How to choose material for car interior trim

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Despite the fact that the interior of the car is made from high-quality, wear-resistant materials, over time there comes a time when the seat upholstery and upholstery need to be changed. The reasons can be very different: from the loss of an attractive appearance and original properties due to aging or an unforeseen situation (fire, flood or accident) to the desire of the car owner to have a unique designer interior of the car.

Areas of the car interior that need to be reupholstered

In the process of updating the interior trim, the main elements with which this work will be carried out are:

• driver and front passenger seat;
• sofa and/or rear passenger seats;
• Front Panel;
• door trim;
• ceiling;
• front console;
• steering wheel, gear shift levers and hand brake.

As practice shows, in most cases, different materials are used for each interior element. For example, the seats are covered with one type of material, the ceiling with another, and the front panel and door cards with a third.

It should also be taken into account when choosing a material that the trim in different areas of the cabin can play a different role. Depending on this, several cladding options are used:

• to increase the attractiveness of the car and give it a certain style;
• as protection against mechanical damage and exposure to sunlight;
• to enhance the overall aesthetics of the interior.

Depending on the class of the car and the solvency of its owner, the trim level is divided into three main types:

• basic (budget) option;
• average;
• premium (luxury) class.

Be that as it may, there is a wide range of fabrics and other finishing materials on the market at very different prices. This allows the consumer to decorate the interior of their car in full accordance with their preferences, taking into account the characteristics of the car and financial capabilities.

Why is car interior reupholstery necessary?

There are various reasons for replacing car upholstery, which can include both natural and accidental ones. They can arise unexpectedly, so if you need to change the fabric part, you can choose a completely different material for the upholstery of the car. For example, you can replace fabric with leather, or vice versa.

The main reasons for replacing car upholstery:

• Wear and tear of material that loses its original appearance over time.
• Appearance of damage.
• Stains that are difficult or impossible to remove.
• Interior tuning and personal preferences.

Regardless of the reason, all work is carried out in almost the same sequence and requires a complete replacement of the upholstery, since partial repairs do not look very aesthetically pleasing.

1.Basic option

In this case, the main material for upholstery of the car interior is fabric. You should choose fabrics that are intended specifically for upholstery and seat upholstery in a car. The most common of them are: velor, jacquard and tapestry. They are distinguished by high strength, a variety of textures and weave of threads. In addition to a variety of colors and patterns, material with different pile heights is available.

Carpet also belongs to the fabric material. Its structure is more reminiscent of carpeting. It is characterized by high density and the ability to improve the sound quality of the car's audio system.

The low cost of fabric material makes this interior trim option the most affordable. It should be noted that most automakers produce their cars with fabric interiors as standard.

The disadvantages of fabric upholstery include the following factors:

• easily subject to contamination;
• low tensile strength;
• Through the fabric, moisture can easily penetrate to the metal parts of the car, which increases the risk of corrosion.

Caring for and cleaning fabric upholstery requires more effort than other finishing materials.

Basic finish

For basic finishing, non-natural fabrics or auto-carpet are usually used.

Textile

The fabric used for upholstery is based on synthetic fibers. There are many options for such cladding, since there can be different patterns on the surface of this material. In addition, such fabric can have different textures and different shades.

It is suitable for upholstering almost any surface: be it a seat, a door panel, or a roof. The main advantages of this fabric include its relatively low price and design variability.

But, unfortunately, this material is not without its drawbacks. Of these, two of the most serious can be identified.

Firstly, the fabric quickly becomes dirty, especially with active use. And removing dirt from it is not so easy. This will take a lot of time and a lot of physical effort. Secondly, this material wears out quickly. Only a few months will pass after the interior trim, and the driver will already have to think about the next decoration.

Autocarpet

Another material that is often used for basic finishing is autocarpet. It is also artificial and looks like a carpet, but without pile. In fact, the very name of this material indicates its similarity to carpet. The fact is that the Armenian word “carpet” is translated into Russian as “carpet”. Well, it makes no sense to say where the prefix “auto” came from.

Autocarpet has good density. It is usually used for finishing doors and roofs. Less often it is used for the steering wheel and instrument panel. Its main advantages are ease of use, the ability to retain its original shape after covering and resistance to the negative effects of moisture and mold formation. But its main drawback is the lack of a wide variety of colors. It is for this reason that for basic finishing, many still prefer the synthetic fabrics mentioned above. Although they are short-lived, they are not very expensive and allow you to decorate the interior almost any way you like. With their help, any internal

2.Medium type of cladding

This car interior trim option uses vinyl and faux leather.

Vinyl upholstery will be the best option for cars that are actively used by the whole family. Thanks to its high strength combined with water resistance, vinyl can perfectly “resist” restless children and a certain amount of clutter in the car. This synthetic material is a smart choice between expensive leather and fabrics.

The downside is that vinyl seats become damp and unpleasantly sticky in hot weather. Also, during prolonged use, this material is prone to cracks.

Artificial leather, which is offered today for car interior trim, is an excellent imitation of natural leather. Its use allows you to decorate the salon in a solid and luxurious interior design with fairly low material costs. At the same time, artificial leather is available in a wide range of colors and different surface textures.

The disadvantages of this material are the following characteristics:

• to the touch, leatherette is not as elastic and soft as natural leather;
• artificial leather should be regularly maintained using special products to minimize the risk of cracking.

What is Alcantara?

The material, soft to the touch, reminiscent of suede, looks pleasant, stylish and presentable. This is Alcantara - a synthetic microfiber fabric, which is also called “faux suede”.

At one time there was a widespread myth that Alcantara was a material made from a combination of llama leather and ostrich leg skin. This is a fiction; Alcantara has nothing in common with llamas, ostrich legs, or genuine leather.

This material was invented in 1970 in Japan, and since 1973 the Italians began to produce it, who gave the fabric such a beautiful and interesting name - alcantara. Around the same time, reupholstering the car interior with Alcantara became very popular.

In many properties, Alcantara resembles leather, but there are differences:

• Durability The material has the same high wear resistance and strength as leather. Alcantara withstands high mechanical stress with dignity, without being deformed or torn.
• Resistance to chemical influences This fabric is not afraid of even chemicals - you don’t have to worry about stains, and if they appear, feel free to use interior cleaning products, they will not leave marks on the upholstery.
• Resistance to sunlight Alcantara upholstery does not fade in the sun and is not afraid of direct scorching rays. The interior looks like new even after a long time after reupholstery.
• Heat resistance Like leather, Alcantara is resistant to temperature changes - the material does not crack or tear.
• Fire resistance This is one of the main qualities for which Alcantara has gained immense popularity. It is almost impossible to set such fabric on fire, which is very important for the safety of the car owner and his passengers.
• Environmental friendliness Alcantara is 100% artificial fabric, but at the same time it looks almost like natural suede. Nature defenders and environmentalists greeted the appearance of this material with joy and are encouraging car owners to choose it for interior reupholstery.

Alcantara is used not only for car interiors, but also in the production of furniture, for interior decoration - due to its beneficial properties, this fabric is used everywhere. It is even used in the interiors of Formula 1 cars, which once again confirms the high quality and functionality of such material.

3.Car interior trim at premium level

The main materials and decorative elements for upholstery of car interiors in a luxury interior are:

• Genuine Leather;
• chrome parts;
• inserts made of valuable wood;
• Alcantara.

As a rule, car owners who are not limited financially, who want to make the interior of their car stylish and luxurious, order its design using different types of materials.

Leather interior in a car has been valued at all times. Genuine leather is a universal material that is soft, elastic, durable and environmentally friendly. Leather is offered in several colors, but the main ones are black, brown and beige. Although red and yellow are in demand.

The main disadvantage of genuine leather as an upholstery material for car interiors is its cost. As for the care and cleaning of leather interiors, it is recommended to use products intended only for leather. The best option would be to contact a specialized service.

Wood is used as a material for interior trim in prestigious and expensive car models. High-quality wood from valuable tree species is used to make decorative parts. This type of finishing gives the interior features of luxury, elegance and sophistication. The main disadvantage of this material is its high price.

Chrome is used quite often in interior design in modern models. Chrome parts are distinguished by their rich shine, high corrosion resistance and ease of maintenance.

Alcantara is a non-woven artificial material that almost completely imitates natural suede. Thanks to its qualities and physical properties, Alcantara is even superior to its natural counterpart in a number of indicators. This material is available in a wide range of colors and types of fabric. It has the following qualities:

• tactile pleasantness;
• elasticity;
• high wear resistance;
• non-flammability;
• fairly simple maintenance and long service life.

The main disadvantage of this material for many car enthusiasts is its high cost.

Interior made of genuine leather

Genuine leather is an automotive classic. Most owners of premium cars choose this option, for many reasons:

• Solidity Leather, especially natural leather, always looks expensive and respectable. The leather interior emphasizes the high status of the car owner.
• Wear resistance Leather upholstery is considered one of the most durable. It easily withstands almost any mechanical stress and does not deform.
• Heat resistance Resistance to temperature changes is one of the main requirements for interior trim in our climatic conditions. The skin matches it perfectly. The material does not become brittle in the cold and does not lose its shape in extreme heat.
• Moisture resistance Leather is waterproof, so it is easy to clean - most stains can be cleaned in a few seconds with a mild soap solution or even plain water. On a rainy day, stains from wet clothes can be easily dried, and not a trace will remain of them.
• Various design options Embossing, embroidery, engraving - there are a lot of possibilities for decorating a leather interior, you just need to use your imagination or just turn to professional designers.

Until recently, reupholstering a car's interior with leather was considered the best option, worthy of the most expensive cars. Exactly until a new material appeared with the strange name “Alcantara”.