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String Bed Painting Instructions

Learn how to re-paint a string bed

Rebound Products string beds (unlike some) are made with enough weave that they will bounce well without ever repainting them. But, If you never repaint your bed you reduce its lifetime! Dirt will work into the string and abrade it from in between the plies. Paint seals the string to help keep dirt on the outside.

There is no exact time when a string bed needs to be repainted, it depends on how many hours per week of use it gets. In heavy use at a trampoline club this could be as short as every 3 years. A close inspection of the string will show when the paint has worn off the top. If so, is time to re-paint. If the bed is used out doors or where sunlight can hit it, UV damage is a concern and the bed should be painted more regularly. More importantly beds used outdoors should be Covered with a tarp to keep sunlight off whenever not in use.

Before painting, wash the bed with water, a scrub brush and lots of elbow grease. (Use a small amount of Laundry detergent ONLY if you have the capability of rinsing off all the soap after cleaning!) Then let it dry at least partially. Paint should be applied with a roller, with the bed on the frame under tension.

Before painting: take the trouble to line up any strings which have become misaligned. For a trampoline which is often folded the misalignment is most likely in the fold regions. If the bed clips are not straight along the sides of the bed in this area, then you have a number of length strings misaligned.
This is a symptom of the end springs trying to pull them straight. Comb all the length strings over to match the curve at the bed clips until these side bed clips are properly aligned. This will take some time. If the bed has been left out of alignment for a long time, it usually will be harder to see the original alignment wear marks. In this case, start working nearby the lengthwise red lines by getting them to align. Remember that you will be painting the strings into the place you now put them.

If possible, put the frame on its side (easier with 2 or more people) and put old newspapers, old blankets or plastic on the floor and also cover up the lower frame pads (or remove them) and springs to avoid paint spots on any parts below where you paint. Bed clips at the low end, can be protected with a line of masking tape. You can mask the red lines prior to adding white paint, or just paint the whole bed. Regardless you will need to add new red lines.

Use exterior latex house paint which is 100% acrylic. Get Semi-Gloss or higher gloss, not flat. (Flat paint does not adhere as well.) Add water to the paint in your paint tray to get close to a 50-50 water paint ratio, and mix well. This will allow you to apply a thinner layer of paint. Too much paint makes the bed heavy and less responsive. Too little paint does not properly seal the string. (If you notice paint running off the bottom of the bed you put on the paint too thickly or a just wetted roller was applied too low on the bed.

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However, this will be particularly problematic if you have a mix with too much water.) Towards the end of the paint tray you may need to add a bit more water as the roller picks up the water preferentially. Put less paint around the edges. Put extra paint where the bed folds, if you fold your beds regularly. A broom handle to extend your paint roller will make painting easier. Be careful not to roll at high speed or you will spray paint around.

Use a roller with 10 to 13mm thickness and press hard enough to ensure that paint is applied completely around the strings, even at the cross over points. Paint both sides, to fully seal the string, using a bit more water in the mix for the back, which should be painted last.

After the white paint is completely dry, use masking tape to put on the red lines. If you rush the time between white and red paint the red paint may not adhere properly, but don’t worry the masking tape will tell you if the white paint is not dry enough. The red paint should be a similar paint. It is best applied with a 1” to 2.5” wide nylon brush.