Truck Bed Mat -- Better Than a Spray on Liner? By Alan Bullington At Isnare.com Ezine Articles

A truck bed mat is the cheapest way to protect the bed of your pickup. Just because a mat won't cost much doesn't mean it's worth less than other liners. A mat can even save your expensive liner from needless damage.

That's because some mats are almost impossible to hurt. That's not true of expensive spray in liners. Not to say that spray liners aren't tough. But after all, spray on liners are painted on. It's tough and thick paint, but it's still paint.

Look, the guarantee on a spray on liner isn't that it can't be damaged. The guarantee is That the damage will be repaired. Until it's repaired, you're driving a truck with a damaged liner. Who needs that?

Let's face it, there are many hauling jobs that will damage all but the toughest materials. Who wants to spend big money on a beautiful liner and then beat it to pieces?

Take concrete blocks for example. No matter how careful you handle blocks, it's all but impossible to keep from scratching most surfaces with something like blocks. Why take the chance?

That's where you can sacrifice a cheap mat and save the more valuable paint on your truck or the expensive coating on the bed. Here are the two mat types to choose from as you look for cheap truck bed mats.

The Rubber Truck Bed Mat.

It's referred to as rubber, but it's often a blended cord material that's all but impossible to destroy. That means it can take any old abrasive load, but there's more. The material is chemical resistant too. That means you don't have to worry about greases and oils from machinery or whatever you haul.

Plus a thick rubber mat adds padding to loads. It absorbs shocks too. That can prevent dents and dings from heavy loads and objects. Plus it adds insulation to cut noise and even heat.

Since the mats are easy to slip in and slip out, you can just put in the liner when you need it. Take it out when you don't. These things are so cheap, it's almost like they're disposable. But they're so tough you probably will only need one...

Whatever model you choose, check that the mat is ribbed so water won't stand under it.

Another option is the...

Truck Bed Carpet Mat.

Carpet is the softer mat. That's especially right if your cargo needs soft, cushioned protection. That's what the carpet liner offers. That and a better non-skid surface than most any other material. Carpet also gives a pickup that custom finished look too.

None of that suggests that a carpet mat isn't tough. It's going to be a marine grade carpet that's weatherproof and all but impossible to tear and rip. It's also going to absorb shock and insulate much like a rubber mat.

It just makes sense that a carpet liner is better under covers like tonneau covers or truck bed caps. It makes less sense for hauling nasty, grimy loads. Old engines would make a mess of carpet for example.

Like rubber mats, the carpet liners are inexpensive, easy to install and tough.

A truck bed mat is cheap protection for any kind of bed liner coating. It's a great way to protect a spray on bed liner from scars and cuts. Cover a truck bed with one of these to save the paint or to save the liner you already have.

Either the rubber or carpet mat is inexpensive and built to take hard use.

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