A Guide to Your Truck Bed Liner Options

Read on to learn more about your truck bed liner options, along with the advantages and disadvantages of each.

There are two main types of truck bed liners: drop-in and spray-on liners.

Drop-in bed liners are prefabricated rigid liners typically designed to fit specific truck makes and models. However, some of these liners are made to fit more than one truck model when just a few alterations to the liner are made before installation.

These bed liners are relatively affordable and protect the bed from dents and other types of damage that cargo can inflict. However, plastic drop-in liners are prone to cracking and warping over time when exposed to the sun's heat and UV rays. In addition, an ill-fitting liner can move around in the truck bed and scuff the bed interior. 

 

Spray-on liners are wet solutions that are sprayed or rolled onto the surface of a truck bed and then allowed to cure, or harden.

There are two main types of spray-on truck bed liners: high-pressure and low-pressure liners.

A high-pressure liner is applied with a machine that produces a high-pressure spray that is also high in temperature. This application process produces a liner with a relatively smooth surface that is highly resistant to dents and dings.

A low-pressure liner, also called a cold liner, is applied with a device that pressurizes the liner solution much less and does not increase its temperature. These liners typically have a rough texture that is less resistant to damage than high-pressure liners. While some people find this rough texture undesirable, others appreciate the traction it provides to keep cargo from sliding around in the truck bed.

Both drop-in and spray-on bed liners are made with various materials and ingredients that each have unique advantages.

While many drop-in bed liners are made from heavy-duty plastic, these liners can also be made from aluminum and carpet materials.

As mentioned, plastic liners do help protect truck beds from damage that cargo can inflict, but they can move around in the bed enough to damage the bed surface over time. 

Aluminum drop-in bed liners offer even more truck bed protection than plastic liners do because aluminum is an overall stronger material and much more difficult to puncture than plastic. Aluminum is also resistant to damage from the sun's heat and UV rays, so it will not warp over time as plastic can.

Bed liners made of carpet-like materials offer unique benefits that cannot be obtained from rigid liners. First, if it is legal for vehicle occupants to ride in the back of a truck in your state, these liners provide a more comfortable surface for passengers to kneel or sit on. In addition, carpet bed liners provide enough traction to prevent many types of cargo from sliding around in the bed while you are driving.

Most spray-on truck bed liners are made from polyurea, polyurethane, or a combination of both substances.

Spray-on liners made from polyurea are rigid, strong, and resistant to scratches and other types of damage. Liners made from polyurethane alone, on the other hand, are relatively soft and flexible, yet still resistant to tears and punctures. You can expect a liner that is made from a mixture of the two components to be slightly softer and more flexible than polyurea alone, yet not as soft as a liner made from only polyurethane.

If you are designing a truck with a bed, such as a pick-up truck, then do not forget to add a bed liner to your design. Every bed liner type and material has its own unique benefits. Contact the expert custom truck body builders at Diamond Truck Body Mfg. Inc. for all of your custom truck design and manufacturing needs today.