Tonneau covers describe a bed cover for a pickup truck. They can be hard or soft. Hard Truck Bed covers are usually hinged or folded. Tonneau covers were used for an open rear passenger compartment of an SUV or truck and, by extension, a body style incorporating such a compartment.
Most truck beds were fixed in place as an optional element at purchase, but some could be removed and customized. Early Truck Beds had a rear-facing hinged door but single or dual side doors were soon introduced to the market.
Tonneau covers can be defined as a device that covers the bed of a truck. They are either hard or soft and can be composed of many different materials. Truck Bed covers that are hard usually fold, hinge, or retract.
While most truck bed covers can be installed and uninstalled at will, you can however optionally get your hard truck cover permanently fixed into place.
Earlier truck bed covers only had a rear-facing hinged door. Later, dual-side hinge doors were produced and added to the market. This addition and unique functionality made tonneau covers far more convenient and practical. As a result Truck Bed covers are a common sight and are often used for non-commercial trucks.
What is a Tonneau Cover?
A tonneau or truck bed originally referred to an area located in the rear of a vehicle that was open such as a convertible. So a tonneau cover is as the definition implies, a cover that goes over the open space of the rear of the truck, or what we commonly refer to as the bed.
The use of a truck bed cover extends beyond just sheltering your cargo, the improvement in your aerodynamic profile often increases the fuel economy of the truck. The most justified reason for the use of a tonneau cover is to protect and secure the cargo contained within the bed of the truck.
Design
Tonneau covers come in a variety of styles and colors. And the most simplistic design of the truck bed cover is composed of a tarp and a frame system. The tarp is normally made of many different types of vinyl and weather-resistant materials.
The frame system is comprised of multiple rib-like framing members that span the length of the truck bed and are located at certain specified (or custom) intervals. Some tonneau cover designs may require drilling or the use of permanent adhesives.
If you are after the most aesthetically pleasing truck bed cover then a hard plastic, aluminum, or fiberglass-based tonneau cover is what you need. These hard truck bed covers are quite popular due to the security they provide. Some have the ability to be customized with their own paint scheme or graphical art.
The solid one-piece Truck Bed cover is definitely not the easiest to handle nor store, however they are normally attached for long durations. These hard Truck Bed covers can also be locked shut.
Due to their weight, they are often accompanied by gas struts which aid in the opening and closing of the Truck Bed cover. Depending upon which type of cover you do get, it can be lifted in different positions with different configurations.
Truck Bed Covers are a unique solution to a common problem, whether you need to protect your cargo from the weather or if you are trying to add style and flair to your truck. Don’t forget the increased fuel economy by the use of a tonneau cover.
You can be at ease when investing in one of the tonneau covers we recommend, as we only recommend top-quality truck bed covers that are composed of the finest quality materials.
Security
With high-quality tonneau covers, you can carry your tools and other valuables without having to worry about running into bad weather. These weather-resistant covers are so well designed that they are sure to keep the contents of the bed of your truck safe and dry.
Besides being weather-resistant covers that protect your cargo and tools, there are other things you need to protect your items from, thieves. With many of the hard truck bed covers, you can increase security by locking the tonneau cover shut.
This extra security measure allows you to leave your vehicle with peace of mind even if you have valuables inside the bed of your truck. Tonneau covers also prevent you from having to tie down your items. The cover prevents items from being thrown out by wind or falling out from severe bouncing.
As previously stated, there are many different types of tonneau covers, each type has its unique advantages and disadvantages. Before investing in a truck bed cover you should educate yourself on the different types of bed covers.
Types of Truck Bed Covers
Solid Covers
By far the most secure truck cover that you can get. Composed of hard plastic, and/or fiberglass, these sturdy solid, one-piece tonneaus are high-quality covers that can be customized with body art and paint to give you a unique look that cannot be found on another truck.
Solid truck bed covers also offer the best security as they cannot be cut into and would require some measurable destructive force to break into. They are however difficult to remove. And also do not provide 100% access to the truck bed.
Soft Roll-Up
Roll-up truck bed covers are an interesting solution to a common problem that many truck drivers have. These types of covers allow you to easily cover and uncover your truck’s bed by extending or retracting the cover.
While the security in a soft roll-up truck cover cannot compare to that of a hard tonneau cover. It still offers great weather protection and its ease of removal makes it a more versatile solution. Soft covers also cost much less than hard tonneau covers.
Hard Folding Covers
Consider to be the next big trend in tonneau cover design, these folding truck bed covers can be folded up and folded out into place. They are normally less rigid than that of a solid bed cover but are far easier to install, uninstall and store. While still providing security for the cargo. The
Retractable Covers
Retractable covers are probably one of the most manageable covers. They are designed to glide along rails attached to the bed of a truck. These retractable covers easily retract into a slim storage box located inside the front of the truck bed.
But these covers are still rigid aluminum panels that will not wear and tear as quickly as a soft truck tonneau cover.
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