Pickup trucks offer versatility and allow you to carry cargo and other items in them, but sometimes covering the bed to protect it in the winter is essential. How you cover the bed may involve accessories, like tonneau covers or hard bed truck bed covers, that are retractable when you need to use the bed.

Bed Covers

Truck bed covers are available for just about every truck on the market, and many companies produce several kinds, so you have some options to choose from. Retractable bed covers are strong and typically made so that they can be folded back to open up part of the bed or removed completely to open up the entire truck bed when you need it. 

Hard bed covers often require you to install a small track along the top of the bed rail that the panels slide into and can be locked so you can store items under the cover without worrying about anyone getting to them.

Most of these covers can be adjusted to use fewer panels, allowing for things like toolboxes to be installed and to cover the edge of it in order to close the bed area off completely while still allowing access to your tools. If you are considering this option, you may want to check with the manufacturer to see if there is a specific model designed to fit this way on your truck. 

Soft Tonneau Covers

Installing a soft tonneau cover on the bed of your truck can also help keep water and dirt out of the bed when you are not using it. The tonneau cover is installed with snaps or hook and loop fastener tape along the top outer edge of the truck bed, allowing removal if you need to use the bed. 

Because they are fabric, the tonneau can sag in the middle, especially if it rains. But you can purchase a stave kit that allows you to install brackets and wood staves inside the bed to support the cover from underneath. The staves hold the cover-up so water runs off and doesn't gather on the cover. They are also removable, allowing you to take them out when you need the bed space. 

There are also hard tonneau covers made from fiberglass that cover the truck bed and use gas struts to lift and hold them open. They are not removable, so these are better suited to trucks that are not going to haul large items. They are also used when the owner wants something that looks nice, protects the bed, and offers some security for any items that are in the bed when the cover is locked. 

Contact a truck bed cover service, such as Custom Truck, to learn more.