There is no driver who didn’t care at all about his treasure – the car. Sometimes a lot of disputes in families arise precisely because of her - a homewrecker and a helper in one person.
A favorite car deserves a lot - expensive accessories, time, and money.
The moment comes when it needs to be “dressed up”, the salon’s appearance becomes gloomy, dull, and the ceiling, even better, wants to go on a cruise in the Mediterranean Sea. In this case, the car enthusiast begins to wonder how and what can be done to please the interior, and what fabric to choose for the car ceiling is better.
The automotive world is full of different accessories and a wide range, where everyone will find a suitable upholstery material.
Ceiling fabric for car
Material selection
The choice of material for reupholstering the ceiling is so wide, in particular in the price category, palette, texture, etc. But craftsmen pay attention to the most common materials - leather, substitute, carpet, flock, Alcantara, etc.
Automotive leather
Stretch ceilings can be made of any material. One of the most representative is genuine leather. For example, a black suspended ceiling combined with an interior in the same tone will make the car more elegant and bring it closer to the luxury class.
Auto leather
Automotive leather is an excellent option for upholstery, since this natural component is practically not subject to deformation. However, the cost of such material is quite high.
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Leather production has an environmental impact, as not all materials end up in the leather during the production process. Also, when disposing of leather, the product turns into waste.
Eco leather
Eco-leather is made from natural fibers such as linen or cotton, mixed with palm, corn, soybean and other vegetable oils, which are laminated together in multiple layers to create something similar to real leather.
Eco leather
Eco-leather is a non-toxic material, which allows you to avoid unpleasant odors during operation, and thanks to its porous structure, it allows air to pass through well. In addition, eco-leather as a fabric for car ceilings is absolutely hypoallergenic and has high thermoregulation, which means that the furniture will not get too hot in direct sunlight, and will not freeze in the cold.
Important! Externally, leather and eco-leather are very similar to each other. However, unlike natural leather, eco-leather has the same thickness, even color and texture.
Alcantara
Natural fabric for car ceiling upholstery. Its fibers are obtained from animal or plant materials. Natural fiber fabrics are antistatic and very comfortable. With proper care, the fabric is resistant to various “finishing” treatments.
Alcantara
Attention! Alcantara is the only original ultramicrofiber fabric.
Alcantara is strong, beautiful, soft, versatile and incredibly durable when made correctly. There is no imitation suede on the market like Alcantara. Alcantara is a non-woven material. The fabric is not woven, but is made by felting the fibers of the fabric into a tight and tightly woven fiber. This production method is what makes Alcantara so durable. Polyester fibers give the fabric strength and durability, while polyurethane gives the fabric softness.
Brightness and gamma palette
Flock
Flock resembles velor due to its external features and tactile sensations. Modern fiber has a foam backing.
Flock
For its production you need:
- polyester and polyamide;
- cotton;
- wool;
- viscose.
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Important! The most common is the mixing of many materials, in which a larger percentage is occupied by synthetic fabrics. Natural cotton or viscose are not durable, so they are used only for decoration.
Type of flock
Flock has positive properties:
- Not prone to forming snags.
- Strong and durable, not subject to stretching.
- Resistant to water.
- It has a wide variety of color shades and textures.
- The color of the upholstery does not fade if there is no direct sunlight.
- Maintenance is not burdensome, and the price is affordable for the average consumer.
Carpet
Carpet or “carpet” is a material that has a beautiful, soft texture. It is durable, does not tear, and has high sound insulation properties. It is very easy for them to make a “marafet” in a car, even with the help of PVA. They can be used to retighten not only the ceiling, but also other parts.
Carpet
Velours
Velor is often used for car ceiling upholstery. This fabric has good elasticity, and for cars they produce velor with a foam base, on which a white mesh is applied. This ensures the strength of the fabric and the absence of glue impregnation when upholstering the ceiling. Thanks to its elasticity, the fabric can perfectly maintain the shape of the car ceiling.
Velours
The velor itself on the front side is very dense. At the same time, a car with a velor ceiling will definitely be protected from contamination by chemicals, since velor is environmentally friendly, and it also has properties such as:
- Strength.
- Softness.
- Elasticity.
- Stain resistant and easy to clean.
- Durability.
Velor range
Ceiling material
The first thing to do is to choose the material for reupholstering the car ceiling. Today, the choice is simply huge; the ceiling can be upholstered with flock, carpet, Alcantara, natural or artificial leather, or fabric can be used. They all have their own merits, and making a final decision can be difficult. On average, it takes at least 5 square meters to reupholster the ceiling and racks. m of material, be it leather or fabric.
Automotive leather
Perhaps the best material that you can choose for upholstering a car ceiling with your own hands is automotive leather. The list of its advantages is impressive:
- it is strong, durable and abrasion resistant;
- not afraid of open fire;
- it cannot be damaged by chemical compounds used to clean the interior;
- not afraid of water;
- does not deteriorate from temperature changes and high humidity.
Perhaps the only drawback this material has is its high price, so not everyone can afford it.
Ecological leather
As an alternative to natural leather, you can use artificial leather to reupholster the ceiling. This material also has very high performance characteristics, but is much cheaper. Here are its advantages:
- it is easy to care for, you just need to wipe it periodically with a slightly damp cloth; you can use ethyl or ammonia to remove greasy stains;
- does not crack at low temperatures;
- does not get wet;
- does not wear out;
- the surface is smooth and soft;
- rich color range;
- long service life;
- low cost.
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Externally, eco-leather differs little from natural leather, so it can be used to give the car interior an equally impressive look. In terms of performance and quality characteristics, it ranks second among materials used for car interior finishing.
Alcantara
Alcantara, or faux suede, is a synthetic fabric made from ultra-fine fibers. Outwardly, it really resembles suede. This fabric is quite often used in auto tuning, for the manufacture of various inserts in the interior of the cabin and seats.
Alcantara has deservedly earned the title of “breathable” material - air passes through it unhindered. The advantages that Alcantara has allow us to classify it as one of the best options for do-it-yourself interior reupholstery:
- has a pleasant appearance and is pleasant to the touch;
- long service life without loss of quality (does not wear out, does not fade, does not stretch);
- not afraid of temperature changes and high humidity;
- wide choice of colors.
Flock
This material is not used for reupholstering car interiors with your own hands as often as the previous ones. However, it has a number of advantages that make it recommended for use:
- attractive appearance, variety of colors and textures;
- high wear resistance;
- noise-absorbing properties;
- ease of care.
Re-upholstering the ceiling with flock will require, in addition to glue, the use of a flocking agent and a degreasing agent, i.e. is associated with additional costs.
Carpet
Finally, you can use carpet to reupholster your car ceiling with your own hands. This is one of the most affordable synthetic materials. In addition to the price, it also has other advantages, namely: it is wear-resistant, does not fade, is not afraid of mold, and acts as an additional heat and sound insulation layer.
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Choosing glue for work
Having chosen a material suitable for the type and budget for covering the ceiling, you can move on to the next important stage of work - choosing an adhesive. It is important to choose one that is non-toxic, can firmly connect the elements to each other, and does not leave streaks.
The following types of glue exist:
- Based on polychloroprene. It has a strong hold, is durable and resistant to temperature changes.
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Rice. 11 Polychloroprene based adhesive
- On polyurethane. Versatile, durable, also widely used by craftsmen. However, it takes a long time to harden, which makes the gluing process too long.
- In aerosol form. They are also used for covering the ceiling, but they have shown themselves best when covering torpedoes, etc.
In an aerosol
Base class
This option is suitable for those who do not want to spend significant sums on upholstery, and, in general, are not going to be too picky about its appearance. Fabrics are used for upholstery in the basic class.
Covering with synthetic fabrics
Synthetic fabric for upholstery is quite capable of giving a nice appearance to the car interior in a short time. It is inexpensive and is often used to cover seats, interior door panels and ceilings.
However, you need to understand that this budget option is inferior in quality to its more expensive counterparts. For example, such materials are very short-lived: they are wiped off, fade in the sun, and it’s easy to burn them with a piece of coal accidentally picked off a cigarette.
Sheathing using autocarpet
You can cover the trunk, roof, door and dashboard using a rigid material - autocarpet. Roughly speaking, this is a car carpet with no lint on it. It is unattractive in appearance and completely unkind to the touch, but it tolerates high humidity well and prevents the formation of mold.
Top class
This option is suitable for those who are not used to saving on the appearance of their car. For those who want to enjoy maximum comfort in the interior of their “iron horse”.
It involves the use of expensive materials that are amazing in their quality.
Interior upholstery using genuine leather
This is perhaps the best car interior trim. Genuine leather is very soft and smooth to the touch. It's expensive, but it looks just great.
You need to understand that no matter what leather is suitable for decorating the interior of a car. For these purposes, the material is carefully prepared, covered with a special film that will protect the skin from damage.
Leather lasts a very long time if handled carefully.
Alcantara interior trim
The material for car upholstery with such an unpopular name is automobile suede. It can be used to cover the ceiling and panels. But if you wish, you can also pull it over the seats.
This is an expensive material, but it is less popular than leather. Perhaps because it is less durable. But he is not afraid of high temperatures. A piece of coal falling from a cigarette will not “reward” this tissue with a gaping hole.
As we can see, you can choose options for upholstery to suit every taste and budget, if you wish. We talked about the main materials for decorating a car interior. If you have experience in this area, please share it in the comments.
