If you haul equipment, lumber, and other heavy objects in your truck bed regularly, you may have seen some dents on your bed floor painted metal surfaces. This is because the items you carry in your bed may scratch and damage the surfaces when being hauled.
Although these are problems most truck owners experience, you can use a bed mat to transport cargo while protecting your truck bed from gouges and scrapes. Bed mats are the perfect solution for people that haul limited items, want to prevent their items from sliding in the bed, and don’t want protection for the truck’s wheel wells and walls.
In this post, I’ll show you how to install different truck bed mats so that you complete the process yourself in minutes. If you have any questions, feel free to text our team at 281-761-6097.
-Alan
Top-selling truck bed mats
A truck bed mat is considered one of the most essential truck accessories to have. This is because everything you put in your truck bed can damage the sides of your bed. However, you can prevent the damages by investing in a quality mat.
The following table highlights some of the bed mats designed with incredible features. It shows WeatherTech mats are made using durable materials while BedRug mat is resistant to stains and chemicals.
Product
Strength
Main Features
Suitable for truck owners without drop-in bed liners
- The chemical and UV resistant construction that prevents corrosion, fading and dulling
- Superior mat that protects your truck bed from bad weather, corrosion and dents
- The non-skid surface that holds items in place and prevents sliding
- Easy to remove and install with hook-and-loop disks and straps
Designed for people with drop-in bed liners
- Protects your truck’s painting as it works as-is without a drop-in liner or sits between the drop-in liner and your truck
- Designed to match your truck bed’s contours with a semi-soft construction of .065 inches thickness
- Protects your truck bed’s painted surface from abrasions and scratches
- The custom design ensures it fits your truck bed perfectly
Softer under your feet
- The tailgate gap guard that covers the gap between the tailgate and your truck bed
- Offers good looks as well as cargo protection and durable bed
- Made with ¾ inch thick padding that offers heat and noise insulation
- The closed cell construction that makes the bed mat waterproof
Pros and cons of truck bed mats
Truck bed mats prevent items from shifting while driving. They also save your bed from damaging dents and can be used in multiple locations, making it easy to carry them to your boat or workshop when necessary. Let’s now look at other advantages of bed mats.
Pros
- It’s easy to find a custom-made bed mat for your truck model or get a universal fit that you can trim to your desired dimensions
- Protect your bed from weather damage and reduces impact no matter what you’re carrying on your bed
- Easy to remove, making it an ideal option for a non-permanent solution
- It can be paired with a tailgate mat for maximum protection
- Covers the flat surface on your truck bed in its entirerity
- Installation is a breeze and doesn’t require special tools
- Easy to clean and more affordable compared to bed liners
- Keeps your items intact when the truck is moving
- Prolongs your truck’s life and enhances its apperance
- Adds to your truck’s resale price
Cons
- Truck bed mats can move while driving or going over a bump if they doesn’t fit properly
- Water and moisture can get trapped beneath the mat and cause corrosion build up
- The mats do not protect the sides of your bed
Why knowing your truck’s wheelbase classification and bed size is important
As you look through the truck bed mats we offer, you’ll notice that each individual mat is categorized as either universal fit or vehicle-specific. Universal fit mats are designed to be adapted to fit or fit anywhere and are available in different sizes.
Vehicle-specific will prompt you to enter year, model, and make and in some cases even trim level because they are custom-made to suit your truck’s dimensions. It’s also crucial to know your vehicle’s bed length and cab configuration when choosing your bed mat.
How to install WeatherTech TechLiner truck bed
Installing the WeatherTech TechLiner bed mat is a breeze and can be done by anyone. Follow these easy steps to complete the process in minutes:
Supplies needed:
- Mild soap
- Window cleaner
- Sponge
- Lay your TechLiner mat in warm sun facing down on a flat, dry surface to help it flatten.
- If your truck bed or temperature is below 50⁰ F, do not install.
- Pay attention to the location of velcro pads on the TechLiner’s bottom and prevent pads from collecting debris or becoming dirty.
2. Remove tailgate and all other bed accessories before installing. Note that TechLiner should only be installed in a bed that’s free of previous spray-in bed liners, contamination, scratches, rust, and in original condition.
3. Clean your truck bed thoroughly with water and soap and dry it before installing.
4. Clean the velcro adhesion general areas with a clean paper towel and quality window cleaner.
5. Put the TechLiner in your truck bed and center it over the bed’s contours.
6. Climb into the bed, fold over the TechLiner and locate the first Velcro disc. Avoid shifting the position of the TechLiner.
7. Before adhering, wash the velcro attachment location with the included alcohol wipes. Remove the velcro disc from the plastic backing and press into place the TechLiner back.
8. Next, step on all the velcro discs for 15 seconds to help the discs adhere.
9. Continue this process for all the velcro discs working around the truck bed clockwise.
Avoid peeling off or pulling apart the velcro discs already attached. Do not drive your truck for 12 hours after installation for perfect adhesion.
How to install WeatherTech UnderLiner truck bed liner
The WeatherTech UnderLiner bed liner doesn’t require sophisticated tools making installation easy. Just follow these two simple steps:
- Place the UnderLiner in your truck bed. Align cutouts for the wheel wells and contours to allow the UnderLiner to lay smooth and flat.
2. Secure by putting your rigid bed liner on top.
Note that UnderLiner is designed for putting under a tough drop-in truck bed liner only. Avoid using or securing without a bed liner.
How to install BegRug Impact truck bed mat
Similar to the above bed mats, installing the BedRug mat is straightforward. Here are the steps:
Required tools
- A sharp utility knife for cutting material
- 15 tree fasteners
- 1 1/4 inch drill bit
- 1 drill stop
- 1 drill
- 1 punch
- A hammer
- 1 awl
1. Locate the BedRug bed mat in your truck bed to determine the exact fit and location.
2. Locate and punch holes with an awl for fasteners in the mat. Begin at the front center and work outboard and toward the rear. Once you’re done, locate fastener points on high spot of the drop in liner or the top of a rib to provide clearance for the tree fasteners. Check out the illustration.
3. Center punch the fastener locations in the drop-in liner using the mat as a template.
4. Drill 1/4 inch hole in the drop-in liner and then press the tree fastener firmly into position. Use a drill stop to prevent damaging the truck bed. Also, do not drill through the mat material.
Note that bed mats are designed to fit most major brands of drop-in liners and perforations are provided in strategic areas on some models in assistance in trimming for a better fit. However, if you buy a universal mat, the mat can be cut to fit any drop-in liner application.
Frequently asked questions
If water gets underneath my BedRug mat, will it cause my bed to rust?
While BedRug’s closed-cell polymer construction cannot hold water, the paint in your bed is designed to shed water just like the paint on your truck does. This is because the BedRug mat works with your factory drain holes to get rid of any moisture. Unlike drop-in liners that can scuff and scratch the bed with use and spray-in liners which scuff the paint before application, the BedRug’s non-abrasive backing will not damage your paint or cause your bed to rust.
My truck has a factory cargo management system. Can the BedRug mat interfere with it?
Your BedRug mat cannot interfere with your vehicle’s factory cargo management system because BedRug bed mat is model, make and year specific. We have also designed the BedRug mat to allow accessibility and full use to all OEM cargo management systems due to the growing popularity of cargo management systems.
Can I use Amor All on WeatherTech truck bed mats?
We do not recommend using Amor All or any other silicone-based cleaner as this can make the surface to be slippery. Also, avoid using abrasive type cleaners or harsh chemicals because they can damage the bed mats.