Interior Panel Covering

With the ongoing insulation project, the interior plywood panels are out of the van and in the garage - a perfect opportunity to get on with the task of covering them with automotive lining carpet.

Unlike ordinary carpet, this lining carpet is woven on an elasticated mesh which allows a certain amount of stretching and contraction around the various complex shapes found in vehicle interiors. The carpet also has very little 'backing' and so takes to glueing quite easily. Which is good because I hate using glue!

If I could give out only one tip for this procedure it would be 'take your time'. It's not a job to be rushed, however much you can't wait to see the end result.

So, off we go...


First a bit of prep. A quick sanding of the edges will save any splinter-based fun later. A light sanding across the whole panel will also help the glueing process. Don't forget to check your lefts and rights - the last thing you want to do is carpet the wrong side of a panel!

On to the sticky stuff...


Not much to say really, just follow the directions on the tub. Don't forget a bit of ventilation - there's nothing like a glue-buzz to leave you sticking things at crazy angles!

Like buttering toast...


...on a grand scale. Again, take your time, this glue works best after 30 minutes or so, so there's no need to rush.

Carpet on and flip.


Cut your carpet pretty generous, there's no point being stingy. Lay the carpet onto the glued panel and smooth out. Then flip the panel over and start trimming up the edges. This is also the point to make any nips and tucks to get the carpet to follow any curved contours of the panel edge.
Then it's a quick once around the panel edges with the glue in preparation for folding the carpet over the edges.

It's a wrap...


Clean hands time. Carefully fold the carpet around the edges and corners of the panel and you're done. A few weights can come in handy at this point whilst the glue goes off.

Here's a quick before and after of the big panel over the rear wheel arch.





I'll post a finished panel picture next week just before refit.

Time-wise; two sliding door panels and two large rear panels have taken the best part of a day to do - although much of this is waiting for glue to go off, washing hands of glue, drinking coffee and coming-down from glue-highs!