How to Maintain Your Truck Bed Liner

You’ve invested in a quality truck. Now it’s time to protect it.

Regardless of what type of truck you have, every truck bed can benefit from a truck bed liner. But what kind? There are two main styles of truck bed liners available on the market: Spray-on and drop-in. The name of each is pretty apt in describing how they work.

Spray-on truck bed liners bond directly to your truck bed, forming a permanent and airtight layer that’s abrasion and impact-resistant. The application can help protect from both rust and corrosion. While spray-on truck bed liners are a great option – and even come as DIY kits for those who love a good project – they can end up being costlier and potentially require more maintenance in the long run.

Drop-in truck bed liners are usually a hard, durable plastic that fit in the bed to provide a barrier to damage, or cover unsightly damage your bed may have already sustained. And just like the name suggests, it drops right in. However, to make sure your bed liner doesn’t shift and slide around you’ll want to make sure you get the right fit. You don’t necessarily have to go with a custom-fit drop-in bed liner, but be sure to research and identify the appropriate size and type for your specific make and model.

For a more in-depth discussion of the difference between spray-on and drop-in liners, see our article here.

Maintenance Needs

When deciding what bed liner to go with, it can be easy to let aesthetics or cost guide your decision. These are important factors, but so is long-term maintenance.

Spray-On Liner Challenges

Spray-on bed liners have a durable and rough surface that stand up to some really abrasive elements. However, this also means they can be hard to clean. Additionally, sun, weather and everyday use can be harder on a spray-on liner, causing the color to fade after a year or two.

If installed or prepped incorrectly, a sprayed application can result in uneven and insufficient coverage of the truck bed. (This is especially possible with DIY kits.) The final product can also end up bubbling, peeling or cracking, which can cause rust if water or moisture has its way.

If your liner has a more serious gouge, indent or has faded from the sun, there are some options for repair. Some manufacturers offer products that can revitalize a faded or damaged bed liner. Other options include some DIY repair. You can sand down the faded or damaged spot, rough up the area a bit and spray on more liner. (It’s necessary to rough up the spot with sandpaper so the spray-on materials will stick to the bed and match the rest of it.)

Drop-In Liner Challenges

By comparison, drop-in bed liners are easier to install and clean, but can loosen or crack over time, especially if they aren’t custom-fit.

Drop-in liners are built of hard plastic and sit on top of your truck bed’s painted finish. They are held in place with screws. If the drop-in doesn’t fit properly, it can shift around or water can get caught underneath. Both of these scenarios can cause damage and rust underneath the liner. If the liner blocks water from draining, you are even more likely to get rust from the trapped moisture.

Plastic drop-in bed liners are also vulnerable to cracking and warping depending on the quality of the material used. Poorly-fitted models can remove your truck bed’s paint underneath because of sliding and shifting while in use. Occasionally, a plastic drop-in liner may allow cargo to shift during travel since it sits directly on the plastic. Though, many manufacturers remedy this by applying a skid-resistant finish.

When it comes to repairing a damaged drop-in liner, sometimes the best repair is replacement. That’s because once a liner is punctured, even resealing attempts will still likely allow water to get through. If that water gets trapped, it can cause rust on your truck.

A major benefit to drop-in liners is that they are easily removable. This makes replacement a breeze, but more importantly, it ensures your vehicle’s resale value won’t suffer if you decide to part ways. Easy removal also means the accessory won’t violate leasing terms.

Whichever type of liner you choose, there will be required maintenance and repair – as well as more regular care.

Cleaning Your Liner

To clean your spray-on bed liner, you can simply clean it at the same time as the rest of your vehicle with a mild detergent and water to spray the liner out. Sometimes using an automatic car wash may result in residue that leaves a white film. Just spray it out with a hose if that happens. Got a tough stain on your liner? You can use a safe cleaner and tire brush to scrub it out.

To clean your drop-in bed liner, start by sweeping out any dirt or debris in the truck bed. Use a hose and car soap to lather up the bed liner. Use a rigid brush if you need to tackle tough stains or grime. You may occasionally want to completely remove your drop-in liner to clean underneath and remove any trapped debris that can build up moisture.

Environmental Challenges

Depending on where you live, you may have to take into consideration how to handle the elements and other things in your environment that can impact your truck bed liner. Standing water, snow, high sun, having to park under trees on a daily basis – all of these things can affect the long-term performance of your purchase.

Water

Since a properly installed spray-on bed liner will provide a watertight and airtight seal, it offers the utmost protection when battling heavy rains, standing snow, and high humidity.

That’s not to say that drop-ins don’t offer adequate protection. They do; they are just more prone to trapping moisture. However, when custom-fit to your specific truck, this should not be an issue.

Heat

When it comes to hot and dry climates with heavy sun, both styles have some drawbacks.

As mentioned, spray-on liners are not very UV-resistant and can therefore fade quickly. Drop-ins, by comparison, can suffer warping or cracking in high-temperature environments. Though, that generally only becomes a problem if the heat application is sustained over a long period of time. (So, if you live in Arizona and regularly leave your truck outside to bake in the sun, you may want to consider adding an additional layer of protection by way of a tonneau cover.)

Debris

Both spray-on and drop-in bed liners offer excellent protection from road debris, leaves, twigs, dirt, hail, and other items that have the potential to ding, scratch, or accumulate in a truck bed. Generally speaking, drop-ins offer a higher impact resistance because the strong-but-flexible plastic absorbs the shock. So, if “debris” looks like heavy, organic cargo to you (i.e., firewood, mulch, gravel, brick, etc.), then a drop-in might be the way to go.

At the end of the day, there are pros and cons for each option. So, as always, make sure to do your own research into which bed liner would work best for your specific needs.

Meet TrailFX

Truck equipment and accessories manufacturer TrailFX is a solid option for drivers looking to add some protection to their truck beds. The company makes sturdy and affordable truck bed liners, as well as a variety of truck bed mats, including a unique “vintage” mat series. TrailFX bed liners feature a thick, high-strength Nyracord construction that is specifically designed to withstand cracking, breaking, and rugged impact from heavy tools and equipment. The liners are also manufactured from model-specific molds for a secure fit that allows airflow underneath for moisture evaporation. To learn more about TrailFX bed liners, go to: https://www.trailfx.com/