What Should You Do Before Getting a Spray-In Bedliner?

You've decided to protect your pickup with a spray-in bedliner. Before the appointment, there are a few things worth thinking about — and most of them have less to do with the coating itself than with how you use your truck.

A good bedliner installation begins with understanding the truck, its condition and the accessories that need to work with the finished liner.

1. Empty the Truck Bed

Remove your tools, cargo, loose equipment and personal belongings before the appointment.

That sounds obvious, but it also gives you an opportunity to look closely at the bed itself. Scratches, dents, previous repairs, corrosion and old coatings are much easier to evaluate when the bed is empty.

2. Tell the Installer About Existing Rust or Damage

Don't worry about trying to hide an ugly truck bed. The installer needs to know what is underneath the coating.

Surface corrosion, loose paint, previous repairs or old bedliner material can affect preparation. Severe rust may need additional repair before coating is appropriate.

3. Think About Your Tonneau Cover, Toolbox or Rack

This is one of the most important planning questions.

Tonneau covers, caps, toolboxes, racks, tie-down systems, bed slides and other accessories may use the same rails and mounting areas that could otherwise receive bedliner.

If you already own those accessories — or know you are going to add them — tell the installer before the truck is sprayed.

If you're also considering a truck bed cover, APS provides tonneau cover and truck accessory installation in Fairfax.

4. Decide Whether You Want Over-the-Rail or Under-the-Rail Coverage

With under-the-rail coverage, the liner stops below the upper horizontal bed rails.

With over-the-rail coverage, the coating continues across those surfaces to protect areas that frequently see contact during loading.

The better choice depends on how the truck is used and what accessories will be installed.

5. Consider UV Protection

If the truck spends most of its life outside with an uncovered bed, long-term appearance may matter to you.

Black bedliners can experience cosmetic fading or dulling after prolonged sunlight exposure. APS currently offers an optional UV-protection upgrade for owners interested in better long-term appearance retention.

6. Don't Try to Prepare the Bed Yourself Unless Asked

Professional preparation is more than making the bed look clean.

Wax, grease, silicone, oil and other contamination can interfere with adhesion. Painted surfaces also need to be consistently prepared so the coating can bond correctly.

Random sanding, chemical treatments or consumer products applied immediately before the appointment can actually make professional preparation more complicated.

7. Tell the Installer How You Use the Truck

A truck that carries camping equipment and bicycles has different requirements from a landscaping truck, contractor vehicle or commercial fleet pickup.

How you load the truck, what you carry and which surfaces receive the most abuse can influence coverage and other installation decisions.

What Happens After You Drop the Truck Off?

A professional installation typically involves much more than simply pointing a spray gun into the bed.

The process may include inspection, disassembly of appropriate components, cleaning, abrasion and surface preparation, extensive masking, controlled application, finishing, inspection and reassembly.

The Best Preparation Is Good Communication

You do not need to arrive as a bedliner expert.

What is useful is telling the installer about the condition of the truck, how you use it, which accessories are installed and what accessories you plan to add later.

APS's Complete Guide to Spray-In Bedliners explains the entire installation process, materials, preparation, coverage, maintenance and cost in considerably more detail.

When you're ready to protect your truck, visit our spray-in bedliner installation page for service information and scheduling.