[mr48chev]

The powder coating won't hide any imperfections in the metal. You have to work it to the level that you want it to have before you have it powder coated.

Finish? Your call, Do you want smooth shiny running boards or can you deal with the pebbly finish that the bedliner would Pass muster.

I've always slicked mine off and painted them but sooner or later someone puts their shoe on them. About the only argument I ever had with my dad in my life was over his wanting to stand beside the truck with one foot propped up on the running board. No matter how many fits I threw he still did it next time.

Last time around when I was running in colored primer I just painted the boards black and touched them up once in a while. I redid the primer every year during the last week of July to be fresh for the Vintiques of Yakima Run. Quite often with a slightly different mix of primer as I just called my buddy at the parts house and asked him to mix some more purple primer.