Quick Facts:
- Question: How much bed liner do I need for a 5 to 8 ft truck bed?
- Midsize beds (5 to 6 ft): About 4 to 5 quarts for two coats.
- Full-size beds (5.5 to 8 ft): About 5.5 to 8 quarts for two coats.
- Coverage used: 110 to 130 sq ft per gallon at 10 to 12 mils wet, per the Custom Coat listing.
- Waste allowance: Add 10% for wheel wells, rails and overspray.
- Midsize pick: Custom Coat 1.5-gallon kit (6 quarts mixed).
- Full-size pick: Custom Coat 2-gallon kit (8 quarts mixed).
- Best for: Truck owners planning a DIY spray on bedliner or roll on bedliner job.
 9 min read
In This Guide
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Quick Picks
- Midsize beds: Custom Coat 1.5-Gallon Kit, 6 quarts mixed with a spray gun, for Tacoma, Colorado and other 5 to 6 ft beds. $199.99, price checked November 11, 2026. Check price at Amazon.
- Full-size beds: Custom Coat 2-Gallon Kit, 8 quarts mixed with a spray gun, for 5.5 to 8 ft beds or any bed where you also coat the rails. $244.99, price checked November 11, 2026. Check price at Amazon.
How Much Bed Liner Do I Need? The Short Answer
How much bed liner you need depends on bed length and how many coats you spray. For two coats, a midsize 5 to 6 ft bed takes about 4 to 5 quarts. A full-size bed takes about 5.5 to 8 quarts. These figures use the coverage on the Custom Coat Amazon listing: 110 to 130 sq ft per gallon at 10 to 12 mils wet.
Running short costs more than an extra quart. Custom Coat’s data sheet puts pot life under 1 hour at 68°F, so each coat must finish with the material you mixed. Owners on truck forums repeat the same warning: kits cover less than buyers expect. So buy for two full coats plus a 10% cushion. In kit terms, a midsize bed calls for the Custom Coat 1.5-gallon kit, and a full-size bed calls for the Custom Coat 2-gallon kit.
I drive a 2025 Chevy Colorado ZR2, so the 61.7 in Colorado bed is the row I check first in the table below. If you still need to pick a product, our best DIY truck bed liner roundup compares five kits. This guide answers the next question: how much bed liner to buy once you know which kind you want.
Coverage Starts With a Prepped Bed
Every coverage figure assumes a clean, sanded bed. Custom Coat’s data sheet calls for a wax and grease remover, then 80 to 180 grit sanding or a nylon cup brush. It also lists red scuff pads for tight corners and masking around every edge.
Line up the prep supplies before spray day: wax and grease remover, red scuff pads, 80 to 180 grit sandpaper or a nylon cup brush, and masking tape. With the bed prepped, the coverage numbers below hold.
Prep supplies for a bed liner job
6" x 9" 3M 07447 Scotch-Brite Maroon General Purpose Hand Pads (1-P…
How Much Bed Liner by Bed Length
The table below shows how much bed liner six common beds need. Each area figure adds the floor, both side walls, the front wall and the inside of the tailgate. Bed dimensions come from dealer pages quoting Toyota and Chevrolet specs, so treat the square footage as a close estimate. Wheel wells and rail tops add more area, which the 10% allowance covers.
| Truck and bed (floor length) | Approx. area | One coat | Two coats plus 10% | Kit to buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toyota Tacoma 5 ft (60.3 in) | 54 sq ft | 2 qt | 4 to 4.5 qt | 1.5 gal |
| Chevy Colorado 5.1 ft (61.7 in) | 60 sq ft | 2 to 2.5 qt | 4 to 5 qt | 1.5 gal |
| Toyota Tacoma 6 ft (73.5 in) | 63 sq ft | 2 to 2.5 qt | 4.5 to 5 qt | 1.5 gal |
| Chevy Silverado 1500 short, 5.8 ft (69.9 in) | 79 sq ft | 2.5 to 3 qt | 5.5 to 6.5 qt | 2 gal |
| Chevy Silverado 1500 standard, 6.6 ft (79.4 in) | 86 sq ft | 2.5 to 3 qt | 6 to 7 qt | 2 gal |
| Chevy Silverado 1500 long, 8.2 ft (98.2 in) | 101 sq ft | 3 to 4 qt | 7 to 8 qt | 2 gal |
Ford Beds and Custom Coat’s Own Guidance
F-150 beds land close to the Silverado rows. Ford’s 2026 F-150 spec sheet lists the 5.5, 6.5 and 8 ft boxes at 67.1, 78.9 and 97.6 in at the floor. Each runs a little shorter than the matching Silverado box, so the Silverado rows give F-150 owners a safe estimate.
The Custom Coat listing gives its own numbers. It says 4 quarts on average cover a full-size short bed of about 6 ft, and it puts a long bed of about 8 ft at 5 or 6 quarts. Both figures sit between the one-coat and two-coat columns. Owners describe two full coats as the finish thick enough to hold up, so buy for the two-coat column.
How to Measure Your Bed and Do the Math
To pin down how much bed liner your own truck needs, use a tape measure. First, measure the inside floor length, the floor width and the wall height. Then work out each surface in square inches and divide by 144 for square feet. Our regular cab Tacoma bed dimensions list a real bed’s length and floor width to check your numbers against.
- Floor: length times width.
- Side walls: length times height, then double it.
- Front wall and tailgate: width times height, then double it.
- Rails and outer tailgate: add them only if you plan to coat them.
Next, divide the total by the coverage rate. At 110 sq ft per gallon, a 60 sq ft bed needs about 0.55 gal per coat, or a little over 2 quarts. Finally, multiply by the number of coats and add 10%. If a topper clamps to the rails, seal them once the liner cures. Our guide on how to seal your truck bed rails covers butyl tape and weather stripping for the rails.
Why Coverage Claims Differ
One U.S. gallon holds 231 cubic inches, so it covers about 1,604 sq ft at 1 mil thick. At 10 mils, the math gives about 160 sq ft per gallon before any loss. Custom Coat’s listing rates practical coverage at 110 to 130 sq ft. Meanwhile, TCP Global’s Custom Coat page says 125 sq ft. An older Custom Coat data sheet says 150 to 170 sq ft at the same thickness. We use the listing’s range, the lowest of the three, because overspray, texture and wheel well corners eat material.
Thinner coatings advertise bigger numbers. Rust-Oleum, for example, lists 140 to 160 sq ft per gallon for its truck bed coating, yet it builds only 5 to 8.5 mils wet per coat. Consequently, compare coverage claims only at the same film thickness.
Plan Each Coat Around the 1-Hour Pot Life
Custom Coat ships its liner in 24 oz bottles of base with an 8 oz cup of hardener for each one. Once mixed at 3 to 1, each bottle holds 32 oz, or 1 quart of sprayable liner. Because pot life runs under 1 hour at 68°F, mix only the bottles one coat needs. On a Colorado bed, for example, mix 2 bottles for the first coat and keep a third sealed in case the walls run short.
The data sheet allows another coat after a 60-minute flash. Forum threads most often describe the same rhythm: two full coats, then a light texture pass. Several owners also say they spent far longer on prep than on spraying. The one trade-off I’d flag is prep time, so plan a full day for sanding, cleaning and masking.
Cure time matters for planning, too. The sheet calls for 48 hours before light use, 5 to 7 days before regular use and no water for 72 hours. Ideal conditions sit near 68°F with humidity under 60%.
Which Bed Liner Kit Fits Your Truck
Once you know how much bed liner your bed needs, match the bed liner kit to the two-coat column. The 1.5-gallon kit holds 6 quarts mixed, which covers every midsize row with a quart or more to spare. Full-size beds start near 5.5 quarts, though, so 6 quarts leaves no room for rails or a heavy texture pass. For most midsize beds, I’d buy the 1.5-gallon kit and keep the leftover quart for touch-ups.
The Custom Coat 1.5-gallon kit includes six 24 oz bottles of black liner and six 8 oz hardeners. An applicator gun with a regulator comes in the box too. TCP Global sells it on Amazon, where it carries 4.5 stars from 407 ratings.
Coat a Midsize Bed Twice With a Quart to Spare
Six quarts of mixed 2K urethane liner with an applicator gun and regulator. The listing rates coverage at 110 to 130 sq ft per gallon at 10 to 12 mils wet.
Check Price at Amazon1.5-Gallon vs. 2-Gallon Kit
The 2-gallon kit adds two quarts for $45 more, based on prices checked November 11, 2026. Those two bottles decide whether a full-size bed gets two real coats. On a midsize bed, by comparison, the extra quarts go to rails, the outer tailgate or a third pass.
| Kit | Mixed liner | Two-coat fit | Price checked Nov. 11, 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Custom Coat 1.5-Gallon Kit (midsize pick) | 6 quarts, 6 bottles | Midsize 5 to 6 ft beds | $199.99 |
| Custom Coat 2-Gallon Kit (full-size pick) | 8 quarts, 8 bottles | Full-size 5.5 to 8 ft beds, or any bed plus rails | $244.99 |
Pick the 2-gallon kit if your bed falls in the Silverado or F-150 rows. Also pick it if you want to coat the rails and the outer tailgate on a midsize bed. The Custom Coat 2-gallon kit includes eight bottles of base, eight hardeners and the same gun. On Amazon it holds 4.6 stars from 627 ratings. At the low end of the coverage range, an 8 ft bed uses the whole kit, so skip the rails on a long bed.
DIY Kit Cost vs. a Shop Spray-In Liner
Both kits cost far less than a shop job. Owners on truck forums report shop quotes in the $500 to $800 range for a spray-in liner. However, a pro liner goes on much thicker, so a DIY coat trades some gouge resistance for the savings.
Cover a Full-Size Bed in Two Coats Without a Second Order
Eight quarts of mixed 2K urethane liner: eight 24 oz bottles of base, eight hardeners and an applicator gun with regulator. Sold by TCP Global and shipped by Amazon.
Check Price at AmazonSpray On Bedliner vs. Roll On Bedliner
Custom Coat works as a spray on bedliner or a roll on bedliner. Its data sheet lists one coverage figure for every method, so how much bed liner you buy stays the same. The sheet sets the gun at 40 to 60 psi. For a roller, it calls for one even coat with a urethane foam roller, then a second coat after 60 minutes. Owners who sprayed with small pancake or 6-gallon compressors say they had to pause while the tank refilled.
Spraying gives you more control over texture, since air pressure and gun distance change the finish. In contrast, rolling skips the compressor and the overspray. Either way, the coating bonds to the bed, so water has no gap to sit in. A bonded liner also stays in place under drawers. Our guide to DECKED drawers over a spray-on liner notes a drop-in liner comes out instead.
Protective Gear for a 2K Urethane Liner
Safety note: Custom Coat’s data sheet calls for a ventilated area, respiratory protection and protective clothing. Its hardener safety data sheet lists a polyisocyanate resin, and NIOSH names isocyanates the leading attributable chemical cause of work-related asthma in the US. Use the respirator type the safety data sheet names, and keep kids and pets away.
The NIOSH guidance on spray-on truck bed liners also warns against relying on smell. In addition to a respirator, protect your skin and eyes.
Stock the skin and eye gear before you mix the first bottle: chemical-resistant gloves, sealed goggles and disposable coveralls.
Skin and eye gear for spraying liner
Final Thoughts
For a midsize bed like the one on my Colorado, the answer is simple: buy 6 quarts. The 1.5-gallon kit covers a Tacoma or Colorado bed in two full coats, with a quart left for touch-ups. A spare quart keeps you from mixing your last bottle with half a wall still bare.
Full-size owners need more. Even the Silverado 5.8 ft short bed needs 5.5 to 6.5 quarts for two coats, and the rails push it higher. For any full-size bed, I’d buy the 2-gallon kit, because a second order means a second prep day.
Whichever size you pick, how much bed liner you need comes back to the tape measure and the number of coats. Then plan what goes in the bed next, such as one of our truck bed drawer systems, once the liner reaches full cure.
FAQ
How much does 1 gallon of bed liner cover?
The Custom Coat listing rates 1 gallon at 110 to 130 sq ft at 10 to 12 mils wet. One gallon covers one coat on most beds, or two coats on a 5 ft midsize bed without the 10% cushion. Thinner coatings claim more area per gallon because they build a thinner film.
How much bed liner do I need for a 6 ft bed?
A Tacoma 6 ft bed covers about 63 sq ft. Plan on 4.5 to 5 quarts for two coats with a 10% cushion. A full-size bed near 6 ft, such as a Silverado 5.8 ft bed, needs 5.5 to 6.5 quarts.
Is 4 quarts of bed liner enough?
Four quarts cover a midsize 5 ft bed in two coats, but without the 10% cushion. The Custom Coat listing says 4 quarts on average cover a full-size short bed of about 6 ft. For two full coats on a full-size bed, buy 8 quarts.
How many coats of bed liner should I apply?
Plan on two full coats plus a light texture pass, which matches what most DIY owners describe. Custom Coat allows each new coat after a 60-minute flash. Mix only the bottles each coat needs, because pot life runs under 1 hour.
How much bed liner do I need for an 8 ft bed?
An 8 ft full-size bed covers about 101 sq ft. Two coats with a 10% cushion take 7 to 8 quarts, and the Custom Coat 2-gallon kit holds 8 quarts mixed. By contrast, the Custom Coat listing quotes 5 or 6 quarts on average for a long bed.