Choosing Between Spray-On and Drop-In Bedliners: What’s the Difference?

Don Johnston, National Sales Manager for Penda, helps us break down the difference between spray-on and drop-in bedliners. Explore the features and benefits of each and discover which is right for you.

As a truck owner, you recognize the importance of protecting your investment. After all, it’s possible to spend as much money on a truck as you would a house. But in this case, your ride began depreciating the moment you drove off the lot.

That’s why the first stop after the dealership is often the parts store. And faced with a wealth of truck accessories, you might just walk out of there armed with nerf bars, floor liners, seat covers, and maybe even a bull bar or grille guard. While these are all great for keeping various parts of the truck intact, they do nothing for the truck’s most crucial component: the bed.

What Are Bedliners?

Before diving into the difference between spray-on and drop-in bedliners, it’s important to understand what a bedliner is and how it differs from a bed mat.

Cheaper than bedliners and just as readily available, bed mats are indeed a great option for many truck owners. Many are custom-molded to the truck, and some feature textured undersides that leave room for airflow and drainage. They also double nicely as a workshop or garage mat, since they can easily be removed from the truck.

Unfortunately, bed mats only offer minimal protection, and they only cover the floor of the truck bed. Great for small cargo or providing a nice tush-cushion when tailgating, they won’t do much when something big and bulky finds its way back there, like a load of gravel or your friend’s enormous bedroom dresser. Even something like a toolbox can quickly shift while driving and crash into the side of the bed. Trust us, when it does, the damage to the paint and sheet metal will make you squeal.

Bedliners offer more complete protection. Available in spray-on and drop-in configurations, they cover both the floor and sides of the truck bed, as well as the tailgate. Both materials help prevent dents and scratches that chip away at the value of your truck. And while either option will cost you more than a traditional bed mat in upfront costs, a quality bedliner could ultimately save you hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars in the long run.

Spray-On vs Drop-In: What’s the Big Difference?

Bedliners consist of two main options: spray-on or drop-in. Neither is new, but both are ever-advancing in terms of construction and design.

Spray-on

Spray-on bedliners are applied like paint. The best spray-on liners are made of a material known as polyurea. This material is applied through a high-pressure, high-temperature application to promote proper adhesion to the bed’s surface. The result is a rubberized layer of protection that permanently remains on the sheet metal.

Often found in the heavy-equipment industry and the military, spray-on liners are growing in popularity, particularly thanks to high-quality DIY kits. They offer a distinct look that mirrors an OE finish, and a level of protection that many truck owners feel is superior. Some people actually apply spray-on coatings to their entire truck…

A common complaint for spray-on bedliners is that they can fade over time. Advancements in material and technology, however, have helped address this issue and improved UV protection and resistance. Plus, some companies offer “renewal” services that can restore a damaged or dull-looking spray-on bedliner back to its original luster.

Drop-in

Drop-in bedliners, by comparison, are made of rubber or hard plastic and drop into the truck bed. Some, like Penda bedliners are constructed of high-density polyethylene. Strong but flexible, this material is great for high-impact protection because when an object hits the bed, the liner absorbs the shock. Drop-in bedliners also conceal previous dings and dents like a champ, and are well-known for their excellent skid-resistance.

Compared to spray-on liners, drop-in bedliners are much easier to install and noticeably less expensive. Plus, they are removable, so if you change your mind or sell the truck, neither you nor the new owner is beholden to a lifetime of bedliner. However, because they are removable, it is really important to buy one that is specially made for your vehicle. Otherwise, it can become loose and shift around, causing more harm than good.

This leads to the common complaint for drop-in bedliners. Many people argue that these liners can trap debris and moisture underneath, leading to corrosion of the truck bed – the very thing they are designed to protect. However, as Don Johnston, National Sales Manager for Penda tells us, moisture retention is not an issue for quality, custom-fit drop-in bedliners like those from Penda.

“Our precise fit greatly eliminates the opportunity for moisture retention and all beds built today have drain holes anyway,” he explains, debunking the myth. “We also have plugs for all tie down holes, so materials such as mulch can’t get through them.”

Penda Drop-In Bedliners

Drop-in bedliners may have taken a back seat in recent years, as truck owners gravitate to the signature finish and long-lasting protection of the spray-on liner. For that reason, we asked Johnston to tell us what kind of innovations are occurring in the drop-in sphere, and why a shopper shouldn’t be so quick to rule out the cost-effective option.

“At Penda, we use aluminum molds, and we rotary thermoform our bedliners for a superior fit and look,” he says. “Plus, because we use high-density polyethylene and a unique ribbed design, our bedliners not only look great but also hold up much better than other bed protection products. I challenge anyone to throw something into the bed with one of our bedliners and penetrate the material.”

While drop-in liners may seem like a simple line of product, plenty of R&D goes into their design, he adds. “Not only do we test each model for fit and temperature extremes before they are released to our customers, but we also have to remain compatible with all other accessory options. It is definitely a challenge these days to keep up with all the tie downs, cargo management products, and other bed accessories that affect our bedliners.”

So, Which Is Right For You?

Spray-On Bedliners

Spray-on liners are a bigger investment, but often pay for themselves in their ability to stand up to weather, water, rust, and corrosion. They look fantastic and they’re generally good to last for the life of the truck. In some cases, they can even boost your resale value.

However, being a permanent addition, it’s critical you turn to a quality installer. DIY products sound great, but they don’t necessarily make life easier. If improperly applied, you could be facing flaking, peeling, and bubbling – not mention potentially voiding parts of your vehicle warranty.

Drop-In Bedliners

If you’re leery of making such a permanent commitment or you prefer something easy to install, the drop-in liner might be right for you. Technological advancements have allowed quality manufacturers like Penda to create truly durable and long-lasting product – while maintaining cost-effectiveness and a no-brainer installation process.

According to Johnston, a Penda drop-in bedliner actually offers up to 7 times more impact resistance than most spray-on coatings, due to the company’s ribbed design and HDPE material. “They also have up to 8 times more UV protection and up to 4 times more protection from sidewall impact,” he says.

It’s also worth noting that Penda bedliners are 100% recyclable. Because they are constructed of a thermoplastic material, they can be melted and recast over and over again. “Spray-ons are not only not recyclable,” says Johnston, “but they may actually reduce the ability to recycle the truck’s sheet metal.”

Both spray-on and drop-in bedliners have their pros and cons – and both have their fans and detractors. While we can’t tell you which option is ultimately better for your truck, we can tell you Penda is a go-to in the drop-in space. So, if you decide a drop-in bedliner is more up your alley, we encourage you to check out the company’s website and fit your truck today.