My sunday project: microfiber the center console on the FD
04-05-09, 04:23 PM
#1
My sunday project: microfiber the center console on the FD
My center console had looked like crap since I bought the car 8 years ago (almost to the day!) so I decided to try something I haven't seen yet: covering it in a microfiber/fake suede. There are probably people that have already done it, but I haven't seen any. I've never done any "upholstering" before...not that this is really upholstery but in the same category.
It doesn't match anything else in the interior yet, but I might get around to doing the rest of it sometime. I kind of want to see how it wears before I put a lot of time in the rest of the panels.
If anyone else is interested I can write up what I did, right or wrong. It was pretty easy, but time consuming. I spent probably 5 hours or so and about 6 bucks on fabric, with plenty to spare.
The only thing I am not fond of right now is the reduced clearance around the switches makes them a little stiff, otherwise I'm very pleased with the results.
It doesn't match anything else in the interior yet, but I might get around to doing the rest of it sometime. I kind of want to see how it wears before I put a lot of time in the rest of the panels.
If anyone else is interested I can write up what I did, right or wrong. It was pretty easy, but time consuming. I spent probably 5 hours or so and about 6 bucks on fabric, with plenty to spare.
The only thing I am not fond of right now is the reduced clearance around the switches makes them a little stiff, otherwise I'm very pleased with the results.
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04-06-09, 10:53 AM
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04-06-09, 09:51 PM
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I got the fabric from a local JoAnn's Fabrics. It's just a chain fabric store. I bought a half yard, which was on sale and ran under $7. I also picked up a can of spray adhesive. Since it's all of a day old, I can't comment on the fade resistance.
Now that I think about it there isn't much of a write-up, and I AM NOT A PROFESSIONAL....but here goes:
I disassembled the all the components from the center console.
Next, I cleaned off as much of the old rubberized coating as possible. I didn't find anything that worked really well. For most of it I used some brake cleaner and then once I got a spot peeled up, I rubbed against the "seam" until it rolled off. Similar to painting, make sure any edges or contours are especially clean so the adhesive will stick. After that I went over it with a clean paper towel and rubbing alcohol to get any oils off of it.
Then I cut a piece of material with a minimum of about two inches around each side.
I temporarily stapled one end of the fabric to the front underside of the center console. I worked with the fabric and adhesive in stages. I sprayed adhesive from the front to about mid way through the shifter opening. You can kind of roll the fabric on making sure to get everything on smooth.
This next step is important, more so on the switch openings than the shifter opening. While you're working the fabric, depress the fabric in the various holes so you have some slack in it. It's not a big deal for the shifter opening, but for the switches, you'll need as much slack in the fabric as possible so you can pull it through the holes and secure it to the underside later.
My only tips are go slow and work in sections so you don't get rushed. The area directly behind the center switch gave me the most grief. It wanted to bunch up, but you can work it flat by squishing it flat and basically compressing the weave of the fabric.
Once you've worked all the way down the piece you need to secure the edges. I used hot glue to tidy up the edges. It seemed to work pretty good and is only semi-permanent if something needed to be repositioned.
Next you'll have to cut the holes. The fabric has limited elasticity, so you'll have to make relief cuts near the sharp curves. The fabric has some give so you don't have to cut right up to the corner, therefore hiding the cut by the time you install the switch, light, or whatever. I used hot glue again to secure the "tabs" to the back side of the panel, therefore, pulling everything tightly and stretching the material and forming it to the contours.
That's pretty much it. I probably had 5 hours or so in it, including a run to lowes...so probably 4ish hours. It looks very good in person and I'll probably end up covering much more of my interior in it.
Now that I think about it there isn't much of a write-up, and I AM NOT A PROFESSIONAL....but here goes:
I disassembled the all the components from the center console.
Next, I cleaned off as much of the old rubberized coating as possible. I didn't find anything that worked really well. For most of it I used some brake cleaner and then once I got a spot peeled up, I rubbed against the "seam" until it rolled off. Similar to painting, make sure any edges or contours are especially clean so the adhesive will stick. After that I went over it with a clean paper towel and rubbing alcohol to get any oils off of it.
Then I cut a piece of material with a minimum of about two inches around each side.
I temporarily stapled one end of the fabric to the front underside of the center console. I worked with the fabric and adhesive in stages. I sprayed adhesive from the front to about mid way through the shifter opening. You can kind of roll the fabric on making sure to get everything on smooth.
This next step is important, more so on the switch openings than the shifter opening. While you're working the fabric, depress the fabric in the various holes so you have some slack in it. It's not a big deal for the shifter opening, but for the switches, you'll need as much slack in the fabric as possible so you can pull it through the holes and secure it to the underside later.
My only tips are go slow and work in sections so you don't get rushed. The area directly behind the center switch gave me the most grief. It wanted to bunch up, but you can work it flat by squishing it flat and basically compressing the weave of the fabric.
Once you've worked all the way down the piece you need to secure the edges. I used hot glue to tidy up the edges. It seemed to work pretty good and is only semi-permanent if something needed to be repositioned.
Next you'll have to cut the holes. The fabric has limited elasticity, so you'll have to make relief cuts near the sharp curves. The fabric has some give so you don't have to cut right up to the corner, therefore hiding the cut by the time you install the switch, light, or whatever. I used hot glue again to secure the "tabs" to the back side of the panel, therefore, pulling everything tightly and stretching the material and forming it to the contours.
That's pretty much it. I probably had 5 hours or so in it, including a run to lowes...so probably 4ish hours. It looks very good in person and I'll probably end up covering much more of my interior in it.
04-07-09, 04:56 PM
#18
As far as the material ripping, it's tight enough on the panel that I don't think it's going anywhere.
04-12-09, 02:51 AM
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I did something very similar; check out this post I made a couple years ago.
http://www.v8rx7forum.com/v8-rx7-tec...lacements.html
Before you comment on the color, the camera flash washes out the blue color. The actual color of the Ultrasuede is deep dark midnight blue.
http://www.v8rx7forum.com/v8-rx7-tec...lacements.html
Before you comment on the color, the camera flash washes out the blue color. The actual color of the Ultrasuede is deep dark midnight blue.
04-12-09, 02:54 AM
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Here's the posts from the above link
Before you comment on the color, the camera flash washes out the blue color. The actual color of the Ultrasuede is deep dark midnight blue.
I wanted my aftermarket gauges to match the stock gauges, so I replaced all of them with Autometer Cobalt gauges and a Speedhut dash-mount tachometer. The Speedhut tach font and lighting matches the Cobalts and is a little bigger than the stock tach hole. It also has built in LED shift lights. http://www.speedhut.com/el_detail_ga...ber=412&bhcp=1
The flash of the camera makes the Ultrasuede look a lot lighter than it really is. The color is more of a deep rich blue. The Cobalt gauges not shown are EGT, nitrous pressure, and fuel level which are mounted above the headunit where the HVAC controls were. The HVAC controls are mounted on a flat panel in the glovebox. The Ultrasuede covers both the passenger and driver's side armrests in the door panels, continues up over the gauges, around the headunit panel, and down the shifter console. I was going for a very clean smooth appearance, with only the gauges and headunit visible, everything else is mounted on the panel hidden in the glovebox.
Panel behind the seats with the storage pocket deleted. Bins are also covered with Ultrasuede, the bin access doors were replaced with flat flush panels. Everything that was tan hard plastic was covered except the door panels and headliner. The door panels were swapped for black ones, and the headliner was dyed with vinyl dye.
Interior carpet is also blue, and I made a false floor in the hatch covered with the same carpet. That is a sub box made by DamonB a long time ago on the rx7forum.
Before you comment on the color, the camera flash washes out the blue color. The actual color of the Ultrasuede is deep dark midnight blue.
I wanted my aftermarket gauges to match the stock gauges, so I replaced all of them with Autometer Cobalt gauges and a Speedhut dash-mount tachometer. The Speedhut tach font and lighting matches the Cobalts and is a little bigger than the stock tach hole. It also has built in LED shift lights. http://www.speedhut.com/el_detail_ga...ber=412&bhcp=1
The flash of the camera makes the Ultrasuede look a lot lighter than it really is. The color is more of a deep rich blue. The Cobalt gauges not shown are EGT, nitrous pressure, and fuel level which are mounted above the headunit where the HVAC controls were. The HVAC controls are mounted on a flat panel in the glovebox. The Ultrasuede covers both the passenger and driver's side armrests in the door panels, continues up over the gauges, around the headunit panel, and down the shifter console. I was going for a very clean smooth appearance, with only the gauges and headunit visible, everything else is mounted on the panel hidden in the glovebox.
Panel behind the seats with the storage pocket deleted. Bins are also covered with Ultrasuede, the bin access doors were replaced with flat flush panels. Everything that was tan hard plastic was covered except the door panels and headliner. The door panels were swapped for black ones, and the headliner was dyed with vinyl dye.
Interior carpet is also blue, and I made a false floor in the hatch covered with the same carpet. That is a sub box made by DamonB a long time ago on the rx7forum.
04-12-09, 02:58 AM
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I thought about doing black or charcoal, but a blue sample of Porsche sliver knit style carpet really caught my eye and I wanted some parts of the interior to match. You really have to see the blue in person, it looks absolutely nothing like the pictures; the flash from the camera really screws it up. The picture of the hatch carpet is actually pretty close to the actual color of the Ultrasuede.
I used Ultrasuede Ambiance, color 2330 Indigo.
. That color sample is pretty close to in person; at least on my monitor. There are more samples here http://www.ultrasuede.com/products/s.../ambiance.html.
I bought the Ultrasuede from http://www.gulffabrics.com/. I don't remember how much it was, maybe $55-75 a yard, and I think I used about 5 yards
There are a few types of Ultrasuede; you can't use the one made for seating because it has a backing on it to make it more durable. The Ambiance is very thin but still has a nice short felt knap to it. I'm not sure what the equivalent is in Alcantara. Ultrasuede and Alcantara are the same company from what I understand but Alcantara is the European brand name and the fabrics are a little different with Alcantara being more expensive to get here. I can't vouch for the quality or feel of Alcantara since I didn't get a sample card.
The Ultrasuede Ambiance is very flexible too, you could probably stretch a 12" piece about an inch longer by pulling on either end. That makes it useful when transitioning from a concave curve for example above the gauges to a convex curve where you'll end up with all kinds of wrinkles. By pulling it very tight all the wrinkles can be eliminated. I can't imagine there would be any way to do it with leather without having seams.
For the smaller compound areas that required a very stong hold where I knew I was going to be pulling and stretching I used Pliobond. It is like a rubber cement that is commonly used for tying flies for fishing. You can find it at your local sporting goods store in the fishing section usually, or the hyperlink above. The cap has a brush built in, and you brush on about a 3" x 3" area up to 6" if you can work quick enough. Let it set up a few seconds on the hard plastic until it is more rubbery than liquid, then stick it down. Once it's stuck down you can usually pull pretty hard to stretch out the next section without pulling the previous section loose.
For the larger panels like the bins and side panel pictured above I used 3M Spray Adhesive Hi-Strength 90 (not the 77 - I don't think it's strong enough). Spray it on the whole panel making sure every square inch is covered or you'll get bubbles that won't stick down, but not so thick that it will soak through the fabric once it's placed down. If you get a wrinkle you can usually lift it up once and put it back down, but if you have to position it a third time just wait for the adhesive to dry and spray again. You can just do a section of a large panel, just hold the unstuck fabric back away from the spray. Once the larger surfaces are covered, fold it around the backside of the panel and trim off so you have about an inch or less tabs left over. This is where you'll need the Pliobond to stick the excess down to the back unseen side of the panel. The spray adhesive is useless for trying to get it stuck down on the other side, I had a hell of a time trying to get it stuck down permanently until I used the Pliobond.
I used Ultrasuede Ambiance, color 2330 Indigo.
. That color sample is pretty close to in person; at least on my monitor. There are more samples here http://www.ultrasuede.com/products/s.../ambiance.html.I bought the Ultrasuede from http://www.gulffabrics.com/. I don't remember how much it was, maybe $55-75 a yard, and I think I used about 5 yards
There are a few types of Ultrasuede; you can't use the one made for seating because it has a backing on it to make it more durable. The Ambiance is very thin but still has a nice short felt knap to it. I'm not sure what the equivalent is in Alcantara. Ultrasuede and Alcantara are the same company from what I understand but Alcantara is the European brand name and the fabrics are a little different with Alcantara being more expensive to get here. I can't vouch for the quality or feel of Alcantara since I didn't get a sample card.
The Ultrasuede Ambiance is very flexible too, you could probably stretch a 12" piece about an inch longer by pulling on either end. That makes it useful when transitioning from a concave curve for example above the gauges to a convex curve where you'll end up with all kinds of wrinkles. By pulling it very tight all the wrinkles can be eliminated. I can't imagine there would be any way to do it with leather without having seams.
For the smaller compound areas that required a very stong hold where I knew I was going to be pulling and stretching I used Pliobond. It is like a rubber cement that is commonly used for tying flies for fishing. You can find it at your local sporting goods store in the fishing section usually, or the hyperlink above. The cap has a brush built in, and you brush on about a 3" x 3" area up to 6" if you can work quick enough. Let it set up a few seconds on the hard plastic until it is more rubbery than liquid, then stick it down. Once it's stuck down you can usually pull pretty hard to stretch out the next section without pulling the previous section loose.
For the larger panels like the bins and side panel pictured above I used 3M Spray Adhesive Hi-Strength 90 (not the 77 - I don't think it's strong enough). Spray it on the whole panel making sure every square inch is covered or you'll get bubbles that won't stick down, but not so thick that it will soak through the fabric once it's placed down. If you get a wrinkle you can usually lift it up once and put it back down, but if you have to position it a third time just wait for the adhesive to dry and spray again. You can just do a section of a large panel, just hold the unstuck fabric back away from the spray. Once the larger surfaces are covered, fold it around the backside of the panel and trim off so you have about an inch or less tabs left over. This is where you'll need the Pliobond to stick the excess down to the back unseen side of the panel. The spray adhesive is useless for trying to get it stuck down on the other side, I had a hell of a time trying to get it stuck down permanently until I used the Pliobond.