Mike Phillips
Active member
- Dec 5, 2022
- 51,004
- 6
How to waterproof a vinyl tonneau cover!
Originally I titled this thread,
WOW! Review: CarPro Cquartz Leather Coating on Vinyl Tonneau Cover.
But after seeing the water beading pictures PJ sent me I thought this would be better.
How to waterproof a vinyl tonneau cover
The below vinyl tonneau cover looks very water proof to me!
CarPro Cquartz Leather Coating
What is it?
A semi-permanent protective barrier on leather and vinyl surfaces.
What does it do?
Forms a flexible shell of protection on top of the surface to create a hydrophobic and UV resistant barrier of protection.
When do I use it?
Use on brand new cars while the leather is in pristine condition or after first cleaning the surface on older vehicles.
Why should I use it?
To preserve the factory appearance while protecting the surface.
How to waterproof a vinyl tonneau cover?
While my brother-in-law's truck was here he asked,
What can we put on the tonneau cover that will protect it without running off when it rains?
What he was asking for is a water-insoluble coating. So I thought about it for few minutes and CarPro Cquartz Leather Coating came to mind. I've never used this product on the outside of a car or on vinyl for that matter but the product info states it can be used on vinyl. So I figured we'll give it a try. Actually, I washed the truck and also the vinyl so I'll let him install the coating.
Here's PJ applying the CarPro Cquartz Leather Coating by working it over the surface using a simple foam applicator pad.
If you look down the middle of the tonneau cover you can see the before and after difference.
Here's the final results after two installations of the coating
The tonneau cover has a rich natural sheen with a uniform appearance. It's also dry to the touch, not oily or tacky.
Review
Product application was super easy. For large surfaces like this I think a simple foam applicator pad makes the job faster and easier. We installed this on a Sunday and since then it's been a few weeks. The pictures showing the water beading up is impressive. It also means the coating is sealing or waterproofing the vinyl and NOT running or streaking-off down the side of the truck bed.
Because this truck is parked outside 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, continually exposed to massive rain storms plus intense sunshine and heat, my guess is nothing is going to hold up for very long. So I'll continue to check with my PJ to see how the CarPro Cquartz Leather Coating is holding up. It's my recommendation to PJ that is if he's happy with the performance after this one-time application - then instead of WAITING for the protection to wear-off - instead, re-apply every other month or so and MAINTAIN the waterproofing coating. This will not only seal the surface and waterproof the vinyl AND keep it looking great.
A little bit of the coating went a LONG way and it was fast and easy to install or apply.
Applying 2 applications over this HUGE area - used only a little bit of product. This bottle was brand new.
Here I've placed a yellow line across from the product level in the bottle to show you just how little was used.
At $60.00 for the 30ml bottle, it looks to me that you could easily get 5-6 applications. So if you treated the tonneau cover every other month that would be $60.00 to not only protect your investment in the optional tonneau cover but you'll keep it looking brand spanking new. Not only is this nice for you but it also protects the trade-in value into the future. You can probably re-coat even less often if you're lazy or park your truck under cover at least at some point during each day. Of course, your mileage will vary.
On Autogeek.com
CarPro Cquartz Leather Coating
Pinnacle Foam Wax Applicators - 6 pack
Originally I titled this thread,
WOW! Review: CarPro Cquartz Leather Coating on Vinyl Tonneau Cover.
But after seeing the water beading pictures PJ sent me I thought this would be better.
How to waterproof a vinyl tonneau cover
The below vinyl tonneau cover looks very water proof to me!
CarPro Cquartz Leather Coating
What is it?
A semi-permanent protective barrier on leather and vinyl surfaces.
What does it do?
Forms a flexible shell of protection on top of the surface to create a hydrophobic and UV resistant barrier of protection.
When do I use it?
Use on brand new cars while the leather is in pristine condition or after first cleaning the surface on older vehicles.
Why should I use it?
To preserve the factory appearance while protecting the surface.
How to waterproof a vinyl tonneau cover?
While my brother-in-law's truck was here he asked,
What can we put on the tonneau cover that will protect it without running off when it rains?
What he was asking for is a water-insoluble coating. So I thought about it for few minutes and CarPro Cquartz Leather Coating came to mind. I've never used this product on the outside of a car or on vinyl for that matter but the product info states it can be used on vinyl. So I figured we'll give it a try. Actually, I washed the truck and also the vinyl so I'll let him install the coating.
Here's PJ applying the CarPro Cquartz Leather Coating by working it over the surface using a simple foam applicator pad.
If you look down the middle of the tonneau cover you can see the before and after difference.
Here's the final results after two installations of the coating
The tonneau cover has a rich natural sheen with a uniform appearance. It's also dry to the touch, not oily or tacky.
Review
Product application was super easy. For large surfaces like this I think a simple foam applicator pad makes the job faster and easier. We installed this on a Sunday and since then it's been a few weeks. The pictures showing the water beading up is impressive. It also means the coating is sealing or waterproofing the vinyl and NOT running or streaking-off down the side of the truck bed.
Because this truck is parked outside 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, continually exposed to massive rain storms plus intense sunshine and heat, my guess is nothing is going to hold up for very long. So I'll continue to check with my PJ to see how the CarPro Cquartz Leather Coating is holding up. It's my recommendation to PJ that is if he's happy with the performance after this one-time application - then instead of WAITING for the protection to wear-off - instead, re-apply every other month or so and MAINTAIN the waterproofing coating. This will not only seal the surface and waterproof the vinyl AND keep it looking great.
A little bit of the coating went a LONG way and it was fast and easy to install or apply.
Applying 2 applications over this HUGE area - used only a little bit of product. This bottle was brand new.
Here I've placed a yellow line across from the product level in the bottle to show you just how little was used.
At $60.00 for the 30ml bottle, it looks to me that you could easily get 5-6 applications. So if you treated the tonneau cover every other month that would be $60.00 to not only protect your investment in the optional tonneau cover but you'll keep it looking brand spanking new. Not only is this nice for you but it also protects the trade-in value into the future. You can probably re-coat even less often if you're lazy or park your truck under cover at least at some point during each day. Of course, your mileage will vary.
On Autogeek.com
CarPro Cquartz Leather Coating
Pinnacle Foam Wax Applicators - 6 pack
