An upgrade of the car’s ceiling trim is an important aspect of interior tuning. Most often, the factory headliner covering is made in light shades, which eventually fade, becoming untidy. To prevent it, you can use reupholstering, which is usually used for carpeting. This material is quite usable and inexpensive. Let’s focus on how to tune the car headliner with a carpet, based on its qualities and features.
The origin of the carpet
Carpet in English means “a thick soft covering for a floor”. The word originated in the XIII century and had a meaning of “coarse cloth, tablecloth” and came from the old French word “carpite”. Probably from the Italian “carpita”. According to etymological dictionaries, the word “carpet” appeared in Latin (Latin carpita — “thick woolen fabric”, carpere — “to tweak”). Modern carpet is a synthetic material that is made by non-woven means. Carpet is not a fitted carpet (carpet flooring), although it is often called car carpet. Non-woven fabric, soft and pleasant to the touch, which preserves the external design for a long period, is intended not only for the design of the headliner. You can also use a carpet to decorate subwoofers, the trunk from the inside, and various surfaces in the cabin (podiums, acoustic shelves, blind panels, etc.).
Pros and cons of carpeting — what to consider
Carpet is a synthetic fabric that does not fade in the sun at all. It is simply not subject to the destruction of color shades. Carpeting has a huge selection of colors. You can choose between various shades — red, brown, white, beige. The most popular colors are black and gray.
Carpeting is wear-resistant — it is hard to deform (if properly pasted, in compliance with the necessary technologies). The fibers of the carpet are intertwined in a special way, which prevents them from mechanical influences. Carpeting is reliable and durable (easy to stretch, but not torn), as well as dense. Thanks to the latter property, the carpet is also used for noise absorption (interior noise insulation).
Since the carpet is quite moisture-resistant, it does not absorb water and other liquids: if you spill something, simply wipe it with a wet or dry cloth. The carpet also has dirt-repellent properties, it is fungus-resistant, and 100% environmental safe. The carpet is hypoallergenic, harmless to humans and animals.
Moreover, carpet is a fire-resistant material that has antistatic properties.
However, all these advantages do not exclude the disadvantages, which are only two: the carpet accumulates dust, and over time you will see pills on it. Carpeting needs to be vacuumed as often as possible.
What to choose if you decide to tune the car interior with a carpet yourself?
There are only two options — whether to buy a self-adhesive carpet on a special substrate (self-adhesive base) or choose a fabric without an adhesive base. In the first case, it will be more expensive, in the second — somewhat cheaper, although you will have to buy more glue. Car self-adhesive carpet is a universal material that is easy to use. There is substrate on the opposite side of the self-adhesive carpet, under which there is already a sticky layer. All you need to do is remove the upper backing and carefully glue the fabric to a ready-made surface.
An alternative to the self-adhesive carpet is a non-adhesive fabric. After you have decided on something specific without adhesive coating, choose the necessary version of the adhesive composition. It is better when the glue has resistance to temperature changes, high elasticity and no property to crumble in the cold, as well as smell. For example, the adhesive base “Titan” is exactly like this, but it is more expensive than the superglue and “Glue 88”. The aerosol glue will be more expensive. And the most affordable option is white glue.
As for the types of carpeting, there are more varieties:
1) carpet with minimal pile (the most inexpensive) and a density of 450 g/m3;
2) tufted carpet — has a pile length of 6 mm, and a density of 650 g/m3;
3) premium carpet with a pile length of 10 mm is made of polypropylene and has a double twisted fiber. This is the most expensive coating option, but its shelf life is unlimited. Premium carpeting has the highest ductility, softness and strength compared to other types.
Secrets of headliner installation with carpeting
Every car enthusiast may need to replace the headliner fabric in the car interior. No one is immune from headliner car carpet damage: decline, fading, restless children or careless smoking may cause damage to the headliner covering. Carpeting comes to the rescue.
The carpet is easily cut with scissors. In addition to the adhesive method of fixing with liquid or aerosol glue, you can use a stapler option — when the front side of the surface being tuned with a carpet is covered with a small margin on the back.
The carpet can be put on old material as well as on a clean surface. It all depends on your preferences. You can first try to stick it on the old material and see how it looks.
To cover the headliner with a car carpet, you need to take the following set of materials and tools:
— roulette;
— two linear meters of carpeting 1.5 m wide;
— special glue (if the carpet is not self-adhesive) in the amount of one liter;
— brush for applying glue (if it is not spray glue);
— scissors;
— plastic sealing roller.
When using self-adhesive carpet, you do not need glue and brushes. Instead, you may need a heat gun or regular hair dryer to warm up the adhesive base and set the glue.
Cut a pattern of the headliner surface beforehand on which the material will be pasted. Measure all sizes and add 2-3 cm for a bend.
You are required to follow the below steps:
1. Clean the headliner surface from bits and pieces of old material, dust and dirt.
2. Measure the required amount of fabric, which coincides with the measurements of the headliner.
3. Using a brush, apply the ready-made glue to the headliner.
4. Starting from one corner of the surface, gently pull the carpet, smoothing out irregularities. In hard-to-reach places with an air gap or unevenness, insert glue using a puncture with a syringe.
Thus, the headliner binding with a carpet will be flat and smooth. At the edges, where you can bend the fabric, you can press it with clothespins.
The car headliner, finished with carpeting, is usable and looks beautiful. The aesthetic component of the interior is as important as the environmental one. After all, no one will just tune the car interior since everyone pursues specific goals — to increase the comfort of the interior, to make car trips pleasant and safe. Therefore, it is better not to save on the material for covering. You’d better choose not only a versatile, but also fine fabric or fabric cover.
Regardless of what the headliner of your car is covered with, we remind you to apply for an international driver’s license. If you still have none, please visit our website to apply for it.
