The undercarriage of a car is a highly vulnerable area, open to water damage, corrosive deicers, oils from the road, dirt and debris, and rust. Undercoating your vehicle adds a physical barrier, protecting it from superficial damage and even more significant harm like the breakdown of systems and parts. Your vehicle is a significant investment, and if you want to extend its lifetime, you’ll give it a good quality undercoat. 

The Trouble with Rust

Rust causes a tremendous amount of damage to vehicles everywhere, especially those which experience winter climates. The American Automobile Association issued a report in 2017 estimating an estimated $3 billion for vehicular rust repairs paid out annually by US drivers. Recreational vehicles like RVs and campers are particularly susceptible to rust because they sit atop an open rolling-chassis or trailer frame. Fortunately, you can prevent the worst of rust damage by undercoating your vehicle, recreational or otherwise.

A Clean Slate

Undercoating your vehicle is only as successful as the underbelly of your vehicle is clean. Before you can apply an undercoat, you have to completely remove any rust and debris. The rubberized material of a car undercoat will trap in any existing moisture, causing any rust hiding underneath the car to flourish and spread dramatically. Because of this, it is best to apply an undercoat when your vehicle is new, before any residue, debris, or oxidation can do its dirty work.

The Benefits of Undercoating Your Vehicle

A vehicle undercoating protects your vehicle from unsightly surface damage and more serious corrosion. This preserves vital components, extending the vehicle’s life and raising its value. It’s a pretty crucial bit of detailing work, especially if you live in an environment with a lot of dust or rock salt laid out for icy weather. An undercoat can also cushion external road noise, providing a better driving experience.

Types of Undercoats

Before undercoating your vehicle, you’ll have to decide which kind of coating is right for it. Each material has its own pros and cons. Some are soft and oil-based while other more traditional undercoatings are harder or rubberized. Some materials hold up better under adverse road conditions while others will require more frequent reapplication. 

The longevity of your undercoating depends on many different factors. The most important is material, but the amount of use the vehicle receives, the kind of terrain and environmental elements it is exposed to, and whether the coating was applied professionally or as a DIY project must also be taken into consideration. Professional undercoat installation is more likely to last for longer periods of time.

Rubber

Rubber is the material coatings are traditionally made from. The softer finish keeps out moisture, physical damage like dents caused by rocks and other debris, and rust. It is hardy yet still safe to use on wheel wells and quarter panels. Undercoating your vehicle with rubber still provides you the flexibility to paint over it. As an added bonus, it is ideal for sound cushioning.

Polyurethane

Other kinds of undercoatings are polyurethane-based. With a quicker and easier application process than rubber, these undercoatings seep deeply into all the cracks and seams common in vehicular underbellies. This is great for open frames where pretty much all the metal is exposed.

Before applying a polyurethane-based undercoating, the raw metal of a vehicle’s frame will need to be sanded and coated with etching primer. This admittedly more involved prepwork allows the polyurethane to bond firmly to the vehicle. If you want to apply a coat of paint afterward, the material is relatively easy to sand. 

Wax

If you need a super quick and easy undercoating fix, consider wax or paraffin. These softer materials are definitely the cheapest kind of car undercoating, in every sense of the word. They do not hold up well against road conditions and should be reapplied at least once every year.

Asphalt

If you own heavy machinery or large commercial trucks, undercoating your vehicle with asphalt-based coverings is also an option. Asphalt makes for the hardiest undercoatings on the market, reliably protecting a vehicle’s undercarriage from rocks, grease, oil, and moisture.

Asphalt-based undercoatings usually contain a bit of rubberized material that sets up firmly when the coating cures. The curing process does take longer, but when it is complete, the coating helps to dampen road noise significantly. Perhaps the biggest downside to asphalt coating is that it cannot be painted over, but if it only applied on the undercarriage, who is going to know?