How-to: Removing & Reinstalling the Headliner [Headlining]

@Gilbertd Good to hear of another success story Gilbert for a task that is coming to be more frequent. How about some pics of your handiwork :)

For those doing the whole job themselves, what glue did you use to fix the headlining?
 
@Gilbertd Good to hear of another success story Gilbert for a task that is coming to be more frequent. How about some pics of your handiwork :)

For those doing the whole job themselves, what glue did you use to fix the headlining?
Evening Alan,

I’ve always used Trim Fix High Temperature Spray Adhesive. Has always worked perfectly for me and have seen quite a few UK YouTube clips created by supposedly professional reupholstery firms using the very same product. The main failing is some DIYers not getting the High Temperature variant and accidentally/incorrectly using a standard spray adhesive which fails quickly after a few warm seasons.

There is also another product of the high temperature variety that is applied from an air gun but obviously costs a lot more unless you do this often or for a living as it has a shelf life of course; once opened the clock starts ticking before some of the curing properties start to degrade. I cannot remember the name of the adhesive and how long the shelf life is as I’ve never used it but did look into it many years ago when I used to do this task every month or 2 on Classic (late 80s-early 90s) Saab 900s and the Jaguar XJS.

I’ll be getting 2 tins of Trim Fix HT spray adhesive out over the festive period to tackle the rather unsightly headlining in a certain JR A2. I’m sure I’ll get that look from the other driver here once there is a shabby looking headlining biscuit covering the kitchen island.

Love this thread the way, I’m sure many readers have plucked up the courage to do this themselves after taking your great advice and wise words Sir.

Kind regards,

Tom
 
The adhesive I used was Martrim's own high temperature upholstery adhesive ( https://www.martrim.co.uk/car-trimming-supplies/glues-and-adhesives.php, the stuff in the blue can) which is what they supply if you order one of their kits for a specific car. Having used it in the past I know it just works rather than take a risk on an unknown when the car lives 1,520 miles away from me.

I didn't take too many photos I'll admit so just been outside to take a couple more. It would have been a lot easier if I'd taken them before fitting it back in the car. Interestingly, I bought this car, a 2000, in the Netherlands about 4 years ago and the headlining had drooped quite badly, yet another, also bought in the Netherlands and bought to Latvia, a 2001, both 1.4 AUA and both with around 300k kms on the clock and that one hasn't drooped at all. That suggests to me that there are differences between years or the roof lining came from different subcontractors.

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Note the decorative strips that cover up where we had to cut and join the material at the front due to the weird shape of the roof (and yes, it has started snowing again....).
 
Could the headliner be sticked around the central section recess on standard cars?
If you are suggesting a single sheet then I think that is an option. I did suggest that to the company who covered mine. I offered to fill the groove so that it was level all over but they said they could manage with the groove. In the end, the fabric in the groove was not brilliant and they inserted a cord (beading) which I quite like. Given the experience of others, I wish I had separated the inner and outer panels.
 
I think the biggest problem with filling the centre and making it into one big piece would be cracking whatever it was filled with when getting it back into the car. Even diagonally, it has to bend quite a bit to fit through the hole.
 
I think the biggest problem with filling the centre and making it into one big piece would be cracking whatever it was filled with when getting it back into the car. Even diagonally, it has to bend quite a bit to fit through the hole.
Evening,

I’ve filled the gap to make the headliner biscuit one piece and it’s actually quite strong, I have no reservations of it cracking at the seam when it’s installed.

The material I used was original A2 biscuit trimmed into triangular slivers to fill the void. These slivers were adhered into place with PVA glue which has cured perfectly strong. If PVA can hold lengths of oak together then it’ll be just fine for the compressed cardboard/fibreboard.

It obviously helped having a spare/sacrificial headliner biscuit though which has plenty material remaining so happy to send out cut up parts should anyone wish to do similar.

Kind regards,

Tom
 
If you are suggesting a single sheet then I think that is an option. I did suggest that to the company who covered mine. I offered to fill the groove so that it was level all over but they said they could manage with the groove. In the end, the fabric in the groove was not brilliant and they inserted a cord (beading) which I quite like. Given the experience of others, I wish I had separated the inner and outer panels.
Sorry just realised my post was supposed to say stitched (with a needle and thread so the material would be pulled firmly into the groove) not sticked, sorry for any confusion!
 
It looks like I am going to have to undertake this task in the near future (when the weather is a little milder).
Alan, @Alan_uk whilst the prospect is pretty daunting, your post has encouraged me to do the whole job and was wondering whether to do the sound deadening at the same time.
Has it proved to be effective? Did you notice much improvement?

Geoff
 
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Hi Geoff. It's not that daunting to remove and reinstall. I did not do the recovering but others on this forum have. As to sound improvement I did not notice that much difference given most noise is from tyres/road surface and wind at higher speeds. I think it deaden the sound of rain which can be pretty loud on an A2. Some members I recall also put insulation inside the door panels.

 
Hi Geoff. It's not that daunting to remove and reinstall. I did not do the recovering but others on this forum have. As to sound improvement I did not notice that much difference given most noise is from tyres/road surface and wind at higher speeds. I think it deaden the sound of rain which can be pretty loud on an A2. Some members I recall also put insulation inside the door panels.

It’s more the recovering that is concerning me given the quite curvaceous nature of the biscuit, especially if the centre is removed. @Gilbertd clearly had difficulty having to cut the fabric. Having watched several videos on the covering process, smoothing out from the centre seems to be the normal process, not possible with the centre removed but I will give it a go if I can get a good match on the fabric..

Thanks for the post as it is very encouraging. 20yrs seems to be the typical life expectancy even in our climate so I am expecting this to be more and more common.
 
I've retrimmed my own OSS headliner for the 2nd time, and will be going for number 3 when the weather improves. No1 was with good material 2mm foam backed and tins of contact hi-temp adhesive. I was just a bit bad at it, and took it off again, reordering fabric from the same company. The 2nd lot arrived with a different backing. Still 2mm foam but not as stretchy. I was better at it, but it was tough to do around the front of the overhead console and the corners of the OSS aperture. It began to bridge too, so it will all come off again. However, it was done from one piece without cutting etc, and it will go better next time. If not, I'll try again. Its a good skill to learn I think..
 
I've retrimmed my own OSS headliner for the 2nd time, and will be going for number 3 when the weather improves. No1 was with good material 2mm foam backed and tins of contact hi-temp adhesive. I was just a bit bad at it, and took it off again, reordering fabric from the same company. The 2nd lot arrived with a different backing. Still 2mm foam but not as stretchy. I was better at it, but it was tough to do around the front of the overhead console and the corners of the OSS aperture. It began to bridge too, so it will all come off again. However, it was done from one piece without cutting etc, and it will go better next time. If not, I'll try again. Its a good skill to learn I think..
With your experience of different fabrics, do you have a recommendation as to who is the best supplier both in terms of matching the original colour and flexibility for fitting?
I think my headliner is Platinum Grey
IMG_1333.jpeg
 
With your experience of different fabrics, do you have a recommendation as to who is the best supplier both in terms of matching the original colour and flexibility for fitting?
I think my headliner is Platinum Grey
View attachment 118010
My fabrics were the same ones (but actually what they supplied had different backings). The fabric came from FabricOnline. Companies send out samples for next to nothing (or nothing) and you can find some- its listed as 'Headliner Fabric' and is a standard one in 4 colours. Grey is the one you have there (light grey).
 
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Started this project May 2023 and got ad far as doing the middle section.
Tried twice on the outer part but it has many complexities. Theoretically the greater the material can stretch the easier to mould into shape. Be prepaired to try, try again.

Edit....link
Humble mechanic YouTube headliner upholstery techniques
 
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View attachment 118049
Started this project May 2023 and got ad far as doing the middle section.
Tried twice on the outer part but it has many complexities. Theoretically the greater the material can stretch the easier to mould into shape. Be prepaired to try, try again.
Were you able to remove the centre section without damaging the fabric or is that a non-starter?
 
Evening.

I have also used the same supplier for headlining fabric with great results. This is a link to their Grey offering which is a reasonable colour match to the A2s Paltinum fabric:


Whist it’s a good match I highly recommend recovering the A and D pillars along with sun visors for a perfectly refreshed appearance. You’ll need to dismantle the sun visors but there is a helpful post here to assist:


Something to have at hand is some food bags half filled with water and taped up so they don't leak. Placing these water bags as weights into the dips/channels of the headlining biscuit to hold the fabric down whilst the adhesive cures is extremely helpful, certainly if you have to stretch the fabric into place as it’ll just want to lift away from the headlining biscuit.

Hope this helps a successful reupholstery.

Kind regards,

Tom
 
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Were you able to remove the centre section without damaging the fabric or is that a non-starter?
Removing the central part was slow. I tried a rotary tool cutting disc but that was taking a long time.
This headliner was second hand and not from my car so i was less worried about damage.
I used a Stanley knife to separate the two parts of the headliner.
To answer your question its a non-starter.
Plus you've got the headliner out and the center section is easy (er) to practice on before you move on to the outer section.
Audi hot glued the two halves together so I was going to do the same.
Be prepaired for lots of prep work and messing up along the way and you'll be grand
 
Whist it’s a good match I highly recommend recovering the A and D pillars along with sun visors for a perfectly refreshed appearance. You’ll need to dismantle the sun visors but there is a helpful post here to assist:
I did A and D-pillars- A-pillars were tough to remove, and D-pillars are screwed to the headliner and need to be slid out in 'Y' across the car carefully as they are attached to the boot side trim which also has to be loosened. The clips behind are either brittle or the metal spring clips stay in the bodyshell not in the trim and need to be retrieved. That said, they are easy to trim.
 
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