Anyone ever make their own headliner?

[kaysboat]

My 1980 C10 is a stripper and initially didn't have a headliner. I happened to find all the parts and trim in a junk yard truck and some cloth/foam headliner material that is a dead match.

I recovered the stock headliner backer board twice now, but the foam stock backerboard keeps letting go within a couple weeks, and my headliner sags dramatically as a result.

I was thinking of making my own new backerboard out of something that will stand up better. I was thinking about fiberglassing oveer the existing backerboard and then scrapping the original away and recovering the "new" fiberglass board.

Anyone have any ideas of done anything like this? I don't want to pay the hundreds of dollars plus crazy shipping prices for a new ABS board from LMC or Classic truck parts.

Thanks.

[INSIDIOUS '86]

What are you using for glue? Are you double sticking it? (Spray material and board)
I've covered mine in suede and it's not let go for two years now now despite adverse weather.
My glue of choice is 3M99

[Skunksmash]

Originally Posted by kaysboat

My 1980 C10 is a stripper and initially didn't have a headliner. I happened to find all the parts and trim in a junk yard truck and some cloth/foam headliner material that is a dead match.

I recovered the stock headliner backer board twice now, but the foam stock backerboard keeps letting go within a couple weeks, and my headliner sags dramatically as a result.

I was thinking of making my own new backerboard out of something that will stand up better. I was thinking about fiberglassing oveer the existing backerboard and then scrapping the original away and recovering the "new" fiberglass board.

Anyone have any ideas of done anything like this? I don't want to pay the hundreds of dollars plus crazy shipping prices for a new ABS board from LMC or Classic truck parts.

Thanks.

Just recover yours, you'll save a ton of money over what you would pay to get a new one. Even if you have the auto upholstery shop do it, you'll still save about $250. I did it on my 82 and it turned out great.

Originally Posted by INSIDIOUS '86

What are you using for glue? Are you double sticking it? (Spray material and board)
I've covered mine in suede and it's not let go for two years now now despite adverse weather.
My glue of choice is 3M99

How much did the suede cost you? I need to redo the headliner in my 87 and suede seems like the best choice for a lot of reasons.

[Skunksmash]

sry double post

[INSIDIOUS '86]

Originally Posted by Skunksmash

Just recover yours, you'll save a ton of money over what you would pay to get a new one. Even if you have the auto upholstery shop do it, you'll still save about $250. I did it on my 82 and it turned out great.



How much did the suede cost you? I need to redo the headliner in my 87 and suede seems like the best choice for a lot of reasons.

I recall it being about $80 for a square yard. Which I believe was more than enough to get it done.

[bigblock73]

2 things...you need to remove ALL the old adhesive from the foam headliner board before you even look at a can of glue. Once you have done that, you need to get the correct adhesive to do the job...not the normal 3m adhesive, but a high temp headliner adhesive. You would be surprised how warm headliners get after the sun beats down on the roof day in and day out...causing the glue to let go over time.

[chengny]

This is not written specifically for this post - ignore what does not apply.

Did the headliner on my 1986 GMC Sierra Classic a few years ago and it still looks like factory. Here's how I did it:

1. The molded backing board/shell (don't quote me on nomenclature) is the key to this whole repair and it cannot be in the vehicle to do this properly. Remove the pieces that support the headliner.

2. Peel the old headliner fabric (if it is still there) carefully away from the shell. If any pieces of the shell start to come off with the fabric separate them with a butter knife and set them aside. You can glue them back into their original positions with adhesive cement.

3. Step back and see what you have to work with. If you are lucky the fabric will have cleanly separated from the fiberglass shell. If not, that is why you so carefully saved those little chunks. Glue them back into place and let dry.

4.Get a shop-vac and a brand new toilet brush (toilet brush - not a wire brush). Get down on your hands and knees and start firmly - but gently - removing all of the failed adhesive. Don't worry if some of the shell carries away - it is actually better to get down to a new surface. After you are done scrubbing use the soft brush attachment for the vacuum and get all that old glue off. Then get your toilet brush back in hand and do it all over again, and again until you have a new surface to work with.

5. Go to the Home Depot and get a couple of cans of spray-on polyurethane and 4 cans of 3M Heavy Duty Adhesive - don't substitute on this. Oh yeah, also buy a paint roller and a nice fluffy cartridge.

6. Spray the newly cleaned shell with the polyurethane and let it dry overnight. In the AM you should find that you have a nice hard/firm/sturdy shell to work with.

7. I forgot to tell you that on the way home from Home Depot you should have gone to JoAnn Fabrics and asked one of the ladies there to direct you to the headliner material. You also should have measured your shell or brought your old headliner fabric with you in a plastic bag. They at JA Fabrics will set you up a beautiful piece of foam backed headliner that is thick enough to hide any gouges you may have made during the cleaning process.

8. Back down on your hands and knees. Lay the new material out over the shell and trim to fit (leaving about two inches over on all sides.

9. You can guess the rest - read the instructions on the 3M adhesive can. I believe it will say to spray both surfaces and wait 30 minutes before joining. Use all 4 cans - it seems like a lot but trust me! When you are done spraying, it will look like a winter wonderland, but that's correct.

10. It really makes things go better if you have an assistant to help you when you go to join the material to the shell. Lay the fabric back down on the shell and get that new paint roller that I mentioned earlier. Get back down on your H&K's again. The, while gently tugging where needed, start rolling the fabric onto the shell. Work from the middle outward. If you get any wrinkles, don't stress, you will have time to lift up and relay the material.

11. Let it dry, do the final trimming of excess fabric and go hang in back up in the car.

One note; depending on the contours of your shell it may be prudent to place some folded up towels under certain areas of the shell so that when you roll the glue into the interface you can press down firmly.

This will come out nice and stay that way for a long time.

[Chevy3+3]

I did my own a few years back. It was pretty simple. I bought the fabric locally at Hancock Fabrics. They stocks headliner material by the rolls. I needed the tan/beige color. I can't remember how much I spent on fabric but it was cheap. I stripped the old fabric off the backer board and sprayed it down with 3M adhesive I bought from the parts store. I only used 1 can I believe but it was a big can. After it got tacky i placed the fabric onto the board loosely. Then starting at one end start pressing it into the contours of the backerboard. You can use a mini paint roller wheel to help apply even pressure and helps press material onto the backerboard. Then just work your way across. Then trim off the excess and your done. Mine looked professional when finish and I saved alot of money

[stevejohnson48]

Originally Posted by chengny

This is not written specifically for this post - ignore what does not apply.

Did the headliner on my 1986 GMC Sierra Classic a few years ago and it still looks like factory. Here's how I did it:

1. The molded backing board/shell (don't quote me on nomenclature) is the key to this whole repair and it cannot be in the vehicle to do this properly. Remove the pieces that support the headliner.

2. Peel the old headliner fabric (if it is still there) carefully away from the shell. If any pieces of the shell start to come off with the fabric separate them with a butter knife and set them aside. You can glue them back into their original positions with adhesive cement.

3. Step back and see what you have to work with. If you are lucky the fabric will have cleanly separated from the fiberglass shell. If not, that is why you so carefully saved those little chunks. Glue them back into place and let dry.

4.Get a shop-vac and a brand new toilet brush (toilet brush - not a wire brush). Get down on your hands and knees and start firmly - but gently - removing all of the failed adhesive. Don't worry if some of the shell carries away - it is actually better to get down to a new surface. After you are done scrubbing use the soft brush attachment for the vacuum and get all that old glue off. Then get your toilet brush back in hand and do it all over again, and again until you have a new surface to work with.

5. Go to the Home Depot and get a couple of cans of spray-on polyurethane and 4 cans of 3M Heavy Duty Adhesive - don't substitute on this. Oh yeah, also buy a paint roller and a nice fluffy cartridge.

6. Spray the newly cleaned shell with the polyurethane and let it dry overnight. In the AM you should find that you have a nice hard/firm/sturdy shell to work with.

7. I forgot to tell you that on the way home from Home Depot you should have gone to JoAnn Fabrics and asked one of the ladies there to direct you to the headliner material. You also should have measured your shell or brought your old headliner fabric with you in a plastic bag. They at JA Fabrics will set you up a beautiful piece of foam backed headliner that is thick enough to hide any gouges you may have made during the cleaning process.

8. Back down on your hands and knees. Lay the new material out over the shell and trim to fit (leaving about two inches over on all sides.

9. You can guess the rest - read the instructions on the 3M adhesive can. I believe it will say to spray both surfaces and wait 30 minutes before joining. Use all 4 cans - it seems like a lot but trust me! When you are done spraying, it will look like a winter wonderland, but that's correct.

10. It really makes things go better if you have an assistant to help you when you go to join the material to the shell. Lay the fabric back down on the shell and get that new paint roller that I mentioned earlier. Get back down on your H&K's again. The, while gently tugging where needed, start rolling the fabric onto the shell. Work from the middle outward. If you get any wrinkles, don't stress, you will have time to lift up and relay the material.

11. Let it dry, do the final trimming of excess fabric and go hang in back up in the car.

One note; depending on the contours of your shell it may be prudent to place some folded up towels under certain areas of the shell so that when you roll the glue into the interface you can press down firmly.

This will come out nice and stay that way for a long time.

So chengny what did the spray-on polyurethane do for the surface I'm guessing there less saturation when you go to apply the glue but does the contact area make it a better or less advantage on the adhesion or can it be determined, and was this your reason for the use or something else ??/ Was there a big difference in flexibility of the shell before applying the spray-on polyurethane ??/

[stevejohnson48]

So as far as this headliner I'm trying to redo ??/ So I went and bough some really nice material to do my head liner ??/ first took it over to the local upholstery shop they told me that the visors could be done with this material but a no go on the headliner because of it being a vinyl and that they could not guarantee that it would stay up ??/ Even when I bought this it was about half to weigh of normal vinyl ??/ So I may have the choice of gluing this vinyl to a ABS aftermarket headliner ( Way to expensive ) or figure out a way to smooth my headliner out ( factory mold casting imperfections spun glass ) And was wondering if anybody has with any success done this before ??/ I could chock but I not sure of the gluing after words ??/

[motornut]

i've redone the liner using wood glue on the cardboard.
rubbed off the fuzz left on the vinyl.

day 1. did the center 1 foot by 2.
the glue sets up slowly,allowing me to stretch it out while it's drying.
I have a small flat roller too.
glue may come threw the small holes in it,that just rubs off.
day 2 work to the fold,
day 3 finish it.
3 years +/-30 still up there

[silverbear]

Originally Posted by kaysboat

My 1980 C10 is a stripper and initially didn't have a headliner. I happened to find all the parts and trim in a junk yard truck and some cloth/foam headliner material that is a dead match.

I recovered the stock headliner backer board twice now, but the foam stock backerboard keeps letting go within a couple weeks, and my headliner sags dramatically as a result.

I was thinking of making my own new backerboard out of something that will stand up better. I was thinking about fiberglassing oveer the existing backerboard and then scrapping the original away and recovering the "new" fiberglass board.

Anyone have any ideas of done anything like this? I don't want to pay the hundreds of dollars plus crazy shipping prices for a new ABS board from LMC or Classic truck parts.

Thanks.

If you are still considering the fiberglass idea... cover the original backer board (the side that you will be covering with fabric) with aluminum foil taping up all the seams. Lay the glass cloth down onto the foil and brush in your resin. try to keep the surface smooth as you can to prevent a ton of sanding later. Let that cure. Remove the original backer, the foil may stick to the fiberglass. Scrap off the foil without breaking your new backer. Add layers of cloth and resin to the back side, to build up the thickness. Trim the edges down and sand smooth and now you have a fiber glass backer to work with and you didn't have to destroy a factory original.

[jetmech85]

My Suburban headliner backing is actually a cardboard material like motornut refers to, but my crew cab is that fiberglass crap that comes apart and separates when you try to get the old material cleaned off. I was thinking about brushing fiberglass resin on it except I would probably have to remove the back glass to get it back in.