Dealing with a sagging or peeling Car Headliner can be frustrating. It not only detracts from your vehicle’s interior aesthetics but can also be a constant annoyance. If you’re noticing the fabric above you starting to droop in your 1997 Executive or any car model for that matter, you might be considering a repair. While professional upholstery shops can handle this, the cost can sometimes be steep. For the hands-on car enthusiast, tackling a DIY car headliner replacement can be a rewarding and cost-effective solution. Many car owners are now turning to DIY methods, inspired by online tutorials, to restore their car’s interior.
You’re on the right track if you’re thinking about taking on this project yourself. The process, while requiring patience and attention to detail, is indeed manageable at home. Let’s break down the steps involved in removing and replacing your car’s headliner, ensuring you achieve a professional-looking finish.
Removing the Old Car Headliner
The initial step, and perhaps the most crucial for a successful DIY headliner replacement, is the careful removal of the existing headliner. This involves more than just pulling down the fabric; it requires a systematic approach to avoid damaging your car’s interior trim and components.
To begin, gather the necessary tools. Typically, you’ll need a set of screwdrivers (both Phillips and flathead), a socket set, and possibly trim removal tools. These tools are essential for safely detaching various interior parts without causing breakage.
The removal process generally follows these steps:
-
Disconnect Power: Before starting any work on your car’s interior, especially around electrical components like dome lights, disconnect the negative terminal of your car battery. This safety precaution prevents accidental shorts or electrical issues.
-
Remove Interior Trim: Systematically remove all components that are attached to or holding the headliner in place. This typically includes:
- Sun Visors: These are usually held by screws or clips. Remove the screws and carefully detach the visors, remembering to disconnect any electrical wiring if they are illuminated.
- Dome Lights and Interior Lights: Gently pry off the light covers and remove the bulbs. Unscrew the light fixtures themselves. Disconnect any wiring connectors, noting their positions for reassembly.
- Grab Handles (Oh Handles): These handles are usually bolted or screwed into the frame through the headliner. Remove the covers (if any) and unbolt or unscrew the handles.
- Coat Hooks: Similar to grab handles, coat hooks are typically screwed in. Remove any covers and unscrew them.
- Seat Belt Anchors (Upper): In some vehicles, the upper seat belt anchors are attached to the pillar trim that overlaps with the headliner. You might need to loosen or remove these to free the pillar trim.
- Pillar Trim: This is the trim that runs along the side pillars of your car’s interior. It’s usually held in place by clips. Carefully pry off the pillar trim pieces, starting from the edge closest to the door opening and working inwards. Be patient to avoid breaking the plastic clips.
- Rearview Mirror (if attached to headliner): Some rearview mirrors are mounted on the headliner. If yours is, carefully detach it. Often, they twist or slide off their mount, but some might be screwed in.
- Any other trim or molding: Inspect the perimeter of your headliner for any other trim pieces or molding that might be securing it. Remove these carefully.
-
Lower the Headliner Board: Once all the surrounding trim and fixtures are removed, the headliner board should be loose. Gently lower it, being mindful of any remaining wiring or obstructions. In many cars, you can maneuver the headliner board out through the rear door or the front windshield opening, depending on the car model and size of the board. You might need to slightly bend the board to get it out, but be cautious not to crease or break it.
Preparing the Headliner Board for New Fabric
With the old headliner removed, the next step is preparing the headliner board for the new fabric. This stage is crucial for ensuring proper adhesion and a smooth, professional finish.
- Remove the Old Fabric: Peel off the old, sagging headliner fabric from the board. It should come off relatively easily, but some areas might be more stubborn than others. Remove as much of the old foam backing as possible.
- Clean the Headliner Board: The headliner board will likely have remnants of the old foam adhesive. Use a wire brush attachment on a drill or a stiff brush to thoroughly remove this old foam. Be gentle enough not to damage the board itself, especially if it’s made of fiberglass or a similar delicate material. After brushing, wipe down the entire surface of the headliner board with acetone or rubbing alcohol. This will remove any remaining adhesive residue, oils, and dust, providing a clean surface for the new adhesive to bond effectively. Ensure the board is completely dry before proceeding to the next step.
Applying the New Headliner Fabric
Now for the exciting part – applying the new headliner fabric! This is where your choice of materials and application technique will directly impact the final look and durability of your DIY car headliner replacement.
-
Gather Materials: Ensure you have:
- New Headliner Fabric: Purchase enough headliner fabric with foam backing to cover your headliner board with ample overlap (at least 6 inches on all sides). Choose a color and material that matches your car’s interior or your desired aesthetic.
- Headliner Adhesive Spray: Use a high-temperature, heavy-duty headliner adhesive spray specifically designed for automotive interiors. 3M Headliner Adhesive is a commonly recommended brand. Purchase enough cans to ensure full coverage.
- Protective Gear: Wear disposable latex or nitrile gloves to protect your hands from the adhesive. Work in a well-ventilated area, and consider wearing a respirator mask to avoid inhaling adhesive fumes.
- Paint Roller (Clean): A clean paint roller will be used to smooth out the fabric and ensure even adhesion.
- Sharp Utility Knife or Blade: For trimming excess fabric and cutting out holes for accessories.
- Work Table: A large, sturdy table is ideal for working on the headliner board.
-
Apply Adhesive and Fabric:
- Lay out the Fabric: Place the new headliner fabric on your work table with the foam backing side up. Position the headliner board on top of the fabric.
- Fold and Spray: Fold back about one-third of the headliner fabric from one end. Thoroughly spray both the exposed headliner board surface and the foam backing of the folded-back fabric with headliner adhesive. Apply a generous, even coat, ensuring you don’t miss any spots, especially around the edges. Let the adhesive become tacky for a few moments as per the adhesive spray instructions (usually a minute or two).
- Adhere Fabric: Carefully begin to roll the folded fabric back onto the headliner board, starting from one edge and working your way across. Use the clean paint roller to smooth out the fabric as you go, pressing firmly and evenly to ensure good contact and eliminate any air bubbles or wrinkles. Work in small sections, about 3 inches at a time, to maintain control and prevent accidental creases. It can be helpful to have a helper to hold the fabric taut and prevent it from accidentally sticking to the board in the wrong place.
- Repeat for Remaining Sections: Repeat the fold, spray, and adhere process for the middle and final thirds of the headliner fabric, ensuring each section is smoothly and securely bonded to the board.
-
Finishing the Edges: Once the main surface is covered, flip the headliner board over. Fold the excess fabric over the edges of the board to the backside and spray adhesive on both the fabric and the back of the board. Securely glue the overlapping fabric to the backside, pulling it taut as you go to create a clean, finished edge. Trim any excess fabric as needed.
-
Cut Accessory Holes: After the adhesive has fully dried, use a sharp utility knife or blade to carefully cut out holes for all the accessories that were removed earlier (dome lights, sun visors, grab handles, etc.). Cut from the fabric side, using the accessory mounting points as guides. Make clean, precise cuts for a professional look.
Reinstalling the Refurbished Car Headliner
The final step is reinstalling your newly covered headliner back into your car. This process is essentially the reverse of the removal, but with a few key points to keep in mind.
-
Carefully Maneuver the Headliner Board: Gently maneuver the refurbished headliner board back into your car through the rear door or windshield opening, taking the same path you used for removal. Be careful not to bend or crease the new fabric or damage the board.
-
Secure the Headliner Board: Lift the headliner board back into its correct position in the car roof.
-
Reinstall Trim and Accessories: Begin reinstalling all the interior trim pieces and accessories in the reverse order of removal.
- Pillar Trim: Snap the pillar trim pieces back into place, ensuring all clips are securely engaged.
- Seat Belt Anchors (if removed/loosened): Re-torque the upper seat belt anchors to the manufacturer’s specifications if they were loosened or removed.
- Grab Handles and Coat Hooks: Screw or bolt the grab handles and coat hooks back into place.
- Dome Lights and Interior Lights: Reconnect the wiring connectors for the interior lights, screw the light fixtures back in, and reinstall the bulbs and light covers.
- Sun Visors: Reconnect any wiring for illuminated sun visors, and screw or clip the visors back into place.
- Rearview Mirror (if applicable): Reattach the rearview mirror to its mount on the headliner or windshield.
- Any other trim or molding: Reinstall any other trim pieces or molding that were removed.
-
Reconnect Battery: Once everything is reinstalled and secure, reconnect the negative terminal of your car battery.
-
Final Check: Inspect your newly installed car headliner. Ensure all trim pieces are properly seated, all accessories are functioning correctly, and the headliner fabric is smooth and taut.
By following these steps and taking your time, you can successfully complete a DIY car headliner replacement, saving money and achieving a professional-looking interior upgrade. Enjoy your refreshed car interior!
