You’ve finally done it. You’ve found and bought the pick-up truck you’ve always wanted. Job over? Not even close. It’s time to spruce up your pick-up truck. One thing you’ll definitely need: a truck bed liner. But what exactly is a truck bed liner?

A truck bed liner is designed to protect the bed of your pick-up truck from damage. Since pick-up trucks are used mostly for carrying or transporting a variety of items, with different weights and sizes, the beds of pick-up trucks are at a higher risk of getting scratches, dents and damages. The bed liner will protect the bed because of its heavy-duty material designed to prevent any damage to the bed.

Although there are brand new pick-up trucks that already have bed liners included with the purchase, there are some that will require bed liners as a separate purchase.

1. Single Piece Plastic Liners are tough and durable and designed to protect the entire truck bed from all sides, including the tailgate. The most expensive bed liner option, it can be installed with anyone using the included hardware and will fit the drill holes already in the pick-up truck.
2. Rubber Floor Mats and Rugs are the easiest to install. You have to roll the mat out. You can get these in different sizes or shapes and provides a protective surface for the truck bed. However, these don’t protect the sides of the truck bed, though.
3. Bed trays are hard, polymer products custom fit for specific truck makes and models. It has more coverage than a floor mat and a lip border for protection against spillage. But it also doesn’t provide coverage for all the sides.
4. Spray-on Protective Coating is a cheaper option that sprays on protective coating on to the bed of the truck. It can be applied on both the bottom and sides but requires some cleaning and sanding beforehand.
5. Roll-on Protective Coating also requires cleaning and sanding beforehand and is applied to the bed truck by rolling it on.

So which pick-up truck bed liner is the right one for your pick-up truck?

1. Drop-In Bed liners are easy to install and easy to remove. They’re quite expensive but they offer the greatest protection not just on the truck bed but on all sides of the truck, too. They are tough, durable and will last longer. Some drop-in bed liners, however, can move around, damaging the paint under or scratching the surface with the dirt and sand that can enter any opening. Drop-In Bed liners include single piece plastic liners, rubber floor mats and rugs and bed trays.
2. Spray-On Bed liners will stick to the truck’s body and will not be able to shift or move around. Dents will be avoided as spray-ons are not as thick as drop-ins. They’re easy to clean and available in different colors. However, spray-on bed liners cannot be removed and must be applied by a professional for a more solid appearance. They are not as thick so if sharp or heavy things are dropped on the bed, chances of denting the liner and the truck bed are very high. Spray-on bed liners include spray-on protective coating and roll-on protective coating.

Deciding on what kind of pick-up truck bed liner can be overwhelming. There are still a lot of things and factors to consider.

1. Frequency of use of pick-up truck - How often will you be using your pick-up truck?
2. Primary use of pick-up truck - Will it be often used for hauling heavy objects?
3. Practical purposes or Vanity purposes - Does the pick-up truck really need a bed liner? Or is it simply because a bed liner looks good on a pick-up truck bed?

Visit local distributors and analyze the bed liner that you think might be perfect for your truck. Ask around for recommendations from people you know and from people who will know. This will guarantee that you’ll be picking the best bed liner for your pick-up truck.