Decide which option is best for you -- a heavy duty tarp or truck rack to secure lumber in your truck bed. Consider that truck racks cost more but also provide more versatility and cargo space. Evaluate how much money you want to spend, taking into account how often you haul lumber and how much of it you haul at a time.
Look for a "no drill" modular pickup truck rack which uses engineered fasteners, as opposed to nuts and bolts, to attach to the bed of your pickup truck. The rack fastens onto your truck bed rail and raises up above it to the height of the cab roof. Consider a rack if you want to secure ladders and lumber safely above the truck bed and still fill the bed with other items, such as additional, shorter pieces of lumber or other items altogether. Select a rack that is made to fit the make and model of your pickup truck so that it matches the length and width of your truck bed.
Consider a lumber tarp if you are operating on a smaller budget and are not transporting lumber longer than the length of your truck bed. Select a heavy duty lumber tarp that features 18-ounce vinyl coated polyester fabric which is reinforced with nylon to provide additional strength and durability. Look for a tarp with rust-resistant grommets and welded D-rings. Choose a tarp that fits the dimensions of your truck bed.
