covering interior with vinyl

**barned01** · 28-01-2006, 06:54 PM

hoy hoy
just wondering if anyone has covered certain interior parts of their car with vinyl.
I would like to cover the A and B pillars in the ra40 with some vinyl but i don't know how to work around the acute sharp edges without bunching the vinyl. It has a little stretch in it but not enough to cover the angles unfortunately.
Has anyone had any experience with upholstering these sorts of parts and similar parts which have these sharp angles in them?
next plan is the dash and door panels (as soon as i work out what to do for the interior weather strip) but i really wan't to work out these tricky bits first.

any ideas?
cheers
Damien

PS. didn't know if this would be more suitable for general car talk or tech and conversions but i will start here...

**ndgcpr** · 28-01-2006, 06:59 PM

i think most stuff in cars (like roof lining) has a thin piece of foam under it? that may help damage to the vinyl on sharp edges.

**barned01** · 28-01-2006, 07:19 PM

it could pissibly help with "smoothing" out the corners a little but what about when 3 points all meet into 1 little acute corner?
I really don't want to cut it as that will look really tacky.
do you know if heat does anything to vinyl?
my other theory was to show stitching lines.....

**Big rob** · 29-01-2006, 06:12 PM

Possibly go have a look at car audio forums when they tutorials on making door pods. They usualy cover it with vinyl and use heat guns in tight areas when streching it. I think car audio australia has some info.

**45aken** · 30-01-2006, 07:54 AM

to make vinyl stretch, use a heat gun (but dont burn it). use some good contact adhesive and really spend your time with it. even do some practice runs on something else until your confident. but the biggest tip is you just have to take your time and 'work' the vinyl around corners etc.

**barned01** · 02-02-2006, 10:08 PM

would a hair dryer work or would it not fet hot enough like an actuall heat gun

**Supra-Jim** · 03-02-2006, 07:55 AM

Yeah a hair dryer should do it, just don't gert caught by your misses using it like I did. Sometimes a heat gun can heat it too much.

The main thing, as said before it to take your time. Don't over heat the vinyl or you will stuff it. A thin layer of foam under the vinyl helps to smooth out the finish. As 45aken said on corners you just need to work it, heat, strech, clamp, heat stretch clamp and so on.

Good Luck

**45aken** · 03-02-2006, 08:07 AM

another tip, with corners is that just becuase it sticks down when you do it, dont think it'll stay that way forever. it might look good after u finish, but if you havent put enought glue on it, or worked it enough, it will peel up in a day or two.

make sure there is as little stress as possible on the vinyl.

**barned01** · 03-02-2006, 09:33 AM

if i put the thin layer of foam under it will that make it harder to stick?? ie i have to glue the foam to the plastic and then the vinyl to the foam and i would have thought the vinyl would have stuck better to the plastic proper than to the foam...although it does allow for that 'give' as you have mentioned.
I was going to use a past on style of glue from Supercheap called Dynagrip Contact and Trim Adhesive. It comes in a yellow can.
Would this be suitable enough? or would a spray style glue be better.

**45aken** · 03-02-2006, 01:30 PM

ok if u want to get it done properly, use the 3M stuff. it's like a sticky foam, cost about $50 for a can (ie not cheap) but it is the best you'll ever use. i have used the bostic stuff, which is also pretty good. the paste on glue is harder to work with, but unless ur getting the 3m super hectic spray stuff then use the paste.
the foam would be a good idea, but it would make it harder. id be looking for some 3mm or even smaller low density foam, spray it, let it dry then spray it again and stick it to the vinyl, same for the dash.
u have to spray the foam and then let it dry first to becuase it is too pourous.

hope this helps.

**barned01** · 03-02-2006, 02:09 PM

what is this 3m product called, does it negate the need for the low density foam as it is a adhesive style foam itself?
Where can i get it from (i will try bunnings now and see what they have.)

**45aken** · 03-02-2006, 03:54 PM

nah it just comes out as a foam not a spray, forget what it's called, but its by 3m and it's adhesive 'foam' or something. u can get it from clark rubber, but i dunno if it's in your state. dont get me wrong, the otherstuff will work good.
you can even go into an auto trimmers and buy the glue off them-im sure thats probably ur best bet.