Doing your own interior work can seem like a scary task. that’s because most guys haven’t spent much time behind a sewing machine, and even those who have can find the process intimidating. But when it comes to wrapping parts in suede, leather, or tweed, you don’t need to know a cross-stitch from a basket weave—it’s all just glue and time.
Of course, going to a professional can certainly give you some bang-up results, as was the case here with our Chevrolet Colorado. the headliner was previously wrapped, but change is always good, plus a few more things were shaved, and some club pride was also thrown into the mix. and whom did we turn to for this interior tweak? enter Todd Jubert of the Interior shop. todd has been wrapping headliners since it was cool to run 195/50/15s on a fullsize Chevy (although whether it was ever cool is debatable), so he knows what it takes to do a good job.
Follow along as Todd turns the headliner in question from something blah to an amazing piece of art, and who knows—maybe you can do this yourself someday, too!.
Todd sprayed down a thin layer...
Todd sprayed down a thin layer of the spray adhesive onto a piece of cardboard and applied the printout of the logo. to cut out the circle around the logo, to end up with just the oval.
The logo was carefully removed...
The logo was carefully removed from the cardboard.
Todd adhered the cardboard...
Todd adhered the cardboard to a section of the foam using contact adhesive, then cut out the perimeter of the oval using a razor blade. this gave him an oval made of foam with the cardboard as a backer.
Todd used a straight razor...
Todd used a straight razor blade to cut out the logo around the lettering and the line that makes up the oval. these cuts have to be perpendicular to the top of the foam otherwise the pattern could look funny later.
With the help of a flathead...
With the help of a flathead screwdriver and a few other tools, todd removed the white area of the logo, leaving just the perimeter of the oval and the nC.
The logo was then placed roughly...
The logo was then placed roughly on the headliner, and measured to determine the centerline of the panel. a line was drawn down the middle for future reference.
After applying contact adhesive...
After applying contact adhesive to both the cardboard and the headliner, todd carefully aligned and laid the nC logo in its fnal spot on the headliner.
Since the visors were shaved,...
Since the visors were shaved, two squares the same size as the mounting holes were cut. after applying more contact adhesive, the two squares were placed frmly into their mounting spots on the headliner, covering up the holes in the process.
To blend in the panels, Todd...
To blend in the panels, Todd used 80-grit sandpaper to sand down the foam until it sits fush with the surrounding panels.
The visor pockets were next,...
The visor pockets were next, and todd did those in the same fashion he handled the mounting pockets.
By the time he finished, Todd...
By the time he finished, Todd had applied two layers of foam to the visor pockets,
ensuring that the panel fit flush as possible.
With just a sharpie and a...
With just a sharpie and a whole ton of experience, todd sketched a traditional hot rod pinstripe pattern across the panel. the fnal design may not end up looking like this exactly, but it gave todd a starting point.
So how do you get those beautiful...
So how do you get those beautiful curves? Todd’s secret is welt cording—the same stuff used for stitching up seats. It’s cheap, and the natural curves make pinstripe patterns a snap.
Todd sprayed contact adhesive...
Todd sprayed contact adhesive on both the welt cording and the headliner to ensure a solid connection. Once the adhesive set, he continued. He put down one piece at a time, using the natural curve of the welt cording to his advantage. anytime two lines should cross, just cut them apart using a razor blade.
Here’s the completed pattern...
Here’s the completed pattern ready for suede.
Contact adhesive was sprayed...
Contact adhesive was sprayed over the headliner, and it’s absolutely crucial that every nook and cranny is covered. If not, the panel could lift up over time.
Contact adhesive was sprayed...
Contact adhesive was sprayed on the backside of the suede and with the help of an assistant, the suede was loosely placed on top of the headliner.
Here’s where the skill of...
Here’s where the skill of a professional comes into play. todd held up the sides of the panel with one hand, while pressing the suede in around the pattern using the other. He worked from the center out, so he could smooth out wrinkles in the process.
As he hit the corners, wrinkles...
As he hit the corners, wrinkles inevitably started to form. He got rid of them in two ways. First, he pulled the panel tight and smoothed them out with his hand. When that didn’t work …
… He used an upholstery steamer...
… He used an upholstery steamer to loosen up the suede, which gave him more room to pull. Just like that, no more wrinkles.
Using the backside of a hook...
Using the backside of a hook tool and a rolling wheel, todd pressed the suede into the creases of the pattern. the tighter the connection, the clearer the pattern will appear in the end.
Once the visible side was...
Once the visible side was complete, todd sprayed more contact adhesive down the back of the panel, so he could wrap the suede over the edges.
Any excess suede was cut off...
Any excess suede was cut off using scissors, then slits were cut using a razor blade anywhere a corner or rounded edge was found.
Every edge was careful folded...
Every edge was careful folded and curled over, making sure the suede was tight and clean.
The end result was a beautiful headliner