Complete reupholstery of the car interior: a quick DIY method

Over time, even an interior made of high-quality materials wears out and loses its original appearance. Therefore, the car owner has a natural desire to correct the situation. There are several ways to do this. One of them is to reupholster the interior.

The procedure is quite complex and multi-stage. Not everyone has the skills and strength to do this. But there are those who take on the job with confidence, and the result exceeds expectations.

You need to act according to the instructions, focusing on your own taste, preferences and existing skills in the field of cutting and sewing. You can entrust some of the work to your beloved wife or go to a workshop to sew covers.

What can be done

If the salon has lost its attractive appearance, you can go one of several ways:

Let it be as it is. Not the best solution, because when worn, the upholstery deteriorates even faster:

• Use T-shirts and covers. They will only hide existing shortcomings. If you expect long-term use or then want to sell the car at a profit, it would be better to restore the interior
• Contact the studio. A good option, but very expensive. In addition to paying for materials, you will also have to pay for the work.
• Pull it yourself. It doesn't save time, but it saves money. You will only have to spend money on consumables.

Which option to choose, everyone decides for himself. Even partially self-performed reupholstery will be much more economical than completely entrusting the work to specialists. They can help you make the covers, and you can do the dismantling, reupholstery and assembly yourself.

Soft backing

A soft lining can be glued to the back of the upholstery. It is especially relevant for the skin. This is a foam material with fabric. The material helps to hold the thread, and it does not fall through the material when sewing. This soft material performs three functions. Firstly, it helps to eliminate wrinkles on the fairly thin upholstery material, and secondly, the soft lining gives better tactile sensations to the surface. Thirdly, this material provides a smooth, even appearance and fullness of the upholstery after installation.

The soft backing is glued with special glue from a can with the soft part to the upholstery, and the fabric outside. The principle of gluing and leveling is the same as when repairing ceiling trim. In addition to gluing, you can additionally stitch along the very edge of the upholstery part. This way the backing is guaranteed not to come off. After this, the excess along the edges of the upholstery part is cut off and the individual upholstery piece can be considered finished.

What you need for work

It is generally accepted that do-it-yourself seat reupholstery involves working with leather. But it is not at all necessary to use it. There are many alternative materials.

To transform your own car, you will first need to collect some materials and tools.

The main emphasis is on the choice of fabric. But also do not forget about the devices, without which you will not be able to complete the work.

To reupholster the seats of your car successfully, you can’t do it yourself without:

• sewing machine;
• reinforced threads;
• tailor's scissors;
• stationery knife;
• wire cutter;
• upholstery rings;
• small pliers;
• industrial hair dryer;
• rollers;
• spatulas;
• chalk and marker;
• rulers;
• foam rubber;
• glue.

If leather or leather equivalents are used, be sure to use high-temperature durable adhesive.

A sewing machine requires a special element with a thick needle and a walking foot. Professional machines are more suitable for such purposes, since they are more powerful and can work with dense materials.

Besides leather, there are other types of fabric. Potentially worth considering the following options:

• Genuine Leather. Soft and durable material. But it is expensive, does not like sharp objects, is difficult to clean and quickly heats up in the sun. You will have to take very good care of the interior.
• Faux leather or eco leather. Outwardly, it completely repeats the previous material, but does not require the same delicate care.
• Faux suede. Resistant to fading, stains and abrasion.
• Regular fabric. The cheapest option. If the car is inexpensive, the budget is limited, and this is the first upholstery in your practice, you should start with fabric. Polyester and nylon are mainly suitable for such purposes.

Preparing for reupholstery

Working on reupholstery requires perseverance, patience and following recommendations.

Before you start updating the seats, it is necessary to carry out preparatory work:

• dismantle the seats, which are secured with four bolts. Before doing this, disconnect the battery terminal and electrical wiring terminals.
• remove all fragments of old covers and sign them. In addition, it is better to write the name of the material that will be replaced in this place.
• remove the standard cover from the seat, first bend the metal clips from the back. cut the cover at the seams, it will be used to cut a new one.
• calculate the material. Take measurements of each part of the old cover. Make a pattern, leaving at least a few centimeters at the edges.

Stages of wrapping

Now you can start reupholstering the car seats with your own hands. Here the work is conventionally divided into several successive stages. Namely:

• seat preparation;
• pattern making;
• creation of covers;
• installation and reassembly.

In practice, the covering technology is approximately the same. But what material is used plays a role in re-upholstering the seat in the car yourself without outside help.

You should consider each stage separately in order to transform your own car from the inside.

Preparing the seats

Before you start reupholstering car seats, you need to prepare everything correctly.

Therefore, at the first stage, it is right to dismantle and disassemble the car seats. Dismantling is necessary because this way you can make covers that are as accurate in size and configuration as possible.

Before starting disassembly, it is better to remove the negative from the battery and disconnect the connectors, if any, in the seat area. When reassembling, many advise taking photos of dismantling or even recording a video. Then, in rewind, you can easily understand what is attached where.

It is better to first repair any damage to the chairs.

Pattern

Next comes the creation of a pattern for future car covers for upholstering the seats in the cabin.

The correct pattern directly affects the final appearance of the interior. Therefore, try to approach this stage as responsibly as possible.

The best option to simplify your task is to carefully remove the old upholstery and cut out new blanks using the resulting template.

Number the elements of the covers to make assembly easier. But in case of serious damage to the old material, it is better to transfer the template to paper, taking accurate measurements of the seats in the car. Anyway, don’t get rid of the old upholstery just yet. At the very least, it will provide invaluable assistance in assembly.

Cases

Having completed making the pattern, you can begin sewing the covers. Start with the simplest components. Usually, beginners practice making covers for the seat headrest. They are quite simple, and therefore, if the work is successfully completed, you can safely move on to the main chairs.

When reupholstering, be sure to use the correct seams. Each of them is designed for specific tasks.

• Decorative. It is not used to connect anything. This is an exclusively decorative seam used as a decoration for armchairs.
• Edging. Very durable, does not allow the fabric to unravel. If you are making car seat covers, this stitch is highly recommended.
• Double. Serves to connect 2 elements that are pressed against each other with their front part.
• Base. The simplest stitch. The idea is that two folded pieces of material are stitched along the edge.

Selection of cladding material

Natural and artificial automobile leather are best suited for reupholstering car interiors. Both materials are characterized by high performance qualities, which sets them apart from the less popular carpet or velor. At the same time, leather covering is much easier to do with your own hands than, for example, flocking the interior. The reason for this is the high elasticity of the material, as well as the usual set of necessary tools. Recently, motorists are increasingly choosing Alcantara. However, the price for the original material is almost higher than the cost of genuine leather, while its cheaper substitutes cannot boast of high quality.

For these reasons, we will dwell in more detail on materials such as genuine leather and eco-leather.

Genuine Leather

Genuine automobile leather will become a real decoration of the interior. Is it possible to imagine a luxury car covered with a hard carpet or covered with multi-colored vinyl film?

However, a beautiful appearance is not the only advantage of genuine leather. It can withstand both frost and heat. Cracks will not appear on it due to temperature changes. Another positive property is resistance to ultraviolet radiation. Many materials fade in the sun, so after just a few years of use, the control panel and front seats, which are located directly under the windshield, become noticeably paler compared to the rest of the trim. But this will not affect natural leather. You can be sure that the interior will retain its color.

The interior of the car, covered in leather, looks expensive and solid.

Do not forget about the fire resistance of the material. Accidentally dropped cigarette ash will not harm the interior. Moreover, genuine leather does not absorb foreign odors, which is very important for those who like to smoke inside the car. The skin is also not afraid of other mechanical damage: it will take a lot of effort to scratch or tear such a coating.

On sale you can find material of various textures, including crocodile or ostrich leather. However, when choosing between smooth and perforated leather, it is better to give preference to the latter type. It is softer and more pleasant to the touch. In addition, its wear resistance is noticeably higher.

Perforated leather is softer and more pleasant to the touch

The only thing that can discourage you from upholstering the interior with genuine leather is its price. Its use becomes especially risky when you tighten it yourself. After all, if at some point something goes wrong, a large amount will be thrown away. If you are not ready to take such a risk, turn your attention to eco-leather.

Eco leather

Currently, artificial leather has practically received a second life. Outdated technologies have been replaced by newer ones. Low-quality leatherette is no longer used for upholstery of car interiors, giving way to eco-leather.

Eco leather is a synthetic material. During its manufacture, a thin layer of polyurethane is applied to a woven cotton or polyester base. At the same time, the characteristics of the material directly depend on the thickness of the layer: the thicker it is, the stronger the eco-leather is, but at the same time tougher. For car upholstery, the optimal thickness of polyurethane was experimentally determined.

The material received the name “eco leather” for two reasons. Firstly, during operation it does not emit toxic substances that adversely affect vehicle passengers. And secondly, after its invention, the number of animals killed for their skin decreased sharply, which pleased animal rights activists.

In terms of its external qualities, eco-leather is very close to its natural ancestor. Using special technologies, embossing is applied to the material, making it quite difficult to distinguish it from genuine leather. Moreover, the higher the price of the material, the more identical their appearance.

The appearance of eco-leather is very close to the appearance of natural material

Eco leather has a rich palette. You can use classic black or extreme red in the interior, or you can combine colors to your liking. But coloring natural material will cost you a pretty penny.

In terms of other characteristics, artificial leather is also not inferior to natural leather: wear resistance, moisture resistance and fire resistance are its strong qualities. Both of these materials remain clean for a long time, and if necessary, stains and dust can be easily removed with a wet sponge and soft cloth. It's no secret that many people are allergic to animal fur and skin, as well as the chemicals used in tanning. Eco-leather is perfect for them, as it is absolutely hypoallergenic.

At the same time, the cost of eco-leather is several times lower than natural leather, which makes it more accessible to the general public. You can safely take one or two meters in reserve if you are doing self-upholstery for the first time. The remaining material can be used to make a cover for the steering wheel, gear shift lever and other small elements of the car.

Regardless of whether you choose natural or eco-leather, purchase the material from specialized automotive stores. There are many reasons why leather used for making furniture, clothing and shoes is not suitable for upholstery. For example, its instability to temperature changes and reduced wear resistance.

Both natural and artificial materials have drawbacks that may seem insignificant to some. In cold weather, the coating quickly cools down, and in the sun it gets very hot. Accordingly, this slightly reduces the level of comfort. Whether it is worth paying attention to this feature of materials is up to you to decide. In any case, leather is one of the best solutions for interior decoration of a car.

Why do they reupholster the car interior?

There are basically two global reasons why the interior is reupholstered. The first is worn out fabric, the second is tuning. With a good interior, a car greatly increases in value and looks much better. In addition, reupholstery can increase practicality. For example, a leather interior can suppress unnecessary noise and vibration.

Upholstery

When reupholstering, it is not at all necessary to look for the same material as before. It is quite possible to find something radically different, more modern and durable. You definitely need to consult with specialists so that they can guide you on what material is best to take. After all, some of them can not be used throughout the entire cabin, but only in some of its elements. Also, the skin may differ in practicality depending on the class of the car.

How to remove a burn

To carry out restoration work, the seat should be disassembled and brought home. You can't make repairs without removing the car seat. To remove the burn, you will need an iron, TERMOTEKS powdered hot melt adhesive, and pieces of upholstery fabric. The product for gluing leather and textiles is inexpensive.

The work sequence is as follows:

• clean the edges of the burn with scissors;
• cut a circle from thick fabric with a diameter 2-3 times larger than the hole;
• put under the defect;
• pour glue under the edges, remove excess;
• cover with a sheet of whatman paper A4 folded in half;
• iron with a hot iron;
• cut out a patch from upholstery fabric with a diameter corresponding to the hole, first add glue, then put it on;
• iron.

The more accurate the patch size, the better the repair.

Types of car seat defects

The most common car seat problems are:

• washing armrests, upholstery and pillows;
• failure of gaskets and the base of the car seat structure;
• damage to special springs;
• discoloration of the skin and its cracking due to temperature changes or ultraviolet radiation;
• mechanical defects not related to the operation of the device - burn-through, rupture, broken bases or cuts due to careless handling or exposure to external factors.
• deformation of the seat structure due to the activation of the car safety system as a result of an accident.

The choice of method for solving car seat problems is made taking into account the type and nature of damage. Tools and materials are also determined according to the situation.

Genuine Leather

Seats covered with genuine leather look solid and are a real decoration of the interior, but this is not the only advantage of the material:

The only disadvantage of using genuine leather is the high cost of the material, which can be especially unpleasant for those who are doing it for the first time. After all, in case of an error, a large amount of money can be lost.

On sale you can find leather of various textures, but it is better to give preference to perforated material - it is more wear-resistant and soft.

Review of popular brands

The market offers a wide range of products used for reupholstering car interiors. Some of these compounds are very popular.

"Moment"

“Moment” is a universal adhesive composition used for fixing various materials. However, this product is toxic and spreads over the surface. In this regard, “Moment” is usually not used for gluing interior trim.

"Kaiflex K414"

Another polyurethane based product. "Kaiflex K414" stands out from other adhesives in that it provides strong fixation of the finish to the surface and reacts well to temperature changes, maintaining its original properties when the interior overheats.

"Titanium"

“Titanium” is rarely used for upholstery of interior trim. This product takes a long time to dry and does not tolerate temperature changes.

"Demoskol"

"Demoskol" is recommended for reupholstering the interiors of old cars. This composition is characterized by increased moisture resistance. In addition, Demoskol is not affected by temperature changes.

"Glue-88"

A universal product for restoring interior trim. "Glue-88" is used for fixing various materials, including Alcantara and genuine leather. This product is characterized by increased resistance to moisture and temperature changes. The disadvantages of the product include the fact that “Glue-88” does not provide strong fixation of the skin to the surface and emits a distinct unpleasant odor.

"GTA Boterm"

"GTA Boterm" stands out due to its ability to withstand exposure to elevated temperatures and humidity. However, working with this composition is more difficult than with the previous ones. To gain strength, the glue requires temperature exposure (treatment with a construction hair dryer).

Putting on new upholstery and assembling seats

• When all parts of the upholstery are sewn together, it can be put on the seat and back.
• When installing the upholstery, restore all fasteners that were cut off when disassembling the seat. As you assemble, refer to the photographs taken while disassembling the seats.
• The traditional method of fastening upholstery is the use of special rings. As an alternative method for fastening, you can use nylon zip ties of the required size (10 - 20 cm). They must be of good quality and not break.

Start tightening the seat back upholstery by turning it in the opposite direction and gradually unroll it.

• The upholstery on the back of the seat is a little more difficult to install than on the seat itself. It takes some effort to tighten it. The upholstery should be with the back side facing out. It is placed on the upper part of the backrest and unfolds in stages.

• When putting on leather upholstery, it must be treated with hot steam. This is necessary so that the skin “sits” well and tightly into place. Exposure to heat dries out the skin. When heated, the skin weakens and becomes much more pliable. After cooling, it contracts and tightens the seat. If you don't have a steam generator, you can use a hair dryer as an alternative. When using a hair dryer, adjust the temperature so as not to overheat your skin. If there are no adjustments on the hairdryer, then change the heating by changing the distance from the surface. When heating, you don't need to stay in one place for a long time. Faux leather is less sensitive to heat, but also requires caution when heating.
• A safer option would be to steam the inside of the upholstery before putting it on. This way the steam will not damage the front part. After drying, the leather will lie flat on the seat, without folds or wrinkles.
• If the seat has an airbag, the battery must be disconnected when connecting the seat plugs.

Chair installation

Before assembly, it is necessary to prepare the base for the future chair. Since its standard height turned out to be too large, I had to seriously modify it:

• First you need to completely disassemble it, leaving only the “spider”: legs with wheels and a central pipe.
• Cut off the central pipe, leaving approximately 20 cm of its length, then drill it along its entire length.
• Prepare a piece of pipe of similar length and diameter, allowing it to be inserted into the central pipe of the base.
• Prepare a platform for mounting a car seat. Using a welding machine, weld the pipe to the platform, then install the resulting structure into the base.

At this point, the work on preparing the legs of the future chair is completed. All that remains is to modify the seat a little:

• Weld crossbars from the corner to the “sled”: they will be needed to secure the platform.
• You should remember to trim the shelf along the edges of the crossbars: otherwise it will interfere with the seat adjustment mechanism.

Then you need to make the armrests. I will have them of the telescopic type, with height adjustments. To do this you need:

• Take 2 pairs of pipe sections for the telescopic mechanism.
• Drill a hole in the main pipes and weld nuts to them to install the adjusting bolts.
• Weld a platform for the armrests to the upper pipes, and corners for attaching to the “sled” to the lower pipes.
• Weld the armrest fastenings to the “sled”.
• To make the armrests themselves, I used 10 mm plywood, foam rubber, then covered it all with leather.

After assembly, the result was a very nice and practical chair. It’s a pleasure to work with and it’s easy to sit at the computer for hours without feeling tired at all.

Classification of cases

Each owner, at his own discretion, makes a choice in favor of one type of cover or another, guided by his own reasons for acquiring covers. However, there is a general number of identified problems:

• General view of the vehicle.
• Hiding existing defects.
• Safety of new upholstery.
• Reducing the problems of cleaning the cabin when transporting animals and children.
• Work goals (work in a taxi, courier service).
• Comfort when staying in the car for a long time.
• Transformation of the interior, change of color scheme.
• Protective function: does not accumulate dust, debris in folds, protection from ultraviolet radiation, the influence of chemical reagents during interior cleaning.
• Expression of individuality.

Chair covers are classified according to external characteristics (size, features, type of material) and functionality.

Wool

Cozy “bedspreads” are made from good quality raw materials and have the ability to stretch. You cannot rely on the openwork of the material: the design will stretch out and lose strength and appearance.

Massage

If you sit behind the wheel for a long time, you can get a personal assistant and receive a massage on every trip. The massage cover has an effect on the back, sacrum, and muscles of the body. Accelerates the circulatory system. They are produced in two types: electrical, mechanical. For the cold season, option number one is recommended.

Thermo

The presence of a built-in heating regulator makes this type of coating universal.

Classic

The usual option is in the form of a T-shirt. Presence of pockets.

DIY country chair from an old car seat

In order to purchase high-quality country furniture, you actually need quite a lot of finances. Moreover, if you want something really interesting, for example, a chair with high-quality upholstery (perhaps even leather) and options for adjusting the tilt and other positions. This type of request evokes associations with exorbitant spending and searching through expensive options.

However, the answer is literally on the surface; it is obvious, simple and profitable. We are talking about a car seat that only needs a little addition and modification. After this, you will have high-quality country furniture at your disposal.