Headliner

[JHC828]

I saw in the altima forums a while back where a guy used fabric paint to paint his headliner black (as well as the rest of the interior of the car). I'm only interested in making the headliner black to match the rest of the interior. My question is: Has anyone here used fabric paint before? I'm worried that it will make the headliner stiff and not look like fabric, also that it would look blotchy...

The fact that the headliner doesn't match the rest of the interior has always bugged me! I'd recover it but I'm sure there would be a significant cost. Does anyone here have any experience with this?

Spray cans

Headliner removed

Headliner painted

Headliner reinstalled

Closeup of headliner[/QUOTE]

[Pwnin O'Brien]

I dunno anything about the fabric paint, but I think this is a great idea. I would love to have my headliner black to match the rest of the car. If you do this, please post an in-depth tutorial because this is something I would seriously consider doing.

[korbeano89]

I saw in the altima forums a while back where a guy used fabric paint to paint his headliner black (as well as the rest of the interior of the car). I'm only interested in making the headliner black to match the rest of the interior. My question is: Has anyone here used fabric paint before? I'm worried that it will make the headliner stiff and not look like fabric, also that it would look blotchy...

The fact that the headliner doesn't match the rest of the interior has always bugged me! I'd recover it but I'm sure there would be a significant cost. Does anyone here have any experience with this?

[/QUOTE]

i will defiantly be doing this, i never knew you could do that, you should do it first or it doesnt matter ill give a whack at it lol

[longhornsqx4]

It fades QUICK

pull the headliner (you have to anyways) and recover it in black carpet, hell you can recover it in suede for less than $100

Dont paint fabric, its not right, recover it

[Mikey178]

It fades QUICK

pull the headliner (you have to anyways) and recover it in black carpet, hell you can recover it in suede for less than $100

Dont paint fabric, its not right, recover it

Yea, I'd go the recover option, I'd assume some good spray adhesive and and fabic of your choosing would be a better option then painting fabric. Too me, since you have to pull the headliner, you might as well recover it and know for sure you won't have any issues.

Never used fabric paint before, so I can't knock it.

[slickroger]

Very interested in this as my headliner has lots of scuff marks and a couple burns by the window.

[JHC828]

Well, ideally I would reupholster the headliner but I have no experience with upholstering and I'm sure I'd make a bigger mess than anything. I'm also concerned with the sun visors, I don't know how I'd go about recovering those.

Has anyone on the board done a headliner before? Would I have to rip off all the fabric that is there now before I put new fabric on? I desperately wish that I could see (in person) painted/stained fabric.

I hope to make this my next weekend project, when I have a little more info on the topic.

[KyooX4]

If you're willing to spend a few bucks on the paint and some supplies, why don't you go ahead and get the paint and go to a crafts store and buy some fabric that is close to that of your headliner and try it out?

[volp]

If you paint it and it looks crappy or starts to fade, you can always go back and reupholster it.

[JHC828]

I'm gonna tinker with it this weekend, I'm pretty sure theres a complete interior in storage at my buddy's shop. (He rebuilds Nissans) I'm hoping I can grab some excess parts off him and keep from messing up my stock stuff. I will keep everyone updated on the progress.

[W O T]

100% dont paint the oem fabric, that fabric paint fades quick as heck, Ive never seen it on a roofliner before, but my friend did his carpet and it faded and rubbed off in less than one season, it just doesnt hold.

Ive reupholsterred my headliner twice now, its pretty easy, fabric costs like $8/yard, and you need 3 yards, and 2 cands of super 77 spray adhesive. So for under $50 youve got a new, lasting headliner

If you didnt want to pull the headliner, then yeah, go ahead and paint it to save yourself the trouble, but your gonna spend more on fabric paint than to do it the proper way.

Like stated above, you can be all baller and go suede, its like $25/yard and there are a million pattern and colours to choose from.

Theres no difficulty in reupholsterring either, if you can handle taking out the interior, you can handle ripping off the old carpet, spray can on some nice adhesive, and adhere the fabric, trim with an exacto knife and youre done.

You can bang it out in an afternoon

[slickroger]

Candy stripe the roof

[slickroger]

suede Candy stripe the roof

[W O T]

We did my buddies girlfriend integra in leopard suede, and shes a regular trophies winner @ Darkknights if youre into imports @ all

Just saying its very easy to recover, just dont be skimpy on the glue (get super 77 or go permanent with contact cement) Cheaper adhesives will fail quickly in a car environment

[JHC828]

100% dont paint the oem fabric, that fabric paint fades quick as heck, Ive never seen it on a roofliner before, but my friend did his carpet and it faded and rubbed off in less than one season, it just doesnt hold.

Ive reupholsterred my headliner twice now, its pretty easy, fabric costs like $8/yard, and you need 3 yards, and 2 cands of super 77 spray adhesive. So for under $50 youve got a new, lasting headliner

If you didnt want to pull the headliner, then yeah, go ahead and paint it to save yourself the trouble, but your gonna spend more on fabric paint than to do it the proper way.

Like stated above, you can be all baller and go suede, its like $25/yard and there are a million pattern and colours to choose from.

Theres no difficulty in reupholsterring either, if you can handle taking out the interior, you can handle ripping off the old carpet, spray can on some nice adhesive, and adhere the fabric, trim with an exacto knife and youre done.

You can bang it out in an afternoon

Do you have any pics of your work? I'd very much like to do suede but I'm most concerned about reupholstering the sun visors than anything else... How do you re-wrap those? I don't imagine that suede would stretch any like many other fabrics would. And all of those little info pockets about the 4x4 system and all... I don't care if they aren't back on there, but I want to remove those without upsetting the structure of the sun visor.
Modified by jcpathy69 at 8:40 PM 9/20/2009

[JHC828]

Update:

Went and found a spare headliner... gonna try dying it first, depending on how that goes I will reupholster it.

I'd really like to put some vents like this (from a mercedes) into the sunshade. Anyone have any idea where I could locate some of these?



I will update my progress.

[W O T]

Well I havent redone the visors before, but I just redid my headliner today to match my new stereo setup beauty panels and front baffle. Just black, kinda hard to see in the pics, cost me $21 total.





Only took an hour start to finish, no wrinkles creases or anything and it will always be black. Havent decided if I wanna tear the mirrors apart and wrap them black yet, might like the contrast.

With suede youd have to have a steam machine, suede can conform over tight corners aswell with the use of one. I'll probably take them apart tomorrow

How much did that headliner set ya back, couldnt have been cheap. Why didnt ya just try and dye youre factory one? If it didnt work out, wrap it...

[JHC828]

Looks good man! Did you put new fabric on the board or did u paint what you had???

The headliner I got was FREE!!!! Courtesy of my friend that has a nissan graveyard. I bought headliner fabric (with the foam backing) over the weekend. It was 25 bux for 3.5 yards (I got extra for the visors). I'm gonna try to reupholster it this weekend.

I haven't done anything with the headliner that's in my pathy now, I wanted it unharmed incase something goes wrong!

[JHC828]

BTW: I opted out of dying it b/c that cost more than buying new fabric and I knew that new fabric would look better!

[W O T]

Looks good man! Did you put new fabric on the board or did u paint what you had???

By board do you mean sunroof? I recoverred everything with new fabric. The hardest part is taking off the oem fabric.

What kind of glue were you planning on using? I tried 3m super 77 the first time, and used Super 90 this time (extra dollar a can), DAMN strong stuff, wear gloves and long sleeves!!

Glad you opted to recover

[JHC828]

By "board" I mean the actual headliner itself, that the fabric attaches to... I see now that you put up new fabric. So, did you go with suede? It's hard to tell from the pics. How many cans of glue did u end up using? U recommend the 90?

[W O T]

No I didnt end up going with suede, Im gonna put that in my Crx I think, I used a very fine jet black carpet that matches my new sub box and cover panels around it

Only used 1 can of super 90, but I used every last drop, but I sprayed quite excessively and also did the extra maplight piece

[Hayes90]

check these out for ideas (BTW these are all Volkswagen's)

[Hayes90]

I dunno anything about the fabric paint, but I think this is a great idea. I would love to have my headliner black to match the rest of the car. If you do this, please post an in-depth tutorial because this is something I would seriously consider doing.

I found a DIY on VWVortex, i understand we have Qx4's but.. this is pretty extensive on how to remove and apply the fabric of your choice. The whole taking out process may be different but it is still similar..

http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=3639815

[JHC828]

No I didnt end up going with suede, Im gonna put that in my Crx I think, I used a very fine jet black carpet that matches my new sub box and cover panels around it

Only used 1 can of super 90, but I used every last drop, but I sprayed quite excessively and also did the extra maplight piece

Got any pics of it reinstalled in the truck?

[W O T]

I shall take one tomorrow good sir, Im doing a whole new stereo setup so Ill def get a pic tomorrow and probly get a thread up on the install.

I painted the front map light /compass thing black aswell

Hopefully Ill have time to take my visors apart tomorrow to, Id like to get those black aswell

[JHC828]

Awesome... take detailed pics of the visors when you do them, they are what I'm most worried about getting to come out correctly! I shall be starting this project this weekend... can't wait!!!

[W O T]

meh f*** it Im bored Ill go pull the visors right now and piddle

[fitzx4]

laying down new fabric is very very simple just rember to move fast and pull it tight i did mine with tan fur... very short fur. just as an idea i figure i will give it a chance if i dont like it i will take it off and recover with something else. i had to do something as my headliner had a burn by the window and tons of residue from 2nd hand smoke so far i have mixed feelings on the outcome. but i seem to grow more and more fond of it. the poofier the fabric the harder to put it alll back together tho so just rember that

[W O T]

So Im a pen15 sorry I didnt get these pics up yesterday, was raining out.

I am at a loss myself on how the visor comes apart to carpet it, I couldnt even get the damn glass out. I dont know if I want to paint them to match the headliner or if i want the contrast or not yet. Drivers side is missing in hte pics as I took it out to mess with it.

I also painted the front map light thing black, aswell as the a and b billar plastics black.looks pretty tits



Id show ya more but my new box is kinda in the way lol