How much fabric needed to wrap dash/doors?
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Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 75
Likes: 10
From: Baton Rouge, La.
How much fabric needed to wrap dash/doors?
I'm thinking about covering my door panels and dash (except gauge cluster/hood, a/c/radio and shifter panel) in alcantaraor similar fabric. I saw that a few guys on here have done this and was curious as to about how much fabric it would take?
Also the areas I mentioned I wasn't wrapping in alcantara I wanted to wrap in either carbon fiber di-noc vinyl or neffy wraps dry carbon fabric. Those that have done di-noc, do the curves hold up well, I am worried concave surfaces would eventually lose adhesion. Both are sold in 48"wide sections with any length. How much material did you need to wrap these components?
Also the areas I mentioned I wasn't wrapping in alcantara I wanted to wrap in either carbon fiber di-noc vinyl or neffy wraps dry carbon fabric. Those that have done di-noc, do the curves hold up well, I am worried concave surfaces would eventually lose adhesion. Both are sold in 48"wide sections with any length. How much material did you need to wrap these components?
10-8-10-8
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 848
Likes: 12
From: Australia
I've played around with the Di-Noc black carbon fiber vinyl in small sections, and I have to say, I don't really like the stuff much anymore for a few reasons.
Its very overused/played out now by everyone, which drags its look down, and makes it less appealing. Its more mundane now, and a lot of the ricey Honda guys seem to love it. Not very upmarket when you see Civics badly covered in acres of the stuff, wrinkles and all.
It's quite thick (for what it is IMHO) and does not conform and stay conformed to complex or tight curves very well. Any interior shots you see using Di-Noc, I bet you never get a close up of the edges or where it meets a tight radius, because the stuff always lifts at an exposed edge, and loses adhesion in complex curves and that adds to the ratty appearance after 6 months of use. All the photos of complete car interiors in Di-Noc are always photographed at 6-10 feet away for a reason, unless it is professionally applied using primer.
It does not do particularly well in direct sun and UV does damage it. So don't expect it to be long term resilient. In fact, I think 3M, who manufacture the Di-Noc, now explicitly state that they do not guarantee the stuff for outdoor or direct UV exposure.
My worst experience was attempting to put a fairly large sheet of it over an FD gauge cluster hood, to hide where the sun-brittled plastic hood had cracked. The Di-Noc eventually lifted in the heat of the sun, despite the primer and heat gun application. It then wrinkled up slightly and began to shrink in from the edges. This was 18 months on a gauge hood that was exposed to UV every day. It looks awful and cheap and fake after that long and it was a waste of time and effort and I would rather have spent the time repairing the plastic hood properly and using SEM bumper black or similar, in the first place.
Thats all I know about 3M Carbon Di-Noc. About the only thing I find it useful for, is wrapping the back of my mobile phone for scratch protection. And even then, its too thick for the edges not to catch and lift on things, with repeated handling.
A few years ago it was a major fad. Carbon fiber look without the price tag. But just like the current skinny jeans hipster fad, I think its days are probably numbered.
Its very overused/played out now by everyone, which drags its look down, and makes it less appealing. Its more mundane now, and a lot of the ricey Honda guys seem to love it. Not very upmarket when you see Civics badly covered in acres of the stuff, wrinkles and all.
It's quite thick (for what it is IMHO) and does not conform and stay conformed to complex or tight curves very well. Any interior shots you see using Di-Noc, I bet you never get a close up of the edges or where it meets a tight radius, because the stuff always lifts at an exposed edge, and loses adhesion in complex curves and that adds to the ratty appearance after 6 months of use. All the photos of complete car interiors in Di-Noc are always photographed at 6-10 feet away for a reason, unless it is professionally applied using primer.
It does not do particularly well in direct sun and UV does damage it. So don't expect it to be long term resilient. In fact, I think 3M, who manufacture the Di-Noc, now explicitly state that they do not guarantee the stuff for outdoor or direct UV exposure.
My worst experience was attempting to put a fairly large sheet of it over an FD gauge cluster hood, to hide where the sun-brittled plastic hood had cracked. The Di-Noc eventually lifted in the heat of the sun, despite the primer and heat gun application. It then wrinkled up slightly and began to shrink in from the edges. This was 18 months on a gauge hood that was exposed to UV every day. It looks awful and cheap and fake after that long and it was a waste of time and effort and I would rather have spent the time repairing the plastic hood properly and using SEM bumper black or similar, in the first place.
Thats all I know about 3M Carbon Di-Noc. About the only thing I find it useful for, is wrapping the back of my mobile phone for scratch protection. And even then, its too thick for the edges not to catch and lift on things, with repeated handling.
A few years ago it was a major fad. Carbon fiber look without the price tag. But just like the current skinny jeans hipster fad, I think its days are probably numbered.
Thread Starter
Full Member
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 75
Likes: 10
From: Baton Rouge, La.
I've played around with the Di-Noc black carbon fiber vinyl in small sections, and I have to say, I don't really like the stuff much anymore for a few reasons.
Its very overused/played out now by everyone, which drags its look down, and makes it less appealing. Its more mundane now, and a lot of the ricey Honda guys seem to love it. Not very upmarket when you see Civics badly covered in acres of the stuff, wrinkles and all.
It's quite thick (for what it is IMHO) and does not conform and stay conformed to complex or tight curves very well. Any interior shots you see using Di-Noc, I bet you never get a close up of the edges or where it meets a tight radius, because the stuff always lifts at an exposed edge, and loses adhesion in complex curves and that adds to the ratty appearance after 6 months of use. All the photos of complete car interiors in Di-Noc are always photographed at 6-10 feet away for a reason, unless it is professionally applied using primer.
It does not do particularly well in direct sun and UV does damage it. So don't expect it to be long term resilient. In fact, I think 3M, who manufacture the Di-Noc, now explicitly state that they do not guarantee the stuff for outdoor or direct UV exposure.
My worst experience was attempting to put a fairly large sheet of it over an FD gauge cluster hood, to hide where the sun-brittled plastic hood had cracked. The Di-Noc eventually lifted in the heat of the sun, despite the primer and heat gun application. It then wrinkled up slightly and began to shrink in from the edges. This was 18 months on a gauge hood that was exposed to UV every day. It looks awful and cheap and fake after that long and it was a waste of time and effort and I would rather have spent the time repairing the plastic hood properly and using SEM bumper black or similar, in the first place.
Thats all I know about 3M Carbon Di-Noc. About the only thing I find it useful for, is wrapping the back of my mobile phone for scratch protection. And even then, its too thick for the edges not to catch and lift on things, with repeated handling.
A few years ago it was a major fad. Carbon fiber look without the price tag. But just like the current skinny jeans hipster fad, I think its days are probably numbered.
Its very overused/played out now by everyone, which drags its look down, and makes it less appealing. Its more mundane now, and a lot of the ricey Honda guys seem to love it. Not very upmarket when you see Civics badly covered in acres of the stuff, wrinkles and all.
It's quite thick (for what it is IMHO) and does not conform and stay conformed to complex or tight curves very well. Any interior shots you see using Di-Noc, I bet you never get a close up of the edges or where it meets a tight radius, because the stuff always lifts at an exposed edge, and loses adhesion in complex curves and that adds to the ratty appearance after 6 months of use. All the photos of complete car interiors in Di-Noc are always photographed at 6-10 feet away for a reason, unless it is professionally applied using primer.
It does not do particularly well in direct sun and UV does damage it. So don't expect it to be long term resilient. In fact, I think 3M, who manufacture the Di-Noc, now explicitly state that they do not guarantee the stuff for outdoor or direct UV exposure.
My worst experience was attempting to put a fairly large sheet of it over an FD gauge cluster hood, to hide where the sun-brittled plastic hood had cracked. The Di-Noc eventually lifted in the heat of the sun, despite the primer and heat gun application. It then wrinkled up slightly and began to shrink in from the edges. This was 18 months on a gauge hood that was exposed to UV every day. It looks awful and cheap and fake after that long and it was a waste of time and effort and I would rather have spent the time repairing the plastic hood properly and using SEM bumper black or similar, in the first place.
Thats all I know about 3M Carbon Di-Noc. About the only thing I find it useful for, is wrapping the back of my mobile phone for scratch protection. And even then, its too thick for the edges not to catch and lift on things, with repeated handling.
A few years ago it was a major fad. Carbon fiber look without the price tag. But just like the current skinny jeans hipster fad, I think its days are probably numbered.
I agree, on one hand i do feel fake carbon fiber is very ricey. I am just not a fan of the stock plastic look of my gauge cluster, stereo cluster and shifter panel so I was trying to think of other options to just painting it. Other than the gauge hood, none of these pieces should be in direct sunlight but I was worried about the vinyl sticking to a lot of the concave curves. I would even pay for quality CF replacements but the only ones I've seen are chinese made poorly fitting pieces. I'm not trying to cover the car in CF but those pieces and the door trim pieces are ones i've considered. there is at least 1 person that used the carbon fabric (same one used on bmw M3 interiors) and wrapped the same parts i want with great success. It's not a stickbacked adhesive so you need 3m spray adhesive to apply it but i tink it would probably old better than the Di-noc. I really would prefer this route since it looks like true dry carbon as opposed to the vinyl. Anyone ever use the Neffywraps carbon fabric?
I really hope Redline comes through with a dash/door kit. The only reason i haven't ordered their center console cover yet is I was thinking about doing the dash and didn't want the different materials to clash. with eachother. Their other products are reasonably priced and love the fact that they offer discounts on multiple item purchases.
Thanks, guys
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