Saturday, July 13, 2013

The Best Solutions For Auto Headliner Fabric Problems

By Carmella Watts


The padded materials found in the interior part of a car's roof is called a car headliner. This protective covering serves as a bumper should you accidentally hit the ceiling. At the same time, this serves as a cosmetic covering, so the interior of the vehicle would look better. The auto headliner fabric may not last too long, though. Over time, this becomes prone to sagging, discoloration and tearing. When it happens, you can choose from several available solutions.

Most auto headliners are made from vinyl or nylon materials. These come in various colors, and are oftentimes perforated to let moisture seep through. Underneath the fabric is a foam that serves as a buffer. Plastic rivets are usually used to attach the headliner to the ceiling.

After years of driving the vehicle, you might notice that the headliners start to become loose and unglued. It will start as a tiny bubble only. Slowly, the condition worsens until a part of the fabric starts to fall down and block your view. Luckily, there are many different solutions available for car owners. Not all of them are quite effective, though.

A common material used to fasten the materials back to the ceiling is the thumbtack. This may effectively put the fabrics firm in place, although it does not last long. Soon enough, the fabric may give in and what you thought is a solution may end up bringing more problems in. One day, you might find an unpleasant surprise as the tacks start to fall off into the seats.

Another solution car owners turn to is the use of T-shaped push pins. A few people reason out that this holds better than thumbtacks. Nonetheless, the pins may loosen a bit every time the car hits a rough surface and bumps. You will have to thrust the pins back before it can cause accidents. Not to mention how the colorful pins look out of place on the headliner.

Spray adhesives are also common among car owners. This may be a safer solution compared to the first two, but a more pressing concern is how long would it last. Ideally, this works better since the materials are glued from the inside. The problem is that foams do not stick really well. It is like gluing a piece of cloth to the ground. It just would not work.

You can also try some DIY solutions that you can get from hardware stores. Its plastic head keeps the headliners intact. It prevents the materials from falling down. Since this is clear in color, it looks far better than the multi-colored push pins. This looks promising, even just for a temporary fix.

Still, the best solution there is would be to replace the headliners altogether. With all the problems a sagging and damaged padding gives you, there is no need to suffer longer. Replace the headliner whenever necessary. You can install the materials on your own with the kits you can purchase from automotive centers or consult a professional to do it for you.

Whether you hire a mechanic or replace the headliners by yourself, you need to choose the right materials for the job. Decide what auto headliner fabric to use. A thick material that is naturally elastic is the best option. A material that stretches is less susceptible to tearing and dilapidation. This also works best in tightening the materials on the ceiling to avoid sagging.




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