Headliners are made of a foam-backed fabric attached to Styrofoam or a cardboard backing, which in turn is mounted on the vehicle's roof. Exposure to both heat and ultraviolet light will eventually cause the foam to become dry and fragile. When the foam begins to crumble and fall apart, the fabric will start to sag. This causes the once aesthetically pleasing headliner to detract from the appearance of your vehicle's interior.
Remove the old headliner by releasing any metal or plastic clips holding it in place. These may be located on visors or plastic trim around the top of the windshield, the doors and rear window. Some clips might have screws hidden by plastic plugs, which you will have to remove first.
Unscrew the dome light, coat hanger and any other accessories mounted to the roof. When all pieces holding it in place are released, the headliner should fall off the interior roof easily.
Lay the old headliner on a flat working surface. Peel away any remaining cloth fabric. All of the foam underneath needs to be removed, even if it appears intact. Use a drill with a wire wheel attached onto it to brush away all the old foam. Be cautious around holes in the fabric, such as space for the dome light, so you don't catch an edge and rip the fabric. Only the cardboard backing should be remaining when you are finished with the wire wheel.
Lay the new headliner on the backing and trim it down to the size of the backing, leaving 2 to 4 inches of overhang at the edges. Ensure that the lines in the fabric run parallel to the length of the headliner.
Glue the headliner fabric to the backing with a spray adhesive, starting at the rear-center end of the headliner and working outward and forward. Work in one- to two-foot sections, allowing time for new material to adhere to the backing in each step. Slowly run your hand along the glued fabric with soft downward pressure to ensure a smooth gluing job.
Trim any excess headliner material with a razor knife once all the adhesive has dried. Remember to cut any holes for the dome light, visors, coat hangers and other accessories.
Insert the headliner back into the vehicle, taking care not to bend the backing too sharply. Mount all clips or screws back in place in order to hold the headliner up.
