• The best type of truck bed liner depends on your hauling needs.truck with boat image by palms from Fotolia.com
  
  Truck bed liners protect the back of your truck from paint scratches, dents and other damages caused by carrying objects in your truck bed. It also shields your truck bed from the elements which can cause damage to the bed of a truck. You have the choice of four different types of bed liners.
  
  

Spray-on Bed Liners

• As the most expensive type of truck bed liner, spray-on bed liners last forever and come in a do-it-yourself kit. Before applying the adhesive polyurethane/rubber material, you need to sand down the existing paint job so the rubber spray permanently sticks to the truck bed. You also want to protect the rest of your vehicle from getting sprayed by using plastic sheeting or traps. The process takes about a day, though drying times may differ. Not only does the rubber spray protect your truck bed from scratching and denting under heavy loads, it keeps your load from sliding around while driving. The spray-on bed liner also works well on old trucks, protecting the truck beds from further damage. Plus, they come in an array of colors.
  
  

Drop-in Bed Liners

• If you haul rough loads such as construction equipment, concrete blocks or brick, you may want to invest in drop-in bed liner to protect your truck. Made out of durable plastic, you can have one of these bed liners customized to fit your truck, use a standard size one, or cut a standard size bed liner down to fit your truck. While these affordable and removable bed liners have their benefits, they also have their drawbacks. Drop-in bed liners wear out in about five years time, hide water which causes your truck bed to rust, slide around if not custom-made causing your paint to scratch off, and create noise when driving at high speeds.
  
  

Material bed liners

• Material bed liners, also referred to as carpet bed liners, give your truck a sophisticated look and compliment expensive trucks. These lush yet durable liners often resist both water and staining as well as protect your truck from sharp objects that might scratch or dent the bed. They also clean easily and prevent your cargo from sliding around. These liners are made to custom fit your truck bed so you don't have to worry about them moving around.
  
  

Mats

• If you're on a budget, purchase mats for your truck bed. These bed liners don't protect your truck bed as well as the other bed liners, but they do prevent cargo from sliding around. Plus, you can easily roll the mats out when you need them and remove them when you don't. When choosing your mat, make sure to buy one with an appropriate thickness to suit your cargo.