, require the least amount of upkeep, and protect your car the best. Kevlar will protect better than Line-X but only for so long. UV rays from the sun will slowly turn it into doo doo. A wrap is basically auto-plastic wrap to reach your own conclusions with protection.
Each has its own advantages and things that will make your head hurt. Choose which is best for you and go from there.
What Does Kevlar Paint Cost?
On average costs are as follows from a professional body shop:
KEVLAR: $4,500-5,500
LINE-X: $3,000-5,500
FULL BODY WRAP: $2,500-8,500
There are some DIY options…
- Epoxy / Kevlar formulation provides improved bare metal adhesion, chemical resistance and durability compared to urethanes
- Non-isocyanate formulation is more forgiving to shop conditions and humidy than urethanes
- Lower application pressure means less overspray
- Easy to achieve a uniform texture and appearance
- Professional Custom Coat Spray on Truck Bed Liner 1 Gallon Kit. Kit Includes: 4 - 24 fl. oz. Cans of Black Truck Bed Liner Base, 4 - 8 fl. oz. Cans Custom Coat Standard Hardener, and 1 Custom Coat Applicator Spray Gun with Regulator. Estimated coverage is 110 to 130 square feet @ 10 mils wet film thickness.
- Custom Coat Truck Bed Liner is a premium durable long lasting textured protective coating that can tolerate extreme climatic temperature conditions. It is heat, UV resistant and waterproof, so it protects coated surfaces from rust. Use it to help dampen sounds and vibrations.
- Custom Coat was developed to provide a great looking durable yet flexible textured surface and is a heavy duty 2 part urethane coating that is easy to apply. It provides the ultimate surface protection for almost any application. Unlike other protective and bed liner coatings Custom Coat is a flexible material that will resist chipping, while providing impact protection and abrasion resistance. These features and benefits make it perfect for its most popular application as a truck bed liner.
- Custom Coat is a very versatile product that can be used for endless amount of applications. Use it on truck beds, entire vehicle exteriors, chassis, bumpers, commercial vehicles, equipment and trailers. It's also great for home uses as non-skid coating for floors including garage floors, concrete, wood, steps, walkways, wood decks, docks, bath tubs, basement floors, walls, tool boxes and engine compartments.
- Easily achieve professional results with our DIY Custom Coat Kit Packages. Kits are available in various sizes from 1 quart to 2 gallon. Kits are also available with either a Spray Applicator Gun or a Paint Roller Application Set. Custom Coat also offers Urethane Tint Concentrate in over 50 colors, so you can choose either a single color or use different colors to create your own multi-colored custom look or use the colors that will make a great camouflage pattern.
FULL BODY WRAP: $2,500-8,500 (plus the price of the kit you bought and tried to do yourself but failed to put on decently before shelling out the cost at a pro shop)
DIY Kevlar Paint Job Or Pay A Paint Shop?
The thing I hate the most about any DIY Kevlar paint Jeep project is that the person you have to blame is the person I love the most in this world. And that hurts when I finish a project.
If you are going for a Kevlar coating you are going to want to take it to a shop. There are rattle cans and bed liners that are Kevlar paint. But they are not the same.
Is Kevlar Paint Hail Proof?
Kevlar will off you the best protection money can buy. If an object hits your car with enough force to put a dent in it Kevlar will not do as much as you think to stop it. Kevlar will add a lot of protection. But if you hit a tree, the car will dent. There won’t be a scratch on it. But you can bet the fender will have a nice tree-shaped dent on it.
The finish will look brand new though. If you think Kevlar will make your car bounce off walls without a dent or scratch you are thinking of Adamantium (ask Wolverine).
For a certain amount of time, Kevlar will offer you the best protection money can buy. But it won’t last. Depending on how much sun it gets, its tan will fade quickly. It can go from scratch resistant to shedding yeti in a season. Ok many it is not so dramatic but you get the idea.
Is Kevlar More Hype Than Hope?
Kevlar has a certain appeal. The look and short-term protection are hard to beat. Kevlar can be an ideal finish if you have a race car, 3rd, or 4th garaged truck for most of the year. It is common at truck conventions. Owners do not have to worry about minor scratches, it looks badass, and it’s a conversation starter.
For the guy that wants to improve the look of his weekend warrior sled for years to come, a Kevlar coating is not the smartest bet. After a few seasons, the finish will wear away to a useless and ugly burden nobody wants to deal with. Replacing it in this condition is costly and requires a lot of man-hours.
You are going to have to take your truck to a shop to get it done and you will have to shell out the same if not more money as other finishes available.
Maybe a Line X body armor is more your style. So a Jeep Kevlar paint job (or any if you really choose so) is up to you. But we have discussed what you can expect if you go this route.
In a head to head, Kevlar paint vs Linex:
- Choose Kevlar paint for the most aggressive but short term look
- Choose Line X for a long term and stable finish for your truck
Kevlar looks cool and protects in the short term. But are looks enough? For some, yes.
Is Kevlar Paint for Jeep Wranglers worth it?
Long-term, no it is not. For 1-2 years, yes it can be.
There are other cheaper and longer-lasting options that offer the same off-road truck finish. It is a hard pass for us.
Kevlar paint as car paint can be awesome. It unfortunately is not the best long-term solution. It doesn’t hold its look for more than a few years so you will have to decide what it is worth to you. IT will look very rugged and badass. And it can be well worth it as a short-term option.
Rocks and road debris can touch it, it is Kevlar after all. Is it the right choice for you? Well, that is up to you. You will make the right choice whatever you decide.
