Very low cost DIY 2019 Ford Ranger Hillbilly Truck Bed Protector

[DIYAndy]

Very low cost DIY 2019 Ford Ranger Hillbilly Truck Bed Protector

Vendor(s): Home Depot, Lowe's or any lumber store.
Description: This heavy duty 3/4" pressure treated, ground contact, exterior plywood is cut to fit between wheel humps and length of truck bed liner. This will help protect my truck bed from heavy loaded objects in addition to my already poly coated and sprayed truck bed liner.
Size: (for ~6' truck bed) 43 1/2"(w) x 72 1/8" (l) (Please verify all measurements - same trucks differ a little)
Cost: ~$36 Home Depot
Comments: Have Home Depot cut it from a 4'x 8' plywood sheet for FREE.
A lot cheaper and very replaceable if damaged than a rubber or a carpet truck bed mats.
For a more stylish, black color look, use an "untreated" 3/4 plywood sheet and poly coat it with a DIY poly truck bed liner kit. For example, Herculiner can be bought at Lowe's. Be sure to rough up the plywood sheet with sandpaper for proper adhesion. You won't find a cheaper solution!

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[Monty]

Very low cost DIY 2019 Ford Ranger Hillbilly Truck Bed Protector

Vendor(s): Home Depot, Lowe's or any lumber store.
Description: This heavy duty 3/4" pressure treated, ground contact, exterior plywood is cut to fit between wheel humps and length of truck bed liner. This will help protect my truck bed from heavy loaded objects in addition to my already poly coated and sprayed truck bed liner.
Size: (for ~6' truck bed) 43 1/2"(w) x 72 1/8" (l) (Please verify all measurements - same trucks differ a little)
Cost: ~$36 Home Depot
Comments: Have Home Depot cut it from a 4'x 8' plywood sheet for FREE.
A lot cheaper and very replaceable if damaged than a rubber or a carpet truck bed mats.
For a more stylish, black color look, use an "untreated" 3/4 plywood sheet and poly coat it with a DIY poly truck bed liner kit. For example, Herculiner can be bought at Lowe's. But sure to rough up the plywood sheet with sandpaper for proper adhesion. You won't find a cheaper solution!

The DeeZee rubber bed liner is now available for $80 at:
https://www.carid.com

 

[Toytec]

Down here we call that the Carolina Duralina

 

[DIYAndy]

Down here we call that the Carolina Duralina

Google slang search reveals nothing - what is the Carolina Duralina?
A piece of plywood?

 

[Toytec]

Google slang search reveals nothing - what is the Carolina Duralina?
A piece of plywood?

Yup!!

 

[DIYAndy]

On another note: For security, if the "Carolina Duralina" is cut lengthwise exactly which causes truck bed to jam against the plywood. The only way to remove the plywood sheet is to unlock and open the tailgate. Even if someone did remove the 3/4" heavy pressure treated plywood they would need "The Hulk" to carry it for them.

 

[Dean]

Hmmm....
http://rubbercal.com/rubber-mat/corrugated-rubber/

Hmmm..hmmm...
http://rubbercal.com/rubber-mat/heavy-duty-truck-mats/

But buying the raw rubber mat is still not cheaper than the $90 custom fit one!
Go figure...

Now that gets me thinking... Get a mat from one of the more common trucks that is cheaper and that has a bigger bed and cut it down to fit the Ranger.

Of course...if you can stand it. Put your old Sport Trac bed liner in your Ranger. Yep it's too small but heck, it just a mat!

 

[DIYAndy]

After several months of rain and blistering heat my plywood truck bed protection (Carolina Duralina) is still good. Having the plywood cut exactly to fit/jam the truck bed will help prevent it from warping and bending.
The only plywood distortion is hairline cracks in the wood - this inexpensive truck bed protector should
last for years.

 

[THLONE]

Tractor supply horse mat black non slip very heavy

 

[DIYAndy]

Tractor supply horse mat black non slip very heavy

That will also work. The TS rubber matts are made from recycled rubber and have a pungent smell but after a few days they are OK - I used them on my deck.
The 4' x 6' x 3/4" stall matt will fit perfect in the Ranger after cutting it with a utility knife for the wheel humps and truck bed. Very economical ~ $44 and heavy.

Pic below is not a Ranger but has the stall matt installed BUT the picture shows a very small truck because the Ranger's width is greater than 5 feet and the stall matt is only 4 feet wide?

 

[Dean]

I like the idea of the horse mat. How does 4ftx6ft fit perfect? The Ranger crew bed is 5ft deep and more than 4ft across.

 

[DIYAndy]

The Ranger crew bed is 5ft deep and more than 4ft across.

My Ranger XL width is greater than 5 feet - I tried to point this out (above). The vendor's stall matt shows it fitting "perfectly" in a truck bed. I have no idea what truck they are showing, with the stall matt, but the matt width will not fit "perfectly" in a Ranger but for the price and function it will/should do the job
My plywood Carolina Duralina does not fit the "whole" truck bed exactly but for the price and function it will also do the job in protecting the truck bed from damage! If you want 100% truck bed protection coverage then both solutions above will not cut it.
addition 7/24/19 14:13
BTW … You could cut 2 stall matts and make them fit perfectly and double the cost!

 

[Mpro2]

Very low cost DIY 2019 Ford Ranger Hillbilly Truck Bed Protector

Vendor(s): Home Depot, Lowe's or any lumber store.
Description: This heavy duty 3/4" pressure treated, ground contact, exterior plywood is cut to fit between wheel humps and length of truck bed liner. This will help protect my truck bed from heavy loaded objects in addition to my already poly coated and sprayed truck bed liner.
Size: (for ~6' truck bed) 43 1/2"(w) x 72 1/8" (l) (Please verify all measurements - same trucks differ a little)
Cost: ~$36 Home Depot
Comments: Have Home Depot cut it from a 4'x 8' plywood sheet for FREE.
A lot cheaper and very replaceable if damaged than a rubber or a carpet truck bed mats.
For a more stylish, black color look, use an "untreated" 3/4 plywood sheet and poly coat it with a DIY poly truck bed liner kit. For example, Herculiner can be bought at Lowe's. Be sure to rough up the plywood sheet with sandpaper for proper adhesion. You won't find a cheaper solution!

Same idea I thought of, but thinking about covering plywood with some indoor/outdoor carpet. I have replaced carpet many times in boats before, and this would be cheap and easy . Maybe another $30-40 for the contact cement and carpet. Just my 2 cents...

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