Tonneau means a cask in French. Tonneau covers are very useful in storage and are used for protecting goods from the elements of weather as well as thieves. They are usually fixed in trucks and other automobiles for storage purposes. There are many kinds of tonneau covers, that are very discreet and are suitable for protecting valuable goods.

Tonneau covers or truck bed cover is also used to cover unoccupied passenger seats in some roadsters.

There are different types of tonneau covers and are main categories into soft tonneau covers and hard tonneau covers. Each is designed to perform different functions. Soft covers are more practical and economical while hardcovers require more effort when to comes to folding.

In trucks, roll up tonneau covers are preferred as it offers the flexibility to roll itself up to the bulkhead of the truck. These have taken over snap tonneau covers, which were once very popular among truck owners. Simply because it is easier to fix unlike the snap based tonneau, where drilling and adhesive are required.

There are retractable tonneau covers that retract itself to the bulkhead of the truck. They are a lot safer when compared to soft tonneau covers. They can be locked up as well and are usually made of aluminum or plastic. They usually take a longer time to install and are used for semi-permanent installations.

The other types of tonneau covers or truck bed cover include those made of fiberglass, aluminum, and hard plastic. These tonneau covers are installed at the factory as an option for new vehicles. Some people paint it and match it to the color of the truck to improve the overall aesthetic appeal. It is solid in construction and it can be locked for further protection.

These tonneau covers are slightly heavy and are assisted by gas struts for opening and closing them. They are operated from the front to the back of the vehicle. In some covers many compartments are present and it can be operated from side to side, front to back or back to front.

In the case of hinged tonneau covers, the bed cover lid is hinged at the bulkhead of the truck. These covers can be locked in the open position and cannot be rolled or folded up.