A bare steel or aluminum truck bed scratches the first time you slide a toolbox across it, and scratched paint is where rust starts on steel beds. There are three common ways to protect it: a drop-in bed liner (a molded plastic shell that covers the floor, sides, front wall and often the tailgate), a rubber bed mat (a heavy mat that covers the floor only) and a spray-in liner (a coating applied by a shop or from a kit). This guide covers the first two, which are the bolt-in options you can install yourself in an afternoon.
Our best-selling bed liners are Penda drop-ins, offered in under-rail, over-rail and Skid Resistor versions for Ford, Ram, Chevy, GMC, Toyota, Nissan and Mazda trucks, along with Duraliner under-rail liners. For mats we stock Dee Zee, Boomerang, Southern Tru, Westin and Promaxx. Most drop-in liners in our stock run about $200 to $350, rubber mats about $80 to $160, and replacement install kits about $11.
Drop-in liner vs rubber mat vs spray-in
| Drop-in liner | Rubber bed mat | Spray-in liner | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Covers | Floor, sides, front wall, often tailgate | Floor only | Everything it's sprayed on |
| Typical cost | $200 to $350 (our stock) | $80 to $160 (our stock) | Varies widely by shop or kit |
| DIY install | Yes, about an hour | Yes, minutes | Kit possible; pro install common |
| Removable | Yes | Yes | No, permanent |
| Cargo grip | Slick to moderate; Skid Resistor textures help | High | High |
| Knee comfort | Low | High | Low |
Drop-in liners are the most complete bolt-in protection. They shrug off dents and gouges from heavy loads, cover the walls where cargo rubs, and come out if you ever want to sell the truck with a clean bed. The common criticism is that a smooth plastic liner lets cargo slide, which is why Penda offers its textured Skid Resistor versions.
Rubber bed mats grip cargo well, cushion your knees and cost less, but they only cover the floor. Many owners pair a mat with a spray-in liner, or drop a mat into a plastic liner for extra grip.
Spray-in liners bond to the bed and look clean, but they're permanent. For a deeper comparison see spray-in vs drop-in bed liners.
Which should you buy? If you haul gravel, firewood, scrap or tools that slam into the bedsides, a drop-in liner protects the most surface for the money. If you mostly carry coolers, bikes, luggage or groceries and want them to stay put, a rubber mat is the better and cheaper fit. If the bed already has a spray-in liner, add a mat rather than a drop-in.
Under-rail vs over-rail, and how to get the fit right
Under-rail liners tuck beneath the lip of the bed rail, so the top of the rail stays bare. They're the most popular style because they work with almost every tonneau cover, bed rail cap and clamp-on bed rack. Most of the Penda and Duraliner liners we sell are under-rail.
Over-rail liners wrap over the top of the bed rails to protect them from scrapes when you load from the side. The tradeoff: they can interfere with clamp-on tonneau covers and some racks, so check those first if you run either. See our tonneau cover guide.
Bed liners are molded to one specific bed. To order the right one, match all of these to the listing title:
- Make, model and year range. Bed shapes change between generations. A 2004-2014 F-150 liner won't fit a 2015 or newer F-150.
- Bed length. 5 ft 5 in, 5 ft 8 in, 6 ft 4 in, 6.5 ft and 8 ft beds each need their own liner.
- Bed features. Ram RamBox, Toyota Deck Rail, Ford and Toyota cargo management tracks, GM MultiPro tailgates, bed lights and dually fenders often need a specific liner or a version with cutouts. Titles like "W/O RamBox", "With Deck Rail System" or "with Bed Lights Cutout" spell it out.
- Factory spray-in liner. Some trucks leave the factory with a sprayed bed. Penda's Skid Resistor F-150 liners, for example, are listed for beds without a factory spray-in liner.
Installing a drop-in liner or mat
- Clean and dry the bed. Remove debris, wash out dirt and let it dry fully. Touch up any bare steel with primer or paint first, since a liner doesn't fix rust that's already started.
- Drop the liner in and push it forward against the front wall. Under-rail liners flex to slip beneath the rail lips.
- Secure it. Most liners hold in place by friction and the rail lips, with screws or plastic fasteners at the tailgate section and sometimes in the bed. Penda sells installation kits with the plugs and hardware for specific trucks, which is also what you want if you're reinstalling a used liner.
- Check the drains and tie-downs. Make sure the bed drain holes aren't blocked and that you can still reach tie-down points. Some liners have cutouts for factory tie-downs and cargo lamps.
Two maintenance habits keep a drop-in liner from causing problems. Pull it out once or twice a year to rinse out sand, salt and trapped water, especially if you live where roads are salted. And keep it tight: a liner that shifts can rub through the paint underneath. Rubber mats need the same occasional pull-and-rinse.
Rubber mats install in minutes: unroll the mat, let it relax in the sun for a few hours if it has curled from shipping, and push it forward against the bulkhead. Heavy mats like the Dee Zee Heavyweight stay put by their own weight and texture. Cut-outs for tie-downs or wheel wells are already molded in on vehicle-specific mats; universal mats may need trimming with a sharp utility knife.
Tailgate liners, dividers and other add-ons
- Tailgate liners and mats. Many drop-in liners come with or offer a separate tailgate piece. Duraliner sells tailgate sections, and Dee Zee makes a universal rubber tailgate mat that pairs well with a floor mat.
- Bed dividers. A divider like the Duraliner bed divider locks into the liner to keep groceries and small loads from sliding. Some require a specific liner to work, so check the listing.
- Install kits. Penda's model-specific kits replace lost or broken fasteners for a few dollars.
- Covers and racks. A liner pairs naturally with a tonneau cover, and under-rail styles leave room for clamp-on bed racks and rail systems.
If you haul gear inside the cab as well, our floor mat and cargo liner guide covers interior protection.
