bed weather (rain) protection?

[Charles123]

Hello, I live in Oregon and my truck is too large to fit in my garage, you may know it rains quite a bit around here, and sometime freeze/snow
What's the best way to protect my truck from the weather? a lot of people around here have full caps, but they're expensive and I suspect they may be inconvenient when you want to haul stuff in the bed. I don't really have a place to keep the cap on the side on the house on poles or similar.
There is already some rust in the bed (it's a 2018, so not surprising) although no holes (yet?). Some years ago I sanded rust off (what a pain!) and simply (spray) painted the bed. I used cans from the Home Depot (Rustoleum?) and the result was not especially pretty, and didn't hold well over time. I'm looking for a better (and somewhat cheap) option. I hope to get a new(er) truck in the next couple of years, so just trying to keep this one OK and resalable.

Would a rug mat (like Lasfit) protect from rain, or will the water pool under it and make it worse, just not visible?
I think a do-it-yourself spray liner could be a good option?
I think another option would be a tonneau cover, do those keep the rain out pretty well? They would also protect my stuff. I like the idea of a hard cover but then they won't fold all the way? for example this one form Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/CARMOCAR-Tri-Fold-Replacement-2015-2020-Styleside/dp/B08CDJMQT1 it looks like 1/3 of the bed is never uncovered (I love the pic where they show a couple people standing on it to show how sturdy it is)

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[miniceptor86]

The two folding covers I had went one fold farther than what’s shown in your photo, right up against the cab window. With out getting down to bare metal and a proper primer and top coat you will have rust just from humidity in the air. A professionally applied spray in bed liner would be my choice.

 

[Ricksc]

Trying to stay cheap makes it harder to do. I did spray in bed liner around $600 then back flip cover about $1000. Folds all the way up against back window if I want it too. Maybe you can get by with just a spray in bed liner unless you want to keep stuff out of bed. Personally would stay a way from bed mat for it keeping moisture underneath it.

 

[Buyer2021]

My one-owner 2005 F150 with its steel 6.5ft box has spent its entire life outdoors in harsh Texas sun and weather. I briefly had a heavy Tractor Supply bed-mat in it but quickly got tired of dirt / debris / water collecting under it; at about 1-year old it got a standard Line-X spray-in liner, including the tailgate, and abandoned the bed mat. It's never had any sort of bed-cover, that would interfere with my use habits, I need an un-encumbered bed without any damage-prone tracks or rails along the side edges.

It's been a working truck living for 20 years on rural property serving horse-ownership, pasture maintenance, barn and residential construction, hauling felled trees and brush, etc, etc, etc. Countless rough pallets of feed, materials, and equipment have been slid into / out of that bed. Never abused but never coddled, the truck, like me, has enjoyed a life of hard work in the country befitting its designed purpose.

• The still OE plastic bed-rail caps have faded to a uniform charcoal grey
• The Line-X has similarly faded to a matching uniform charcoal grey
• Not a single chip through the Line-X
• Not a spec of rust in the bed

IMO it's wearing its age very well, remains solid, aesthetically pleasing, though no longer my daily driver it's a reliable second vehicle and is regularly exercised.

Given that experience, my 2022 aluminum-bed F150 got the Line-X within a week of delivery. I have no concerns about the appearance or longevity of either of my trucks' beds.

Just for your consideration.

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