Will tonneau cover work with bed liner?

Over the past few years, tonneau covers have become a must-have accessory for most truck owners. They are very convenient and provide protection and privacy for your truck bed. In addition to tonneau covers, to better protect every inch of the interior of the truck bed from damage, car owners will also add bed liners to their vehicles. Many car owners will think of combining them, which will lead to the question "Will the tonneau cover work with bed liner?" In this article, we will discuss how the two need to match and how to install a tonneau cover on a truck with a bed liner.

Considerations for whether tonneau cover and bed liner are compatible

If you want your tonneau cover and bed liner to be perfectly matched, please carefully weigh and judge from the following four aspects before purchasing them.

Installation method

Most tonneau covers are installed through slots or bolts that are fixed to the edge of the cargo box. The bed liner covers the interior of the cargo box, including the sides and bottom. When installing, make sure that the bed liner does not interfere with the fixing structure of the tonneau cover. Some drop-in bed liners will increase the thickness of the cargo box edge, causing the tonneau cover to not fit tightly and require adjustment.

Edge design

The design of the bed liner covering the edge of the truck bed will directly affect the installation of the tonneau cover. For example, a spray-on liner (spray-on Bed Liner) fits perfectly to the cargo box and does not add thickness, so it has less impact on the installation of the tonneau cover. In contrast, a drop-in liner adds additional thickness to the edge area, which may interfere with the tonneau cover's slots, clips, or rails.

Conflict of fixing points

Some tonneau covers rely on attachment points inside the cargo box that may be covered by the bed liner, requiring cutting or modification of the bed liner for installation. For example, installing a flush-fitting tonneau cover may require additional adjustments or the use of custom mounting hardware.

Sealing issues

The tonneau cover needs to fit snugly against the edge of the cargo box to prevent water, dust, and debris from entering the cargo box. If the bed liner increases the edge thickness or makes the mounting surface uneven, it will affect the sealing performance of the tonneau cover.

The impact of different types of bed liners on tonneau cover

Not all bed liners will affect the installation of a tonneau cover. Only bed liners that affect the sides and edges of the truck bed will hinder the installation of a tonneau cover to some extent. The following are four common types of bed liners:

Spray-on bed liner

A spray-on bed liner is directly sprayed on the surface of the cargo box to form a protective coating, which hardly increases the thickness of the cargo box and has good compatibility. Therefore, it will not affect the installation and sealing of the tonneau cover. Spray-on bed liner will not change the original structure of the cargo box, and any type of tonneau cover can be used with it, such as roll-on, folding or hard cover. If the quality of spraying is not good and the surface is not smooth enough, it may cause water leakage at the edge of the tonneau cover.

Drop-in bed liner

Drop-in liners are pre-made plastic or rubber liners that are embedded directly into the cargo box. They cover the edges and bottom of the cargo box, adding thickness to the edges of the cargo box and preventing the tonneau cover mounting clamps or rails from fully aligning with the edges of the cargo box, interfering with the installation of the tonneau cover. Installation requires cutting or modification of the liner.

Carpet bed liner

This type of liner does not cover the edges of the cargo box, it focuses on protecting the bottom and sides of the cargo box and interferes less with the installation of the tonneau cover. Although this type of liner is more compatible, if the carpet liner is too thick, it will slightly affect the fixing structure of some low-end tonneau covers, especially in the area where the liner contacts the edge of the cargo box.

Rubber bed mat

The rubber bed liner only covers the bottom of the cargo box and does not affect the edges of the cargo box. This liner works well with any type of tonneau cover and does not create installation issues. Since it only covers the bottom, the rubber liner can be easily used with most tonneau covers without any adjustments to the liner or the tonneau cover.

How do you install a tonneau cover with a bed liner?

Installing a tonneau cover for a pickup with a bed liner is not much different than installing one without one. When you install a flush bed liner, you may need to make additional cuts so that the tonneau cover fits snugly into the bed liner. Here is a quick step-by-step guide:

Determine the tonneau cover's mounting points

After you have applied the waterproof seal to the front of the truck bed, move your tonneau cover over the truck bed and open it completely. Depending on the model of the tonneau cover, determine the handle mounting point, and it is best to mark it with a marker.

Cut the bed liner (if necessary)

If your bed liner is a plastic liner that covers the mounting points, you will need to use a utility knife to slightly cut the bed liner to expose where the mounting rails or clamps will be mounted.

Secure the tonneau cover

Align the tonneau cover's clamps or bolts with the holes you just cut and snap them into the guide rails to ensure that the tonneau cover is fixed. It is important to tighten the clamps or bolts moderately to ensure that the track is secure but do not over-tighten to avoid damaging the bed liner or track.

Check the tightness of the tonneau cover

After installation, close the tonneau cover and check whether its front and sides fit tightly around the truck bed. If there is a gap, adjust the track or add sealing strips in time to ensure waterproof performance. Finally, open and close the tonneau cover repeatedly to ensure that it can operate smoothly and that there is no looseness.

Bed liner and tonneau cover installation challenges

Now that we know the common types of bed liners, let’s look at the challenges of installing a tonneau cover on a truck with a bed liner.

Increased edge thickness

Drop-in bed liners (such as plastic or rubber liners) add extra thickness to the top edge and side walls of the cargo box. This added thickness can prevent tonneau covers that rely on clamps, rails, or slots on the cargo box edge from fitting snugly to the cargo box edge. You will need to modify the bed liner (such as cutting off some of the excess edge material) or choose a tonneau cover that is specifically designed to accommodate thick edges.

Bent or deformed edge

When installing a drop-in bed liner, if the liner does not fit perfectly around the edge of the cargo box, it can result in curved, undulating, or irregular shapes around the edge. This can make the tonneau cover's mounting surface uneven, preventing the clips or rails from fitting properly, which can affect their secureness and the cargo box's watertightness. Before installing the liner, carefully measure the edges of the cargo box to ensure that the liner fits the contours of the cargo box as closely as possible. If necessary, use shims under the liner to maintain flatness or manually adjust the edges of the liner.

Covered fixture locations

Some tonneau covers use mounting clamps that attach to the edge or rails inside the cargo box, and some bed liners (especially drop-in liners) completely cover these fixing points, making it impossible to install the mounting clamps. This can reduce the security of the tonneau cover or even make it impossible to install. This requires cutting in the bed liner to expose the tonneau cover's mounting points. Alternatively, you can choose a tonneau cover design that does not affect the clamp fixing points, such as some styles that use a clamp-free installation.

Tonneau cover rails and gaskets interfering

Many hard folding or rolling tonneau covers use side rails to secure them. These rails need to be installed close to the edge of the cargo box. However, the drop-in bed liner will make the edge area of ​​the cargo box too thick, which will hinder the installation of the rails, resulting in an unstable installation and affecting the normal opening and sealing of the tonneau cover.

We can solve this problem by thinning the edge of the bed liner or removing some of the excess material. In addition, some tonneau covers allow the use of adapters or extension clamps, which can also help the rails be installed on the edge of the thick liner.

FAQs

How to cut bed liner for tonneau cover?

• Measure the area to be cut: Measure exactly where you want to cut the bed liner.
• Mark the cut line: Use a marker or chalk to mark the area on the liner that needs to be cut.
• Start cutting: Use a sharp knife or electric saw to slowly cut along the marked line.
• Check the fit: After cutting, put the bed liner back on to check the fit of the liner and make sure the cover will fit properly.
• Sand the edges (optional): If the edges are rough, use sandpaper to smooth them out.