Questionthe felt material has come loose from the inside roof of my car,how do i replace or repair it, it's hailed up with pins now but the stuff underneath the felt is old and dry rotten, it seems to be attached to a plastic sheet too.
AnswerHi, Debbie!
This cloth piece is called the "headliner" and is actually double-knit synthetic material with a foam backing. This foam goes bad after a few years from heat and ozone damage, and turns all crumbly and nasty.
The plastic sheet is a vapor barrier. It's purpose is to keep condensation on the underside of the roof sheet metal from showing rust stains on the cloth.
It's possible to glue the headliner back ourself (directions below), but for a really good looking job, I'd take it to an auto upholstery shop.
If you want to do it yourself, you'll want to get a can of 3M Hi-Temp #99 Spray adhesive like this:
http://www.shoplet.com/office/db/MMM90.html
Don't use any other spray adhesive unless it says "high temperature" right on the can label--it gets hot inside the car and other types will soften and let go, first hot day you get.
Unfortunately, this stuff is $20.00 a can, but you get what you pay for.
Take out the pins and let the fabric droop down. Brush and vacuum any loose foam and foam dust from the gluing areas. Spray the glue onto both surfaces--cloth and metal. It doesn't take much. Carefully position the cloth and attach it one small area at a time. When I do this, I start at the center of each edge and work toward the corners, doing each center in turn and then the corners in turn.
There's not much room for error; once it's stuck, it's tough to remove without tearing the fabric, so plan this out and proceed with care.
Good luck!
--Paul
