It’s often said: “The day you buy a truck is the day everyone becomes your friend”. All of a sudden your a one man moving company! Whatever you’re about to put your poor trucks bed liner through (whether it’s personal or work) you have to consider proper maintenance if you want it to keep on truckin’ for years to come. The first step to a long lasting truck – having the best bed liners.
The first thing to go from wear and tear is generally the truck bed, so first thing your should do is get the best diy truck bed liner for long lasting protection. Preventing major wear and tear will keep your truck in great condition, extend it’s running life, and help keep a high resale value. There’s some easy do it yourself options, the best of which you’ll find below in our diy truck bed liner reviews, where you’ll also find a very handy bed liner buying guide with some tips I wish I knew before I bought my truck!
The 6 Best DIY Bed Liners
- U-POL 0820 Black Urethane Truck Bed Liner Kit with 726 Gun
- U-Pol Raptor Urethane Bed Liner Spray-On Kit with Spray Gun (4 Liters)
- Custom Coat Urethane Spray-On Truck Liner w| Gun & Regulator (8 liters)
- BedRug BRB15CCK Truck Liner fits 15+ CREW CABS
- Dee Zee DZ87005 Heavyweight Bed Mat
- Herculiner HCL1B8 Brush-on Bed Liner Kit (1 gallon)
Our Top Pick for Best Bed Liner
- Easy To Use: Tint - Add Hardener - Shake - Spray
U-POL Black Urethane Truck Liner Kit – The U-POL is our top choice for all you DIY’ers looking for a top quality and easy to install truck bed liner. The kit comes with around 4 liters of paint and a spray gun, so you should have no problem getting around 2+ coats on your truck bed. There’s a chart on the product page if you want to be sure it’ll cover your truck bed completely. Now on to the full review!
Best Truck Bed Liner Reviews
Best Bed liner
1. U-POL 0820 Black Urethane Truck Bed Liner Kit with 726 Gun
- Easy To Use: Tint - Add Hardener - Shake - Spray
If you’re a self-proclaimed DIY’er you’re going to want to pick up a couple liters of the U-POL Black Urethane Kit. This kit includes the gun which makes it ready to go as soon as it arrives at your door.
Basic instructions are included and system set up is a breeze – Put 250ml into a liter of paint, give it a good shake, attach it to the gun, and you’re ready to go! Reviews mention there’s problems only when they premix the liters with hardener, so fight the temptation to try that and you’ll be done in no time.
Expect on average to cover a full truck bed with around 4 liters of paint, so purchasing the 10 liter should leave you enough for 2 coats and change. Applying two coats will take roughly 3 hours depending on your experience.
This includes proper prep (taping off windows and lights, applying degreaser and washing off, sanding any rough surfaces, etc..) which is key component to proper applications. Drying time is around 1 hour, and the adhesive should be completely solid to the touch after that. The simplest and cost-effective diy spray on liner on the list.
Pros:
- Easy Application
- 10 litres is enough for two coats
- Priced well/Good Value
- Instructions are clear
Cons:
- User reviews mention it may not be industrial-grade tough-ness
Best DIY Bed Liner
2. U-Pol Raptor Urethane Bed Liner Spray-On Kit with Spray Gun (4 Liters)
- Easy To Use: Tint - Add Hardener - Shake - Spray
- Enough Material To Re-Spray The Largest Truck Beds
U-POL manages to snag the top two spots on our list because they make such darn good liners! This DIY liner kit comes with 4 liters and will make your trucks bed liner resistant to UV rays, scratches, stains, and heavy impacts. It does a good job at deadening impacts and loud sounds for when you inevitably toss in wood or loose materials.
The major concerns (as with any DIY bed liner) is will there be enough and will it look professional? Thankfully with this product the answer is yes to both. Expect the four included bottles to cover your truck bed. Depending on the size of your bed you may even be able to get 2 coats out of these 4 liters to make it even more resilient to damages.
Appearance wise, the included gun does a great job at applying an even coat all the way through. You’ll find the finished result is an evenly distributed liner spray with a nice grain texture for traction and gripping.
Judging by most user reviews as well, aesthetically this is the best DIY bed liner, comparable to professionally installed bed liners. As with any liner, however, the final product is dependent on proper preparation. Be sure to read our bed liner installation guide at the end of this list is you’re unsure how to do this. Overall with proper preparation, the finished results will look professional grade – and have the toughness of it too.
Pros:
- Included Spray gun makes for Easy Installation
- UV resistant | Scratch & stain Resistant
- Deadens vibrations and impact sounds
- Professional grain finish
- Includes Bed Liner Hardener
Cons:
- 4 liters may not be enough for 2 bed coats
- Initial installation odor lasts about 1 – 2 weeks
Best Spray-in Bedliner
3. Custom Coat Urethane Spray-On Truck Liner w| Gun & Regulator (8 liters)
- Professional Custom Coat Spray-On Truck Bed Liner 2 Gallon Kit. Custom Tintable Color Kit Includes: 8 - 21 fl....
- Custom Coat Truck Bed Liner is a premium durable long lasting textured protective coating that can tolerate...
The black Custom Coat urethane spray liner takes the third spot for it’s great build qualities and the included gun. Sprays are generally preferred because they are forgiving for beginners and still precise enough for professionals. They also make it easier to apply even coats across the trucks bed.
Custom coat also offers this product as a brush-on or roll-on bed liner, so the choice is yours. Simply add hardener and apply. The 8 liters should be more than enough for one coat, and most likely cover a full 2 coats. The urethane coating itself is very durable and thick, providing great stain and abrasion resistance.
Once the coating has dried and settled you’ll find it’s completely waterproof, deadens sounds and vibrations, protections against salt and rust, has a nice flexibility to it, and isn’t affected by extreme temperatures. If this coating doesn’t cover it all I don’t know what would!
The Shutx gun is included with the liner kits purchase, and you’ll find it’s very easy to handle. Set the regulator (also included) to 55-60 psi and go at it. The most time consuming part when applying the diy spray will actually be the sanding the truck bed requires before applying.
Pros:
- Easy to Apply
- Enough for 2 coats on most Truck beds
- Waterproof/weather resistant
- Reduced sound/vibration
- Durable (scratch and stain resistant)
- Great included brush or spray gun
Cons:
- 8 liters won’t cover large truck beds (8+ feet) twice
- User Reviews mention 2 coats are possible, but it’s thinner than they’d like
Best Drop-in Bedliner
4. BedRug BRB15CCK Truck Liner fits 15+ CREW CABS
- Rugged construction handles heavy cargo. Anti-skid surface prevents cargo from sliding
- Knee friendly 3/4" cushioned floor
There’s a ton of reasons you may want to opt for a truck bed mat over a spray on liner. First – installation is way easier. You’ll have this truck bed rug out of the packaging and installed in around 30 minutes, and it fits 90% of pickups out there. If you happen to have trouble with installation, there’s an in-depth video and written instructions included to help.
The construction is very rugged for the heaviest of material. Hauling crushed concrete or dirty mulch won’t do any heavy damage to the anti-slip surface. Simply clean it with a quick pressure wash or air hose and you’ll have it looking like new in minutes. Even with all this heavy usage, you can expect this quality bed rug truck liner to last a good 5 to 15 years.
The hidden benefit to having a bed rug is the comfort. If you spend time in the back of your truck you’ll find the soft material is a god-send for your knees. Not to mention your pet’s will love riding in your truck!
Pros:
- Easier/Faster to install than spray on truck liners
- Soft material for kneeling
- Fits almost all trucks
- Non-skid surface
- Clean it in minutes with just water
- Waterproof, chemical, and stain resistant
- MADE IN USA
Cons:
- Long lifespan, but not as long as spray-on/roll-on bed liners
Best Truck Bed Mat
5. Dee Zee DZ87005 Heavyweight Bed Mat
- Helps prevent cargo from shifting and damaging your truck bed
- Extra thick .375" (9.52 millimeter) rubber compound construction. Drilling required : No.
Sometimes you don’t need the durability (and price) of the high end spray-on liners, or maybe your truck bed is already in great condition and you don’t feel a full liner is necessary. If either of these is the case, consider the Dee Zee heavyweight bed mat.
This bed mat is a great addition to any truck. It’s a budget alternative, protecting cargo from slipping and damaging your truck or its truck bed. The extra thick (.375 inch) material is constructed from a durable rubber compound, giving it some flexibility to protect both the truck and cargo.
The big benefit of a rubber compound rug over hard liners is they won’t crack, rust, or break due to hard cargo materials or extreme weather. It’s a simple solution, and sometimes simple is best. It also claims to be a universal fit for trucks, either fitting on install or giving you the ability to cut it down for a tight fit.
The one downside to a bed mat is there may be slight gaps in connecting edges, but don’t confuse these slight gaps with an improper fit. (Also read: truck bed extenders). Once installed it won’t flop or slide around in the back of your truck bed. Overall, this bed mat is fantastic value, offering a cheap truck bed liner solution for a fraction of the spray or roll on prices.
Pros:
- Cheapest Bed Liner solution
- Great protection against stains and damage
- One-size fits all liner
- Won’t rust or crack like other liners
- Easy to clean
Cons:
- Not as form fitting as spray-on liners
- Doesn’t cover truck bed walls
- Liquids and debris can get under it
Best Roll On Truck Bed liner Paint
6. Herculiner HCL1B8 Brush-on Bed Liner Kit (1 gallon)
- J-B Weld Herculiner Truck Bed Liner: Is The Original Do-It-Yourself Truck Bed Liner. Just 3 Easy Steps: Prep,...
- Cure And Set Time: Once Applied, Herculiner Will Have A Functional Cure In 10 To 12 Hours And Will Fully Cure...
The Herculiner tops the list in the best roll-on bed liner reviews category, providing a protective textured polyurethane coating that‘s easily applied with the included brush and 2 rollers for the bed liner paint. The included one gallon paint-can can should be good enough for applying 2 coats on the average 6.5 foot truck bed.
This bed liner paint claims to be 5 times thicker than comparable roll on bed liners. If you’re looking to line something other than a truck bed, then this would be your best bet. It can just as easily be applied to metal, concrete, wood, and various other material.
Once dried, the Herculiner brush on bed liner paint gives great traction (skid-resistance) and you won’t find it flaking, peeking, or chipping with heavy use. This is a great brush-on option to prevent damage, rusting, and stains on your truck bed for years to come.
Pros:
- Good for 2 coats on average
- easy to roll-on and brush-on bed liner
- Thicker application than other roll-on competitors
- Easy applied to other things – Decks etc…
Cons:
- Included paintbrush isn’t great quality
- Some prefer spray-on bed liners for their even coat application
- 1 gallon isn’t enough for 2 coats on large truck beds (7+ feet)
Buying Guide: How to Choose the Best DIY Truck Bed Liner
Buying the best truck bed liner doesn’t have to be hard once you know what you’re looking for. This handy guide, combined with bed liner reviews, will cover everything you need to know about bed liners, starting with the basics.
What is a Truck Bed-liner?
Truck Bedliners are inserts for the inside area of the truck bed. These inserts are mainly to protect the surface of the truck from damage, but are also beneficial by adding a grippier bed for the cargo to stay in place. There’s a few options for liners, all of which fall under two categories; “Drop-in” and “Spray on” liners. These can be professionally installed or you can try using the best diy bed liner and do it yourself.
What does a Truck Bedliner Cost?
The cost of a spray in liner depends on which type and brand you choose. The best diy spray in bed liners can cost upwards of 800 dollars (when professionally installed). Truck bed mats are the cheapest bed liner option, however your choice depends heavily on what you plan on putting in your truck.
Types of Bed Liners
The four most common types of bed liners are; Drop-in, Spray on, bed rugs, and bed mats. The truck bed protection option for you depends on a few factors, mainly your budget and what sort of material you plan on hauling around.
Drop-in Bed Liner
You’ll generally find a drop in bed liner included with your standard truck purchase. These liners are made of a molded hard plastic that fits snuggly against your truck bed. This sort of liner is bolted to the bed of the truck.
These thick plastic liners are economical and a good choice for everyday objects, so if you’re doing DIY renovations or moving furniture it’s a great option. Drop in bed liners are great with absorbing shock from common construction materials – wood, debris, bricks. They’re a practical and budget friendly considering the beating they can take. Expect to spend around 150 to 250 dollars on a new bed liner.
Spray-on Bed Liner
Spray on bed liners are increasing in popularity and have claimed a large chunk in the bed liner market. They’re certainly more expensive than other liners, ranging anywhere from 400 to 800 dollars. However, with this high price tag comes a few notable advantages.
Brush-on & Roll-on Bed Liner Paint
Very similar to spray-on liners… except you either roll on or brush on the bed liner paint. Quality and price varies wildly with these options so be sure to read user reviews on Amazon should you choose a DIY Brush-on bed liner paint.
Bed Rugs
There’s a lot of option with bed rugs alone. Cover just the truck bed, cover the sides, extra soft polyester finishes. A good bed rug will molds tightly to the shape of the truck bed so you won’t have to worry about anything slipping under. Commonly these rugs are made with polypropylene covered with a polyester fiber on top. A great option for keeping your trucks finish free from scratches and dings.
Bed rugs are popular for those who have a lot of in and out work or crawling to do in their truck (save your knee skin!) and I’m sure your dog won’t mind the soft polyester too.
They’re ease to clean, simply remove and power wash and the mess comes right off. Expect to pay between 400 and 600 for a rock solid bed rug, cheap isn’t always best with rugs.
Bed Mats
The cheapest bed liner option! Truck bed mats are made from a thick rubber made from recycled tires. Simply roll it onto the truck bed and roll it off when you’re done. A great option to add add grip and prevent the underlying truck bed.
You can find the best rubber truck bed liner mats for between 80 and 150 dollars. *Pro Tip: Yes, I like saving money too, but make sure you’re getting the appropriate bed liner for whatever you may be hauling.
Types of Spray-On Bed Liners
Aliphatic
A type of polyurethane that is known to be long lasting and tough as nails. It’s the more expensive option, but it’s worth every penny if you seriously want to protect your truck long term.
Aromatic
Still great, although the lesser of the two. Strong and cheap, but fades over time. If you’re looking for an all around bed liner replacement for average amounts of usage, this is probably a good call.
Problems with Drop-in and Spray On Bed liners
While drop in and spray on truck liners are always a great choice for protecting your truck from wear and tear, there are upsides and downsides to both options.
Drop-ins
While there’s a lot to benefit from a drop in truck liner, sometimes problems can occur due to the space between the liner and truck bed.
Pros:
- Usually comes pre-installed with new truck purchases
- Affordable
- Easy to replace
Cons:
- Not great for liquids
- Not as protective long term as some spray on truck liners
Spray-on
The go-to option for DIY bed liner installation benefits from direct contact with the truck, but is harder to install than a simple drop in liner or mat.
Pros:
- Toughest bed liner option
- Water Resistance
- Longest lasting/most permanent option
- Choice of color
- DIY spray on bed liner is possible
Cons:
- Harder to install
- The most expensive option
- Takes about 4 to 6 hours to install properly
Features to Look For
When looking for the best fit for your truck, consider what you are going to be hauling in it. There’s quite a few features that will make life easier for you in the long run. Here’s a few features you should definitely consider when purchasing one.
Easy to Clean
If you deal with liquids of any sort (such as pool chemicals), spray liners have no room between the spray and the truck bed liner spray, so expect easy hose downs without anything getting trapped in-between the liner and the truck.
Water Resistant
Even with the best drop in plastic truck bedliners, there’s a small space between the plastic and the actual truck floor. This lets even the slightest bit of water get trapped between and over the years could compound to a rusty truck in not kept properly in check (see truck bed tents). With a spray on liner you’ll have none of this space, meaning no water can get in between the liner and the bed.
Permanent
Out of all your options a spray on liner is the most permanent. The cost of installation is higher as it generally takes upwards of 6 hours to complete professionally. However there are a lot of DIY spray bed liner options available for you if you consider yourself handy. Expect a lot of prep work and a lot of saved cash.
Pro-Tip: Proper preparation is EVERYTHING. If you half a** it expect lackluster results. The best DIY bed liner can still turn out poorly without proper preparation.
Colorful
Did this deserve it’s own bullet? Who’s to say – but if you’re looking for some extra style points you have a lot of spray on bed-liner colors to choose from. Or just cover it all up with a the best tonneau cover for trucks. *Pro Tip: Stick with dark colors to hide dirt and debris.
5 Things to Consider when choosing a DIY Bed Liner Paint kit
1. Company Reputation
Like most things, companies with reputable names are still around for a reason. They’ve built enough trust with their market by consistently delivering a quality product. It’s always a gamble going with the random brand name, I know I’ve been burned with some weak Chinese knock-off brands before. Not to say good ones aren’t out their, but the big names in bed liners are generally; Herculiner, Raptor, Penda, Custom Coat, and T-Rex. This site covers our favorite picks, but I also suggest you read the Amazon reviews to get a well-rounded view.
2. Why do you need Truck Bed Liner?
It’s safe to assume you want to protect your truck bed, but what are you protecting it from? If it’s purely cosmetic (maybe you’re dogs claws will mark it), then you’d probably be fine with a cheap truck bed mat, but if you’re doing serious construction, carrying liquids, are dealing with slippery/loose cargo, consider investing in the best spray on bed liner. Trust me, this will save you a lot of headaches in the future.
3. Is it Durable Enough?
Again – what are you hauling? Aliphatic liners are for the toughest of materials. If you have pipes or metal objects sliding around in the back of your truck all day (you should pick up the best truck bed tool box) go for something you know will protect your truck bed for years to come. The better liner you get, the less maintenance it will need over the years.
4. Warranty
This is also why I suggest name brand liners. A good warranty not only shows they believe in their product, but it also means that you’re entitled to replacements or refunds if something goes awry. Read carefully what sort of warranty is included with your diy bed liner.
5. Is this Environmentally friendly?
Every company makes their product a bit differently, some more sustainability than others. I know the feeling of saving a few dollars trumps the environment for most people, but consider where this liner is going to end up. I’m sure the earth will thank you later.
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How To Apply Spray-in Bed Liner
If you happened to miss my pro tip above, let me repeat it – when it comes to do it yourself Spray on Bed liner, prep is everything! (So keep your truck organized!)
So let’s quickly run over the basics for installing your trucks bed-liner. Get ready for Bed liner labs easy 3 step process – 1. Prep 2. Clean 3. Coat
1. Prep time
Take out all the accessories and anything you might have in the truck bed. It’s usually worth taking off the tailgate as well if you want the easiest time spraying this on.
2. Clean the truck. Thoroughly.
Wipe down everything and wipe it down again. Clean the truck bed very thoroughly using a proper wax-free soap for cars. If there’s any noticeable bumps or uneven surfaces grab some sandpaper and smooth it all out. Did I mention wipe it down?
All Clean? Mask off the areas you don’t want to spray-on the liner.
3. Spray-on/ Brush-on / Roll-on DIY Bed Liner
Before you jump right into it, make sure you’ve chosen the appropriate primer for whichever diy bed liner product you’ve chosen. If you don’t check this you may be in for a very unhappy day.
Start applying the primer (or equal adhesion promoter). Once your done grab your spay.
Hopefully your spray on gun came with manufacturer instructions. Read through those and start calibrating your spray guns air pressure so it will evenly and smoothly release the bed liner spray. You’ll want to test how the spray comes out on a box of cardboard before you jump right into spraying your truck. Test -> Change Spray pattern/Adjust air pressure-> Test -> Etc…
All Set? Start spraying bed liner!
Keep a healthy distance between the spray guns release point and the truck bed, I recommend around 16-18 inches. I find that this distance helps avoid creating shadow patterns. Spray the whole truck bed, wait ten or 20 minutes and put on another spray coating. You can continue layering it on until you’re satisfied with the results. Working too hard? Relax in style with these truck awnings, a great accessory for any truck.
Remember: Safely install your Spray-in Liner
I’d hope this goes without saying, but if you don’t have the necessary safety equipment (safety goggles, gloves) have a professional do it or make sure to get them before you begin the bed liner installation.
PRO TIPS;
Spray in liners are awesome, but they’re also permanent. Take extra care when throughout the diy installation and keep the manufacturers label close at hand. If you feel overwhelmed at doing this sort of thing, ask for some help below!
Where to Buy Truck Bed Liner?
If you’re planning on going the diy bed liner installation route you can order some great product online through Amazon or simply head to a local garage near you and they should be able to help you out. Try bed liner from Canadian Tire for those of you in the north. For those looking for professional installation simply search for “spray bed liner near me” and you’ll have a lot of options to choose from.
Final Verdict
I certainly recommend you take a shot at a DIY spray-in pickup truck bed liner over the other options. However if you’re on a budget and don’t need the same sort of durability, a bed mat or rug should do the trick. Make sure to check out my top picks for the best pickup truck liners above (roll-on, brush on, drop in, spray on, mats and rugs). If you’re still unsure or need some help deciding leave a comment for me below and I’ll help out as best I can! Good luck installing your best diy truck bed liner installation.