aero
11-29-2003, 12:57 PM
I got some leather for my 91 since I could not take the look of the maroon color any longer. Instead of paying the upholstry shop about 40 per door panel to wrap it in new colors, I figured I would try it myself. It is something you will need to practice, but its not all that hard once you get what you have to do.
The Supply's you will need:
vinyl in the colors you want- get these at a local upholstry shop, mine charged around $10/yard. Ask them how much you should need to do it, cuz I forgot. Make sure you keep your receipts w/the colors on it incase you need more for mistakes.
padding stuff ask the upholstry shop for the same amount of the padding that they put behind the vinyl on the doors. It gives it cushion, and also makes it easier to not have ripples
hairdryer- used to heat up the vinyl and stretch around bumps.
exacto/cutting blade- to cut it with
contact cement- do not get spray on, get a jar, and a paintbrush to put it on with.
-If you want to get the carpet for the bottom of the door, there is special stuff that you get at the upholstry shop that is called stretch carpet or something. made especially for doors.
Directions:
1. Start by pulling off the old vinyl. Take off the window track part, the handle, the light at the bottom, the part around the lock.
2. cut out a pattern in the pad stuff to make it fit(make sure its larger than the door panel, sux when you are an inch short and have to start over) put contact cement on one side of that, and on the door panel. Follow the directions on the can/bottle on how to apply it. It should get sticky from 15-30 minutes later.
3. Then carefully put it in place, keeping room to fit all the curves. It is much easier if you can have someone hold up one end of the material while you push it down. Dont push it down too hard until you have the whole thing on, then go back, and press hard.
4. when cutting out the pattern for the vinyl, make sure you will have extra around the edges. repeat the contact cement with the padding, and the vinyl. This is where it gets tricky. Do the same process as with the padding, but you will need to slowly heat up some areas to stretch the vinyl out to bend it around the corners.
5. The best way to get non-rippled corners is to heat up around the vinyl there, then stretch it out quite a bit, then wrap it around the corner, and put something to hold it around the back like a clothespin. When you are putting it in the channel between the middle part of the door, and the outside, make sure put it in there all the way, and then let it dry... then trim it off.
6. Make sure once again that you have pressed everything down good. Let it sit for whatever the cement says(usually about 24 hours) Then you can cover the handle part the same way, and the bottom where the carpet is. If you want to get the carpet for the bottom, there is special stuff that you get at the upholstry shop that is called stretch carpet or something. Especially for doors.
I think thats it. I did my rear doors and got ripples, but then the upholstry shop told me i needed to use that padding stuff. wish they woulda told me first. But it takes some time, and definately alot of patience. But when you get it all done, it is well worth it. If you have any questions, you can pm me, or aim at aero3685
heres a pic of mine:
You can see some of the ripples from not having the padding... oh well. Ill get the front ones and the dash done, then do them again.
http://www.geocities.com/baccordlx/door.txt
Im still waiting for time to do the dash and doors as you can see.
http://www.geocities.com/baccordlx/interior.txt
The Supply's you will need:
vinyl in the colors you want- get these at a local upholstry shop, mine charged around $10/yard. Ask them how much you should need to do it, cuz I forgot. Make sure you keep your receipts w/the colors on it incase you need more for mistakes.
padding stuff ask the upholstry shop for the same amount of the padding that they put behind the vinyl on the doors. It gives it cushion, and also makes it easier to not have ripples
hairdryer- used to heat up the vinyl and stretch around bumps.
exacto/cutting blade- to cut it with
contact cement- do not get spray on, get a jar, and a paintbrush to put it on with.
-If you want to get the carpet for the bottom of the door, there is special stuff that you get at the upholstry shop that is called stretch carpet or something. made especially for doors.
Directions:
1. Start by pulling off the old vinyl. Take off the window track part, the handle, the light at the bottom, the part around the lock.
2. cut out a pattern in the pad stuff to make it fit(make sure its larger than the door panel, sux when you are an inch short and have to start over) put contact cement on one side of that, and on the door panel. Follow the directions on the can/bottle on how to apply it. It should get sticky from 15-30 minutes later.
3. Then carefully put it in place, keeping room to fit all the curves. It is much easier if you can have someone hold up one end of the material while you push it down. Dont push it down too hard until you have the whole thing on, then go back, and press hard.
4. when cutting out the pattern for the vinyl, make sure you will have extra around the edges. repeat the contact cement with the padding, and the vinyl. This is where it gets tricky. Do the same process as with the padding, but you will need to slowly heat up some areas to stretch the vinyl out to bend it around the corners.
5. The best way to get non-rippled corners is to heat up around the vinyl there, then stretch it out quite a bit, then wrap it around the corner, and put something to hold it around the back like a clothespin. When you are putting it in the channel between the middle part of the door, and the outside, make sure put it in there all the way, and then let it dry... then trim it off.
6. Make sure once again that you have pressed everything down good. Let it sit for whatever the cement says(usually about 24 hours) Then you can cover the handle part the same way, and the bottom where the carpet is. If you want to get the carpet for the bottom, there is special stuff that you get at the upholstry shop that is called stretch carpet or something. Especially for doors.
I think thats it. I did my rear doors and got ripples, but then the upholstry shop told me i needed to use that padding stuff. wish they woulda told me first. But it takes some time, and definately alot of patience. But when you get it all done, it is well worth it. If you have any questions, you can pm me, or aim at aero3685
heres a pic of mine:
You can see some of the ripples from not having the padding... oh well. Ill get the front ones and the dash done, then do them again.
http://www.geocities.com/baccordlx/door.txt
Im still waiting for time to do the dash and doors as you can see.
http://www.geocities.com/baccordlx/interior.txt