Composite Bed - To spray or not?

Hey folks! New member here. I am looking at getting a Tundra in the next few month and something that is foreign to me is the composite bed. It seems to me that with the composite bed you would not need a spray in liner but it seems like most I am seeing are optioned with it from the factory.

So my question is are most of you getting it lined and are you doing factory or aftermarket like Line X? Hopefully this has not been asked before...didn't see anything when I searched.

Thank you!

 

My Tacoma has the composite bed. It's been great for over 6 years. Personally I don't think a spray is needed. Maybe a bed mat as the bed will let things slide around.

 

There are two sides to this question: Needed vs. Justified.

• Needed: Is a spray-in bedliner needed on a composite bed? - No. Unlike standard beds, a composite bed won't rust and is less prone to puncture damage. This eliminates two major reasons why people get their bed sprayed.
• Justified: Am I glad my Tundra came with it optioned? Hell yes! Having had a composite bed on my old Taco for years, I like the texture of a spray-in bedliner. It keeps things from sliding around. I've tried bed mats before, but I generally get two summers out of them before they start to "eye lash" (i.e. curl up) all long the edges. The desert sun just dries them up so I stopped wasting money on them a long time ago. It's the same reason why you rarely see asphalt singles in the desert.

People have differing opinions on this. It's almost as divisive of a subject as the TT V6 vs V8 debate.

In the end, it all depends on your willingness to part with ~$500 to spray it. I did it, I'm glad I did it, and I would do it again without a second thought. My 2 cents.

 

My friend has the composite on his Tacoma. I prefer the spray bedliner.

 

I have always had plastic beds and never seen a issue. I don’t find them slick as ice even snow covered like some say. I tie down what I don’t want to slide around if I think it will.

I would get a bed mat before the factory spray in liner personally. As it’s like sand paper and seems like it will scratch anything you slide across it if that’s of any concern.

 

I would get the bed mat. I have a Tacoma with the composite bed. I think there are advantages to both a slipper surface and grippy one. I find it much easier to move furniture in the truck bed with the slippery composite material. If I need something more grippy so items don't roll around then I just insert the rubber bed mat. The bed mat is cheaper, easily removable, and functional. A spray-in bedliner is more of a permanent solution. Have the best of both and get the rubber bed mat.

 

Mine is coming with the composite bed in it, with the bed mat. My 2019 has spray-in and it's quite slick, IMO

 

My new 2022 Tundra has the factory spray on and it's extremely rough. Like super coarse sprayed on sandpaper. It'll probably tear up any light pants if you have to get a knee on it or sit for a bit. I would not get again. 100% rubber bed liner mat instead.

 

I would go bed mat and tonneau cover.

the spray ins just chew my stuff up too much, I don't haul gravel or other stuff. at least with the composite you don't have to worry about the paint scratching and rust like before, thats the main reason I got spray ins in years past.

 

Anyone know if the spray on is removable? It actually looks more like a glued on mat at some areas. It's clean cut at the edges. But tie down hooks etc are sprayed with the same material.

 

It's not like plasti-dip...you can't peel it, if that's what you're thinking of when you say "removeable."

Can you remove a spray-in bedliner? Sure. If you've got a DA sander, sanding blocks, solvent, and about 20+ hours of labor to spare. I've seen it done when a LineX shop had to repair shotty work done by a shady Rhino liner dealer.

It's not a job I would wish upon my worst enemy.

 

Hah! That's uh, not what I was hoping for...

See attached pics..it looks sprayed on the side, but clean cut and almost peelable from the plastic liner underneath. I guess worse case if I really can't stand it any longer is to replace the plastic bedliner and leave it on the sidewalls.

 

Yup. That's how my spray-in liner looks too. That just means they did a really good job at taping everything off (or whatever method they use for "masking" at the factory) when they sprayed it. Clean tape lines. I'm sure that the factory application calls for a hefty amount of adhesion promotor to get the compound to adequately adhere to the composite bed.

 

Allright, well that settles that! At least they dood a good job even if it's not something I'm a fan of. Thanks for the replies.

 

Bed mat has great grip. Nothing slides.

 

I'm now convinced that they made the spray-on so aggressive that a large majority will end up buying the rubber bed mat on top of it...smart move Toyota!

 

I have a 22 Platinum with factory spray on. I definitely think a mat or spray would be wanted, as the composite would be very slick and stuff will slide everywhere. With that said, I hate the factory spray job; it is like 24 grit sandpaper, no exaggeration. I've had Linex spray on before and it doesn't compare. As a matter of fact, I took the truck by Linex and they were dumbfounded when they looked at it. It is so rough, it is going to destroy anything put back there, I'm glad I'm installing a bedslide so stuff won't have ride on it.

 

2019 here with spray in bed liner, Toyota rubber bed mat and Retrax bed cover
No sliding issues and relatively secure bed
Expensive but well worth it for a truck I'm going to keep for a very long time.

 

When I had a Taco, I had only an official Taco bed mat and loved it. Nothing slid.

 

BedRug

 

No spray-in bed liner, no bed mat, or anything.

In fact...take the bed box off entirely and just fabricate your own flat bed out of 2x4's or 2x6's like in the old days.

 

There are those trucks down here in the south. The elements and termites are not their friend

 

Mine came without the factory spray in. I asked my sales guy about spraying an aftermarket liner and his response confused me. He told me that the composite bed is not designed for a spray in. But it's an option, right? Not crazy around a mat as leaves and twigs and s..t get under the mat and then you have to remove the mat to clean the bed, etc. Going to try the composite alone for a while.

 

If it's one thing buying a 2022 Tundra has taught me is that most salespeople know very little about what they're selling nowadays. Same goes for the parts counter people. There are a few seasoned veterans still out there, but they are a dying breed.

Also, whenever you ask them a question they don't know, it seems they all have masters degrees from MSU (Make $hit Up). Instead of just saying, "I don't know" or "Let me find out" they prefer to just throw out some random bull$hit. Regardless of whether it's right or wrong.

I say all of this because the last time I bought a vehicle was back in 2013 and my sales guy back then was a grizzled veteran of the car industry. He was a 20+ year guy. Unfortunately, I moved across the country since then otherwise I would've called him up. My salesperson for the 2022 Tundra was an "Internet Salesperson" and I'm pretty sure I taught him as much about the truck then he learned from his marketing kit.

 

Question Before I Go back To Dealer | Toyota Tundra Forum (tundras.com)

If you decide to get the spray on bedliner, have them do it during the build. It's looks better than aftermarket.

 

MSU....I like that, gonna have to use that one. I totally agree.

 

...and you get the "TUNDRA" logo.

 

I vouch for bed mats haha
personally, I don't really like the spray-on liners as they're a bit too abrasive and can scratch paint off of a toolbox

 

Does a non-sprayed bed not say "Toyota". I had just assumed they sprayed over the name.

 

For my sprayed in OEM liner. Have hauled some bags of gravel, mulch, tools and crap and keeps stuff from sliding around and no dings yet to it.
I installed one of the bed to tailgate flaps that keep rocks/gravel from getting between the two. Really helps keep bumper area clean and not to accidentally dent your own truck by trying to slam tailgate on a socket or such!!( yes I did that on a new Duramax 3500 the day after I purchased it 5 years ago!! )