Spray-In Bedliner Systems Compared: Shake and Shoot vs. XO2 vs. Cartridge vs. High Pressure (2026 Guide)

October 30, 2026

Quick answer: For most professional shops, the best spray-in bedliner system is Scorpion XO2 in pre-measured 2-gallon kits. One kit covers a 6.5 ft truck bed, needs no expensive pump, sprays through a low-cost hopper gun, and delivers the best color stability in Scorpion's lineup. Al's Liner Shake and Shoot is the simplest option for DIY and light-duty work. Polyurea cartridges add fast-cure spraying without a full rig, and high pressure polyurea is built for production shops and industrial work that need the fastest return to service and can justify a $25,000-plus equipment investment.

Scorpion Protective Coatings has made spray-in bedliner in central Indiana since 1996. Today Scorpion has more than 700 installers across all 50 states, applicators in more than 20 countries, and a growing network of regional distributors. Scorpion supplies every tier of bedliner covered in this guide: DIY Shake and Shoot, batch-mixed XO2 polyurethane, cartridge polyurea, and high pressure polyurea on Graco Reactor equipment. That means we can tell you which system fits your business without pushing you toward the only one we sell.

What are the types of spray-in bedliner?

Spray-in bedliners fall into four practical tiers, from simplest to most equipment-intensive:

Shake and shoot (DIY urethane): Pre-measured two-part kits. Add the activator, shake, and spray or roll.
Batch-mixed polyurethane (Scorpion XO2): Professional three-component material mixed by the batch and sprayed through a low-pressure hopper gun.
Cartridge polyurea: Fast-curing polyurea dispensed from 750 ml cartridges through a dedicated cartridge gun.
High pressure polyurea: Two-component material pumped, heated, and mixed by a plural-component machine at the spray gun.

Each step up the ladder trades a higher startup investment for faster cure and higher throughput. The right choice depends on your volume, your budget, and the work you plan to do.

Bedliner systems at a glance

Prices reflect BuyScorpion.com as of October 2026.

System	Chemistry	Equipment needed	Best for	Starting cost at Scorpion
Al's Liner Shake and Shoot	Two-part urethane	Applicator gun or roller	DIY, UTVs, trailers, touch-ups	$180 (4 qt kit); $205 with gun
Scorpion XO2 2-gallon kit	Three-component polyurethane (aromatic/aliphatic/acrylic)	Low-volume hopper gun + air compressor	Professional shops: the sweet spot	$250 per kit; $345 startup kit with gun
Polyurea cartridge	Aromatic polyurea	Cartridge spray gun	Mobile and small-batch fast-cure work	$960 gun + cartridges by the case
High pressure polyurea	Aromatic polyurea	Graco Reactor plural-component proportioner	Production shops, fleets, industrial	Typically $25,000–$30,000 total startup; call for a quote

Al's Liner Shake and Shoot: the simplest entry point

Al's Liner Shake and Shoot is a two-part urethane protective coating with UV, abrasion, and chemical resistance. Each kit contains four 1-quart batches. Add the activator, shake, and spray it through the applicator gun or roll it on.

Shake and Shoot Black, 4 quart kit: $180
Shake and Shoot Black with applicator gun: $205
Shake and Shoot Tintable, 4 quart kit: $185 (tint it to a custom color)
Shake and Shoot applicator gun: $25 (doubles as an undercoating gun)

Scorpion distributors also carry Shake and Shoot in White, plus the Al's Liner Black 1 gallon roll-on kit for brush-and-roller jobs.

Best for: DIYers, side-by-side and UTV beds, trailer decks, Jeep tubs, small parts, and touch-ups. It is not designed to be the backbone of a professional bedliner business. That is XO2's job.

Scorpion XO2: the original, and still the sweet spot

XO2 is the product Scorpion was built on. When it launched, getting into the bedliner business meant buying a plural-component pump and sprayer that could cost up to $40,000. XO2 changed that. It sprays through a simple hopper gun, so a mom-and-pop body shop could add bedliner as a real revenue stream and see return on the first job.

Thirty years later, XO2 remains the preferred choice for Scorpion applicators, and the material now protects EMS vehicles and fire apparatus in addition to pickup beds.

What makes XO2 different

Patented chemistry: a three-component, batch-mixed blend of aromatic, aliphatic, and acrylic materials
Best-in-class color stability: the strongest UV color stability in Scorpion's lineup, so color jobs stay color jobs
Bonds chemically and mechanically: surfaces are scuffed, cleaned with Prime Bond Cleaner, and primed with 8001 Adhesion Promoter, which XO2 is engineered to bond to, for a seamless, watertight coating that resists rust
Sprays on almost anything: metal, wood, fiberglass, and concrete
Customizable finish: eight standard kit colors, toners for custom tinting, and additives for texture, hardness, sheen, and sparkle
Specs: mix ratio 2.5 A : 1 C : 1 B by volume plus color; coverage of 18–22 sq ft per gallon at 62 mils; 62 to 250 mils per coat; 95% solids by weight (90% by volume)

Application window: spray above 50°F. At 70°F, XO2 has a 20-minute pot life, is tack-free in 30 to 60 minutes, can be recoated in 6 to 10 hours, and is ready for immersion service in 5 to 7 days.

Backed by a warranty: every Scorpion bedliner installation carries a limited lifetime warranty.

Why the 2-gallon kit is the sweet spot for professional shops

Scorpion introduced the pre-measured 2-gallon kit as its answer to cartridge-style systems: professional material in a single-job package. For most shops, it is the smartest way to run a bedliner business.

One kit, one truck. A 2-gallon kit covers a 6.5 ft bed or shorter. Use 3 gallons for a 7–8 ft bed and 4–6 gallons for a typical utility body.
Pre-measured, no guesswork. Components arrive measured. Combine, mix, and spray. Every kit includes 8001 Adhesion Promoter.
Known cost per job. At $250 per kit ($275 for marine blues), you know your material cost before you quote the customer.
No pump, no rig, no debt. A hopper gun and a compressor are the equipment list. The $345 startup kit includes the material, a low-volume hopper gun, a cup brush for prep, and LMR gun release.
No leftover material. Buy what you spray, keep inventory lean, and scale up only when volume demands it.
Colors that last. Kits come in Black, Light Gray, Gray, Tan, Marine Dark Blue, Marine Light Blue, Red, and White.

Best for: collision and body shops, tint and detail shops adding a service line, truck accessory dealers, and established bedliner applicators. If you spray a few beds a week, the 2-gallon kit is the right answer.

Scaling up with XO2

As volume grows, XO2 grows with you:

XO2 Startup Kits in 2, 6, 12, and 24 gallon sizes, each with hopper guns and prep tools
Bulk components (A, B, and C in 5-gallon pails) for applicators who mix their own colors
XO2 base kits in 45, 90, and 450 gallons (A, B, and C components; the 45 gallon kit is $4,275) for volume applicators running their own colors
Scorpion 2.5 gallon hopper spray gun ($235) with a seven-port opening and locking trigger

For specialty work, Scorpion also offers 45 gallon fire-retardant (FR) and ZBG formulations of XO2 for applications that call for them, such as fire apparatus and emergency vehicles.

XO2 additives and finishes

Vinyl Flattener: raises Shore hardness up to 10 points and gives a semi-gloss or matte look
Rubber Crumb: aggressive non-skid texture for service bodies, trailer floors, docks, and decks
Gripper Granules: extreme traction for ambulance floors, fire truck decks, ramps, and wash-down rooms
Ultra Resin Sand: fine anti-skid that hardens the surface without killing the gloss
Metal Flake Topcoat: six colors of sparkle for custom jobs
Accelerator: speeds cure, originally designed for cold-weather applications

How is XO2 applied?

A professional XO2 application follows five steps:

Scuff. Abrade the surface with an 80 grit nylon cup brush. The scratches give the primer something to bite into. One cup brush typically lasts up to 20 truck beds.
Clean. Mist Prime Bond Cleaner over the surface to remove dust and debris. It evaporates fast and leaves no residue.
Prime. Mist on 8001 Adhesion Promoter. It grips the scuffed surface, and XO2 is engineered to bond to it, giving you both a mechanical and a chemical bond. Use DTM Etching Primer on bare hardened steel.
Mix. Combine A, B, and C at 2.5 : 1 : 1 by volume, plus color and any additives. Coat the hopper gun with LMR first so cured material pops out without solvents.
Spray. Apply above 50°F within the 20-minute pot life. Build texture with additional passes or additives.

Spray-in vs. drop-in bedliners

A drop-in liner is a molded plastic shell that sits in the bed. Moisture, sand, and grit get trapped underneath it, where they wear through paint and start rust. A spray-in bedliner bonds directly to the bed, seals the surface, and leaves no gap for water to sit in. It also conforms to every rib, rail, and tie-down, keeping cargo space and looking like part of the truck.

Polyurea cartridge systems: fast cure without a full rig

Cartridge systems spray aromatic polyurea from 750 ml cartridges through a dedicated cartridge gun. Polyurea dries almost instantly, and the equipment is simple compared with a high pressure machine.

Cartridge spray gun: $960
Aromatic polyurea cartridges: cases of 20 ($3,600), 40 ($6,000), or 80 ($10,800)
Replacement nozzles: $6 each

Best for: mobile applicators and shops that want polyurea's quick dry for spot work, small parts, and touch-ups without investing in a plural-component machine. Note the trade-off: aromatic polyurea is not as color-stable in sunlight as XO2.

High pressure polyurea: built for production and industrial work

High pressure systems pump two components through a heated, plural-component proportioner that mixes them at the gun. Nobody hand-mixes material, coatings set almost instantly, and vehicles return to service sooner.

Scorpion supplies Graco Reactor proportioners for high pressure polyurea and polyurethane spraying, including the Reactor 2 E-XP2 system and the Reactor 3 E-XP2 Pro tier package, with other models available. Scorpion's quick-dry aromatic polyurea for these machines ships as A and B components in 50 gallon drums, with 275 gallon totes available. Configuration and pricing are quoted per shop.

The trade-off is investment. A high pressure pump, spray gun, mixers, and a drum set of material typically run $25,000 to $30,000 before the first job. Equipment also needs dedicated space, maintenance, and trained operators.

Best for: high-volume bedliner shops, fleet and municipal contracts, and industrial coating work such as marine, oil and gas, waste management, and heavy equipment. Call Scorpion at 800-483-9087 to scope a high pressure setup.

Bedliner is more than truck beds

The same coatings protect surfaces across hundreds of industries:

Utility and service bodies, trailer floors, and dump beds
Fire apparatus, ambulance floors, and emergency vehicles
Jeep tubs, UTV beds, rocker panels, and bumpers
Boat decks, docks, piers, and marine surfaces
Walkways, loading ramps, pool decks, and work platforms
RV roofs and equipment enclosures
Industrial, oil and gas, and waste management equipment

How to choose the right bedliner system

DIY or one-off projects? Al's Liner Shake and Shoot.
Adding bedliner to a professional shop? Scorpion XO2 2-gallon kits. Start with the $345 startup kit.
Spraying several beds a week? Step up to XO2 6, 12, or 24 gallon startup kits or bulk components.
Need instant dry for mobile or spot work? Add a polyurea cartridge gun.
Running production volume or industrial contracts? Talk to Scorpion about high pressure polyurea.

Not sure where you fit? Scorpion offers hands-on bedliner training (and a video library), and our team will walk through your volume, space, and budget before you buy.

Also from Scorpion: Best Plotters for Window Tint and PPF (2026 Guide).

Frequently asked questions about spray-in bedliner

What is the best spray-in bedliner for a professional shop?

For most professional shops, Scorpion XO2 in pre-measured 2-gallon kits is the best balance of durability, color stability, startup cost, and profit per job. It sprays through a low-cost hopper gun and needs no high pressure equipment.

How much bedliner does a truck bed need?

With Scorpion XO2, plan on 2 gallons for a 6.5 ft bed or shorter, 3 gallons for a 7–8 ft bed, and 4–6 gallons for a typical utility body. XO2 covers 18–22 sq ft per gallon at 62 mils.

What is the difference between polyurethane and polyurea bedliner?

Polyurethane bedliners like XO2 are batch-mixed and sprayed at low pressure, which keeps equipment costs low and allows strong color stability. Polyurea cures almost instantly and is applied by cartridge or heated high pressure equipment, which costs more to set up but returns vehicles to service faster.

Do I need a high pressure machine to spray professional bedliner?

No. Scorpion XO2 was designed so shops could spray professional bedliner without a plural-component machine. A hopper gun and an air compressor are all you need.

How much does it cost to start a bedliner business?

With Scorpion XO2, you can start with a $345 startup kit that includes 2 gallons of material and a hopper gun. A high pressure polyurea setup typically costs $25,000 to $30,000.

What is shake and shoot bedliner?

Shake and shoot is a two-part urethane bedliner sold in pre-measured containers. You add the activator, shake, and spray through an applicator gun or roll it on. Scorpion's version is Al's Liner Shake and Shoot.

Can bedliner be tinted to custom colors?

Yes. XO2 2-gallon kits come in eight colors, and Scorpion toners tint XO2 to custom colors. Al's Liner Shake and Shoot also comes in a tintable version.

What surfaces can XO2 be sprayed on?

XO2 bonds to metal, wood, fiberglass, and concrete when the surface is scuffed, cleaned with Prime Bond Cleaner, and primed with 8001 Adhesion Promoter. For bare hardened steel, Scorpion DTM Etching Primer adds a bonding layer.

Is spray-in bedliner better than a drop-in liner?

For long-term protection, yes. A spray-in liner bonds to the bed and seals out moisture, while a drop-in liner can trap water and grit underneath, which leads to paint wear and rust.

How long does XO2 take to cure?

At 70°F, XO2 is tack-free in 30 to 60 minutes and can be recoated in 6 to 10 hours. It reaches immersion service in 5 to 7 days. Scorpion Accelerator speeds cure in cold weather.

What spray equipment does Scorpion offer for high pressure polyurea?

Scorpion supplies Graco Reactor plural-component proportioners, including the Reactor 2 E-XP2 and Reactor 3 E-XP2 Pro tier packages, plus quick-dry aromatic polyurea in 50 gallon drums and 275 gallon totes.