A truck bed liner adds an extra surface of protection to the truck bed. The best truck bed liners help protect the truck bed from rust and corrosion. They also help prevent damage to the vehicle surface due to any cargo you haul. So you can see why it's important to choose the right one.
Do You Need a Truck Bed Liner?
The truck bed is among the most used part of a pickup vehicle. If you carry cargo daily, it becomes difficult to maintain the truck bed. A liner will offer protection from damage caused by the weather and from transporting cargo.
Truck bed liners offer protection from scratches and dents which occur when you load and unload cargo. Apart from this it also helps add value to your pickup truck by extending its life. We believe it's just as essential as the cargo net.
How to Determine if You Need a Liner for Your Truck?
Choosing a truck bed liner might look easy, but there are many things you need to determine before you decide on buying.
Do You Need a Permanent Bed Liner for Your Truck?
Before choosing from the different truck bed liners, you need to determine whether you need a permanent liner to protect your truck. A drop-in liner isn’t permanent. If you want a permanent liner, you can opt for a spray-on liner.
What is the Type of Cargo You Will Be Carrying in Your Truck Bed?
A liner helps protect your vehicle. Depending on what you transport, you will need to decide which type of liner you will need.
How Will You Use Your Truck Bed?
Will you be sliding your cargo in and out of the vehicle, or do you want things to stay in place? Based on your specific choice of use, you can choose the liner of your choice.
Do You Need Weather Protection?
A good-quality truck bed liner will help protect your vehicle against the elements. If you drive in places with extreme weather conditions, you will need a liner to offer weather protection to your pickup truck.
What is Your Budget?
You can make the choice of truck bed liner based on your budget. A spray-on liner is the best but they are costly, whereas truck mats and rugs are the least expensive. A drop-in liner will fit the mid-level budget criteria.
Benefits Of a Truck Bed Liner
It Will Help Maintain Pickup Truck Value
Dents and other damage to the truck will reduce the value of your vehicle. With a protective liner, you will be able to maintain its value.
Long-Term Convenience and Low Maintenance
A liner provides long-term convenience by adding an extra layer of protection. You will need little or no maintenance to keep the liner in good condition.
Prevents Corrosion and Rust
The truck bed liner offers a watertight and airtight layer of protection. It prevents corrosion and rust.
Anti-Skid and Slip Texture
Irrespective of the cargo you are hauling, you don’t want it to be sliding around the truck. The anti-skid and slip texture of the liner ensures that the materials you are transporting remain in place.
Prevents Damage
Installation of the liner will help prevent dents, bumps, and scratches. When the liner gets applied to floorboards, fenders, and bumpers, it will protect the truck against damage.
A truck bed liner offers protection irrespective of how often you use the truck. You will get the best protection if you choose to get the truck bed liner installed by a professional.
Reduces Road Noise
A spray-on bed liner creates a tight seal, preventing the cargo from vibrating and creating annoying road noise. With reduced road-noise, you will have a pleasant driving experience.
Custom Fit
A spray-on bed liner will fit the truck bed surface perfectly. It will cover the entire vehicle and will prevent any damage to the surface.
UV Protection
If you drive your pickup truck in an area where the temperatures are really high, ultraviolet rays can damage your vehicle. UV rays can make the truck bed look worn out, and this can affect its value.
A high-quality liner will help protect the vehicle against the harmful effects of UV rays. You can maintain the look of your vehicle for many years.
Different Types of Truck Bed Liners
Spray-On Bed Liners
A spray-on bed liner is considered the best. It is the most expensive type of truck bed liner available in the market. You can make use of a spray gun to complete the application process. The custom coat will help protect the vehicle surface.
The protective coating gets made from a hard material. Like paint, the material gets sprayed onto the truck bed using a spray gun. It helps cover the entire surface. The bed liner for trucks not only looks good and but will also protect against scratches.
A spray-on bed liner doesn’t protect from impact. If you are carrying heavy cargo, you cannot prevent dents on the truck surface.
Drop-In Bed Liners
A drop-in bed liner is the best choice if you want to protect the tailgate and walls of your vehicle. The pickup liners get made to suit specific makes and models of pickup trucks.
The drop-in bed liner is easy to install. All you need to do is to drop them into the truck bed. You can install some liners under the truck bed rails and others can get placed on top.
A drop-in liner get made of durable plastic. You can bolt them onto the truck bed. A separate panel can get used to protecting the tailgate. As the separate panel gets bolted, you can remove the liner whenever you want.
When you install a drop-in liner, it will cover the tie-downs of the truck. It will prevent access to tie-downs when you need it the most. The other issue you might have are that the plastic might scrap against plastic and cause damage.
Bed Rugs
Rugs get made from polypropylene material. It is a tough material that looks like a carpet. The rugs prevent the cargo from sliding on the surface of your vehicle. Most rugs have foam backing, and this helps absorb impact when you slide the cargo in or out.
Bed Mats
Bed mats are big rubber mats that get placed on the truck bed. They are the least expensive bed liner kit available in the market. You will have to cut and shape them so that they fit the vehicle properly.
As they get made of heavy-duty rubber, they provide a good grip. The ridged underside of the rubber mats ensures that water drains out. The only issue with mats is that they don’t protect the sidewalls and tailgate.
Things to Consider When Choosing a Truck Bed Liner
Removable vs Permanent
There are two types of truck bed liners available – permanent and removable. A drop-in liner can get installed and removed whenever you want. A spray on truck bed liner is permanent and will offer better protection to your vehicle.
Rugs can get easily installed and removed. You can stretch it to fit your vehicle model and make. Mats are the easiest to install and remove. You will only need to roll them and remove them from the vehicle.
Compatibility
You need to ensure that the best truck bed liner you buy is compatible with your truck or any other vehicle you use to transport cargo. Most often a liner will come as a universal fit and you will have to trim them if you want them to fit your vehicle properly.
Bed Protection
A spray-on liner is a good choice as they protect the truck bed from moisture. You will often find moisture seeping into the truck bed and causing corrosion, rust, and other issues.
If you drive your vehicle in an area that sees a lot of wet weather like rain and snow, you need extra protection. Liners will be able to keep your vehicle in good condition for many years.
Quantity
The quantity of the liner is crucial as it will help determine the amount of surface area you will be able to apply it on the truck bed. Most of the truck bed liner manufacturers design the liner kit to suit a specific model and make of truck.
You should be aware of the surface area of your truck so that you can choose the right size bed liner kit for your vehicle.
Cargo Protection
One of the important things you need to understand is that not all truck bed liners provide the same level of cargo protection. You need to choose the liner based on the type of cargo you carry daily.
If you haul heavy-duty materials, you will need a liner that will protect against dents and scratches. If you transport liquids like chemicals, it is best to opt for a spray-on. Liquids often seep into the cracks and crevices of the truck beds and the spray liner will help prevent it from happening and protect your vehicle.
Installation
The process of installation of a best truck bed liner shouldn’t be tough. It is best to choose a truck bed liner that is easy to install. You should also be able to remove them easily if you had opted for a removable truck bed liner.
Before you decide on buying a truck bed liner you should gain knowledge about the installation process. If the installation process is complex, it is best to choose an expert who can complete the installation easily.
Material & Durability
Spray on bed liners get made from polyurethanes. The custom coat gives extra strength, flexibility, and durability to the material. Spray on truck bed liner is durable and will last a long time. As they are flexible, the spray-on bed liner don’t crack even under pressure.
Heavy-duty plastic also gets used to manufacture bed liners. Aluminum bed liners are a popular choice if you are heavy load. Liners get made of carpet material too.
Truck bed liners whether spray on or drop in are often black in color. Some spray-on bed liner manufacturers make the spray on truck bed liners available in different colors. Army green, desert tan, and blue are the most popular truck liner choices.
Appearance
Apart from material and durability, you should also pay attention to the appearance of the truck bed liner. You should ensure that the material has a smooth finish so that it looks good on your vehicle.
A good quality liner will help cover the dents and scratches of damaged vehicle beds. Large dents and chipped paint will spoil the appearance of your vehicle and this can affect its value. Truck bed liners enhance the appearance of your truck and this will help maintain its value.
Cost of the Bed Liner
The cost of the best truck bed liner is another factor you need to consider. The best truck bed liner is available in different price ranges and it will depend on the size, material, and manufacturer.
Be aware of your budget before you make the choice of best truck bed liner. If you buy expensive liners, they get considered an investment as they will last longer and provide good protection to the truck.
If you opt for a cheap liner they won’t last long. But if you don’t have a fixed budget, you can choose a bed liner that will last long and provide value for money.
Texture
The texture of the bed liner is another factor you will have to consider. The texture of the truck bed liner will affect the movement of cargo in and out of the truck bed. It shouldn’t slow down the daily loading and unloading activities of your cargo.
The texture of the bed liners might vary from ergonomic to flat. The best texture is one that allows easy loading and unloading of cargo from the truck bed. It should also be easy to maintain.
Environmental Safety
The bed liner you buy shouldn’t contain hazardous chemicals. You should ensure that the bed liners are safe for use.
Warranty
Always choose a bed liner with a lifetime warranty. When you buy a product with a warranty you get assured of the quality of the product.
Check Out the 7 Best Truck Bed Liners
Let's take a close look at our top choices below.
1. Herculiner Black Brush-on Bed Liner Kit, HCL1B8
This Herculiner black bed liner kit gets specifically designed so that you can apply it to any vehicle surface. The brush on bed liner can be applied it on any material or surface including metal, plastic, fiberglass, PVC, rubber, asphalt, and aluminum.
The application instructions of the brush on bed liner needs to get followed thoroughly. It will enable you to get amazing results. If the application instructions of the brush on bed liner don’t get followed properly, the end results will not be pleasing. The liner surface will not peel when applied as instructed.
This bed liner will add a sparkle to the truck bed enhancing the beauty and value of the truck. The protective coating with slip resistance features will ensure that the cargo stays in place.
Polyurethane is the main component of this bed liner and this makes it strong and durable. The top smooth finish prevents chipping and cracking. It is resistant to oils and other solvents.
Husky Liners is a heavy duty truck bed liner that protects the truck bed. The anti-skid surface of the bed mat prevents the cargo from slipping and damage.
The top surface of the truck bed liner is soft. It ensures that the cargo doesn’t get scratched when you load and unload anything on the truck bed. The air-dry nibs ensure that air passes through the bed mat. It will help keep the heat down and dry any moisture.
Bedrug bed mat is one of the best drop-in truck bed liner available for your pickup truck. You can fit the bed mat over other bed liners. The mat gets made to fit specific make and models of vehicles.
This bed mat looks and feels like carpet. The 100% polypropylene material is tough and will protect the truck bed from everything you throw at it. The high-quality mat is chemical, bleach, oil, and gas resistant. It is easy to clean and maintain.
You will also be able to get tailgate protection separately. It will help protect the tailgate against any damage when loading and unloading cargo.
Custom Coat is a long-lasting spray gun kit that can get used for many applications. The spray-on gets applied to many materials including metal, truck beds, wood, concrete, fiberglass, and aluminum.
The spray gun kit is easy to use. Spray it onto the truck bed surface and it will protect against corrosion and rust. This durable liner kit will reduce vibrations and noise, which will enable you to have a comfortable ride.
The U-Pol Raptor provides high-quality protective layer to your truck bed. U Pol is easy to apply and you can add some color to the final finish. You can also choose to use the spray on fenders and bumpers.
The U Pol spray-on protects the truck bed against extreme temperatures, corrosion, and rust. The waterproof material helps reduce noise and vibrations when you transport cargo.
The premium coating helps extend the longevity of your truck bed. You can prevent rust and corrosion and this will help keep your vehicle looking as good as new.
Wear, rust, and weather can do considerable damage to the bed armor. The unique formula of this coating helps prevent corrosion and protects the surface from moisture. The spray-on makes it easy to create a uniform finish. You can coat even tight spots and corners.
Dupli color is a water-based bed armor truck bed liner. It provides uniform texture and durability. The rubber particles in the Dupli color liner make it skid resistant. The bed liner will not flake, fade or chip and this will help keep your truck looking good.
You can apply the Dupli color on any material including metal, wood, fiberglass, and concrete. The black matte finish makes the truck bed looks stunning.
In Summary: Our Top Choice
Our pick of the best truck bed liners is Herculiner Black Brush-on Bed Liner Kit, HCL1B8. It is the best bed liner that will help protect your truck bed from damage for many years.