So, can you stand on a tonneau cover? The answer is Yes. Most, if not all tonneau covers, are exceptionally strong because they are manufactured from tough and high-quality materials.
To this effect, their strength can withstand the weight of an average human. However, for a proper analysis of which tonneau covers can withstand such weight, we shall look closely at some of the criteria based on their types.
A tonneau is a term that refers to that open area of a truck behind the driver which can be used to transport goods or cargo, though sometimes they can be used as a sort of fashion or decoration. The tonneau cover, on the other hand, is that part that covers whatever is kept in the tonneau during haulage or protection.
The most popular criteria for choosing a tonneau cover is strength, durability and also stability, which becomes very imperative since there are different styles, each with its price accordingly.
Despite everything, our selection will always target favourable services. Tonneau covers are important especially when it comes to protecting your truck and sometimes even the cargo you carry from the elements of weather.
An important fact to remember is that most people end up buying the wrong tonneau cover because they have not carried out the necessary research before purchase. To avoid that from happening to you, ensure that you find out about their pros and cons, which will guard against any after purchase regrets.
Different Types Of Truck Bed Covers
1. Hard One-Piece Tonneau Covers
The hard one-piece tonneau covers are widely known for their impressive toughness and durability, due to the fact that they are manufactured from fibreglass, polypropylene or aluminium, which are also among the strongest materials you can get anywhere.
The exceptional strength of these materials is what makes any tonneau cover manufactured using them very tough indeed and readily able to bear human weight. In addition, the hard one-piece tonneau cover makes it extremely difficult to pry open the side rails or even cut through them with a knife.
2. The Hard And Retractable Tonneau
As the name implies, this kind of tonneau cover can simply retract into itself and is equally made from the same top-notch materials like the hard one-piece variety. The retractable tonneau cover has the advantage of allowing the exposure or concealment of as much or as little truck bed as required.
This can enable awkward shaped or oversized goods conveyed in the truck to peek out well above it, while at the same time protecting it.
3. Hard Folding Tonneau Covers
They are generally known to require that any weight placed on them be spread evenly, which means that standing on them may lead to the damage of the supports that enable the cover to fold. For this and other reasons, you are not recommended to stand on them, but if you must, then fold one panel to the next, in order to double its rigidity. This move is also done at your own risk particularly since it does not guarantee that the tonneau will not break even after doubling its weight or rigidity.
4. Soft Folding Tonneau Covers
This type of tonneau covers are not manufactured from materials that offer much resistance and stability, and hence, standing on any part may compromise their integrity.
Read Also: How Tight Should A Tonneau Cover Be? Find Out Now
One stand out quality this type of tonneau covers have is that they can be more easily installed and removed, unlike all the other types. Additionally, the soft folding tonneau has a three-fold design with which you can transport goods with the covers in either closed or open position.
5. Soft Vinyl Retractable Covers
Soft vinyl retractable tonneau covers are exceptionally good, a quality for which they are gradually gaining popularity among users and they also offer other functions as well. Despite all these qualities and recommendations, you are not advised to stand on them or even place heavy cargo on them.
Doing that will predispose them to premature tear, and hence extreme caution must be taken when using soft vinyl retractable tonneau covers. About the heaviest thing they can bear without any risk is probably snow.
6. Snap-On Covers
This tonneau covers are simply aluminium frames with vinyl covers that attach or fit into them. The frame mounts onto the back of your truck’s bed as a result of which it gives it a unique way of closing and opening too.
The snap-on tonneau covers are preferable because they give you ready access to the entire truck’s bed and they can also bear loads of varying sizes. Be that as it may, due to their fragility and simple designs, you are not recommended to stand on them or even place heavy cargo on them.
Read Also: Can You Sleep Under A Tonneau Cover?
Why Would You Want To Stand On A Tonneau Cover In The First Place?
Most people need to stand on a tonneau cover particularly when they need to clean their trucks, which can be made easier if one were to stand on the tonneau cover. At other times, people stand on the tonneau cover when loading or offloading cargoes.
Without standing on the tonneau covers, loading or offloading may be slightly difficult sometimes. An alternative to standing on the truck bed is through the use of the tailgate ladder, which attaches to one end of your tailgate when folded down, and is extremely useful particularly to those who have tall trucks. These ladders have strong steps with good traction. (Read Also: How Do You Open A Tonneau Cover When Tailgate Won’t Open? )
Are There Tonneau Cover You Can Stand On?
Yes, many tonneau covers are strong enough to both bear human weight and also the weight of heavy goods that may be placed on them. Despite this ability, one is advised to avoid standing on the tonneau cover as much as possible except where such is completely unavoidable.
Some of the tonneau covers that can comfortably bear human weight without any risks are the hard one-piece and the hard retractable tonneau covers. Apart from these two, most others cannot stand the burden of a human weight.
How Much Weight Can A Tonneau Cover Hold?
The size of the weight a tonneau cover can bear depends on its type and brand. To start with, soft tonneau covers are not designed to bear excessive weight. We must remember that even the toughest among these tonneau covers are never meant to be subjected to heavyweights.
After putting everything into consideration, it has been reliably established that very strong tonneau covers can withstand as much as 250 pounds. However, these covers can bear this weight without any risks when such weights are evenly spread on their surfaces and not really concentrated at a particular point. Also, the nearer to the edges you place the weights, the better able is the tonneau covers to bear them well.
What Must I Do If I Am Short And Desperately Need To Wash The Top Of My Truck?
To reach the top of your truck, for example during cleaning, can be a challenging enterprise especially for really short people. Luckily, alternatives are available via which you can accomplish that.
These include the use of a foot step ladder, a step stool, walking through the edges of your truck cover. These tools( when positioned on your truck bed) will enable you reach the top of your truck without having to stand on your tonneau covers.
Mind you, you may also need a tailgate ladder to enable you climb up your truck bed. This provision equally comes in handy when you have very tall trucks. They, however, have the disadvantage of being really bulky particularly for those with limited storage space.
Another way to approach washing the top of your truck especially when you are short is by standing on the bare truck bed. This can only be possible once you’ve completely taken off your cover. (Read Also: Can You Take A Truck With A Tonneau Cover Through A Car Wash?)
Will Standing On My Truck Bed Covers Void My Warranty/Guarantee Agreement?
The manufacturers of these tonneau covers have repeatedly warned users against standing on them for whatever purpose. This is regardless of whether they have any weight limit or not.
When we consider this warning given by the manufacturers, it becomes obvious that while standing on them, should they become damaged or defaced on this account, your warranty or guarantee agreements will consequently become voided. To have these terms in full force and applicable, you must not deface, mutilate or subject to any stress all the items so covered by any warranty. Doing any of that will promptly void them irrevocably.
How Much Does A Tonneau Cover Weigh?
The weight of a tonneau cover largely depends on its manufacturers, quality and also the strength of the materials used to produce it. The average weight of most tonneau covers is between 15 to about 30 pounds or a little more than that. For instance, hard tonneau covers may weigh anywhere from about 50 to 100 pounds or so.
Tonneau covers that weigh between 15 to 30 pounds include Tyger Auto T3 Tri-Fold Truck Bed Tonneau Cover, Gato ETX Soft Tri-Fold Truck Bed Tonneau Cover, Tyger Auto T1 Roll Up Truck Tonneau Cover, TruXedo TruXport Soft Roll Up Truck Bed Tonneau Cover and lots more.
Whereas those that weigh between 50 to 100 pounds are: Bakflip G2, Rugged Liner E Series, Retrax PRO MX Retractable and Undercover SE One-Piece Truck Bed Tonneau Cover.
Read Also: Will A Chevy Tonneau Cover Fit A Gmc?
What Is The Most Secure Tonneau Cover You Can Get?
For all intents and purposes, the hard one-piece tonneau covers are inarguably the most secured of the lot. This is mostly because they are manufactured from some of the most expensive and toughest materials you can get anywhere such as fibreglass, aluminium and polypropylene.
They come with a lock and have the ability to overlap the bed rails and the tailgate. Hard tonneau covers also make sure that no one can see what goods you carry, which significantly increases security due to the fact that people cannot steal what they don’t see. This makes it impossible to see whether the truck is empty or not.
For their importance, tonneau covers represent an important investment that shouldn’t be treated with levity. Even when your tonneau cover can withstand your weight, to make the most of it, do not mount it and do so only when you must. Instead, you may use a ladder to prevent any damage to the tonneau cover.
Is Driving With A Tonneau Cover Legal?
Driving a truck with a tonneau cover is legal, but there are certain things to consider before engaging in it. For instance, if you are transporting any cargo that extends up to four feet above the edge of the truck, you should have a red, yellow or orange flag mounted on it, to warn all approaching vehicles and other road users that you are bearing a tall or long load. (Read Also: Can I Drive With My Tonneau Cover Up?)
This flag must measure up to 16 square inches or even more, if possible. Furthermore, when you are transporting any cargo at night, a visible red light which can be easily seen from about 500 feet away should be mounted on the load, as a warning to other road users. Similarly, it is illegal to transport passengers in the bed of a pick-up van, which is considered dangerous as the passengers can be thrown off the truck.
Conclusion
Tonneau covers have found great significance in the transportation of cargo or goods from one place to another safely and securedly. However, the proper use of these covers demands a lot of understanding of how they work and also how to select the ones that will satisfy your every need.
You are required to also choose the load you transport carefully by making sure that it will fit into your truck conveniently. Where the load is a little more than the capacity of your van, so many things can go wrong. For example, the tonneau covers may not close properly which puts the goods you are transporting at some risk or which may even damage the covers themselves.
To ensure that you derive maximally from these covers will entail knowing everything about them, such as cleaning, installation, removal and general operation.
