Date: Wed, 26 Jan 2005 13:37:54 -0500
Reply-To: Jonce Fancher <streetbugs@WHISPLLC.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Jonce Fancher <streetbugs@WHISPLLC.COM>
Subject: Re: Re-covering vinyl headliner/doorliner
In-Reply-To: <20050126141435.1732.qmail@web30701.mail.mud.yahoo.com>
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Hi Dawn
repair is fine but ONLY use paint that is only for Vinyl. all others will get gooey and make a big big big mess and stay sticky forever. the trick for painting vinyl
is PREP. it will only hold as well as the prep you do. i have used the SEM line of product with very good success. i would recommend a product used for
vinyl tops since it is a brush on application or put into a preval or small spray gun and shoot it. but there are usually 3 cleaning/ prep steps to get a good
bond and look. what vinyl paint does is gently melt the vinyl and then bond to the vinyl staying flexable and plyable.
as for the small repairs it is best to look at the seams and and where it tucks under all the seals and edges and determine what and how you can lay in a
patch. also if you repair one side you should put a patch on the other to make it look like it belongs there. as long as it looks planned you can get away with
murder. only use a glue intended for vinyl and i have a product called VLP vinyl liquid patch. that comes in a tube that you can lay over the vinyl glue it on.
the edges of the vinyl can be feathered with a razor blade to give a more clean soft edge. if you paint the headliner you can can mask at seams or best to
paint the whole thing just to make it look good. if i can find some scrap headliner vinyl at the shop i will try and put together a little demo of pictures. as for
the painting part SEM sells full line of colors that can work for the headliner if you dont want to do the brush think. still you need to prep it.
Prep consists of basically cleaning the darn thing and here is what i usually will do at the shop:
1) green or red abrasive scrub pad sold most anywhere, scrub the area to repair or paint with this and a small amount of sem vinyl prep. or if you have
fantastik or 409 or similar that is fine also.
2) now that you have cleaned it make sure you clean the cleaner off. so do it all over again with a new scrub pad and just water. do not soak the headliner.
3) let it dry good ( arizona dry ) must be 100% dry if not sure do not continue
4) do your repairs as needed after repairs you can clean the repair area like step 1-2-3 again must be dry
if you headliner is dry and brittle your waisting your time since the vinyl paint will not soften dead vinyl.
5) there is a primer that can also be used as well as a graining compound and heat and all that type of thing that is very expensive to get into and without
experiance you shouldnt try to do more damage.
6) after masking and taping and putting a drop cloth down you can now look into painting the top. i still recommend foam brush not aerosol for this but its
your time and effort. if you want a custom color for the headliner i can custom mix colors and send them to you at a cost of course. but i can get you most of
the basic stuff if you need it.
this can also be done with door panels and seat backs any no stress area is fine. if under stress like seat face surface then no since the repair is cosmetic
not structural. hope this helps or confuses you. c-ya Jonce
>Ok, So what about options... I have a few smaller
>tears, but nothing big. My problem is discolored
>sections. If I 'glued' the two larger tears back up
>and then used the spray cans of vinyl/leather dye,
>would this make my van look better?
>has anyone tried the spray cans of dye(paint)?
>I see them at JC Whitney and other places and wonder
>if that would help my problem.
>-Dawn
>--- Jonce Fancher <streetbugs@WHISPLLC.COM> wrote:
>> Hi Shawn
>> Old adhesive can usually be reanimatied with using
>> the same type of adhesive used by the factory. most
>> headliners and High temp aplications you will want
>> to you use a trim/ headliner adhesive that is
>> usually Yellow in color and can be brushed or
>> reduced and sprayed. i do sell it through my shop
>> in Michigan
>> but there is a 10.00 hazard ship charge to get it to
>> you. it runs retail about 20.00 per gallon and 8.00
>> per quart. i sell K-Grip 406 but 3Mand parabond
>> makes
>> it as well as many others. it is also a contact
>> adhesive and you will need to spray both contact
>> surfaces. and here is the catch
>>
>> *****DO NOT USE SPRAY CAN OR DAP/WELDWOOD********
>> if you use it, it usually will counter react with
>> the old adhesive and turn to GOO and be gummy then
>> it must be cleaned off and will usually ruin a good
>> job.
>> now im not stopping you from doing and learning the
>> hard way i just dont want you do go through all the
>> pain.
>> usually you can look in the phone book under auto
>> upholstery and call them up and ask if you can buy a
>> qt or pint of the glue ( bring your own Glass Jar
>> with good tight lid. they usually purchase by the 5
>> gallon pail and with cash in there face they tend to
>> let some leave the shop as long as you know that it
>> is
>> extremely Flammable open flame and spark may cause
>> explosion. but when dry it will pass FAA Fire Codes.
>> also if you just have a small corner that is lifting
>> you can just use 3m weather strip adhesive and just
>> tack the corner and be done with it. good luck. as
>> for
>> the fabric or vinyl you can get it also at many auto
>> trim shops. one of these days i will get my web site
>> up for purchasing. c-ya Jonce
>=====
>1985 Vanagon GL
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Jonce Fancher
57 Single Cab
66 Sunroof Bug
66 Variant Squareback
71 Sunroof Bus
75 911S Sunroof
84 Vanagon "Godfried"
85 Vanagon Westi
Fancher's Upholstery Inc. - www.fanchers.com
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