Best headliner glue for high heat (TX)

[dclassical]

I need to replace the headliner in a mini-van and I am curious what has been your experience with the various glues, especially in high heat conditions (Texas).

I found:

Permatex 27828 Body Shop Heavy Duty Headliner and Carpet Adhesive

or

3M 38808 Headliner and Fabric Adhesive

and lean towards the Permatex from various reviews I read, though they are good for both. I also saw people using 3M Super trim adhesive for headliner and also a loctite glue.

dC

 

[dclassical]

I meant for this to go in the Free Parking section, my apologizes for the need to move it.

 

[nanofrog]

What is the headliner board made of?

 

[dclassical]

Good question... I am not sure, I have not removed it yet. It is from a 2000 Chrysler Voyager.

 

[cowboy73]

Most of the headliner boards are particle board. Very fragile. Be careful removing it. The glue typically doesn't fail on the headliner, it's the fabric that pulls away from foam that it's attached to at the factory. I think either glue would be OK but only use glues that specify use for headliner material. Other glues could dissolve the foam backing of the headliner material.

 

[nanofrog]

As a guess, I'd presume polystyrene (i.e. has compound curves in it?), but it could be something else.

Different adhesives work best for different surfaces though, so it's kind of important. 3M's Spray Adhesive Page should give you a clue...

Suspect proper prep (cleaning the old foam residue off the headliner backing) and not trying to recycle the original fabric will be critical to success, no matter what you decide to stick it on with.

 

[dclassical]

Thanks to both of you, actually you are right, the foam backing is still glued on, only the fabric came down.

Being borderline OCD, the headliner will be very clean before gluing the new one in. I did some upholstery before on an old car and it came out good, I followed the directions for the glue very carefully.

Thank you for the 3M link.

dC

 

[organ]

Nothing works. Set fire to it and walk away.

 

[SASORacing]

to hold it toghether right after you glue it I found using a piece of cardboard helps more compared to my fingers. gl

 

[dclassical]

Nothing works. Set fire to it and walk away.

Well that is a little extreme lol! Though it really made me laugh after a long day!

 

[K13]

From every upholster I have talked to, and I researched this pretty extensively, the only glue that truly stands up to interior heat is Weldwood Landau top and trim adhesive.

http://www.dap.com/product_details.aspx?BrandID=50&SubcatID=9

I have been told by at least 10 different upholstery guys that anything that comes in an aerosol can will eventually fail.

 

[muibubbles]

i prefer dap contact cement if the fabric is thick enough. Careful though, if you drench it/fabric is too thin, it will seep through

 

[egnorant]

East Texas here. I used 38808 on my ****** headliner 12 years ago replacing an 11 year old headliner that was sagging. This was foam backed cloth in a car with no air conditioning and the foam was the medium that failed, not the glue.

Bruce

 

[The Cobbler]

My experiences have also been the foam deteriorating, not the glue.. In my work vans I use silicone , but in something pretty, I would look for alternatives.
Actually in a 96 van I had , it was so deteriorated I removed the entire liner, rubbed off all the foam & left the plastic or glass fiber liner in place.

 

[Todd.Brock]

I had a sagging headliner in my 96 ram truck. It looked like suit and drove me crazy. Point is, call a upholstery shop , you may be surprised. If I brought them the board, it was 125. If they took it out , 250. It looks great! I figured 25 bucks for glues and 30 ish for headliner material. Jo Ann fabrics had it in stock with the foam attached. I think it was 10 bucks a yard maybe??? Anywho , It was an easy choice at the price I was quoted.

 

[deter]

I second that (get it replaced at an upholstery shop). Some things are just better left to people who do it every day

 

[aarondost08]

If I remember right it's call Dap Welwood contact adhesive. You can spray it out of a paint gun. Light blue can

 

[nanofrog]

...the foam was the medium that failed...

My experiences have also been the foam deteriorating, not the glue.

Same for me as well (glue held, foam backing on the fabric rotted away).

 

[ChevyEFI]

I do one every few years. The 3M holds up here to the heat no problem. Proper prep (steel brush the board, an even, healthy amount of adhesive) and you'll get good results.

As stated above, when the material foam backing begins to deteriorate, the glue can be intact and the material is going to fall.

 

[quattroJoe]

So are you guys replacing the foam when redoing headliners? Or scraping the old foam off and gluing the fabric straight to the backing board?

 

[PCMusicGuy]

I've used the 3M stuff here in Houston. I didn't replace any foam, just sprayed everything real good and pushed it back together. It's going on 3 years now.

 

[egnorant]

I always remove the foam from the headliner board with a cup wheel on a drill. Be careful and use light passes as you can blast through fiberboard pretty quick! The headliner material I first used comes with a foam backing to match the original, but you could glue anything up there. I did a Ranger with a fleece Batman logo blanket. I have seen mirror tiles, mylar, carbon fiber, contoured foam (logos and such), LED lights and other stuff glued to a headliner backing board.

The only problem I have had was when I used a glue that bled through the fabric (Powerpuff Girls bedsheet). Luckily I had 2 sheet and used the proper glue on the second try.

Bruce

 

[dclassical]

I am going to do it myself, what is the fun in having a shop doing it. Plus it is a 14 year old van, so it is the perfect time to try it out. Plus the headliner does not seem to have any weird contours, mostly flat with gentle curves.

I am replacing the whole fabric with the backing foam, not just removing the fabric. I plan on using a wire brush (carefully) and also a hard bristle brush. As I said I am borderline OCD, so it will be very clean.

Thank you all for the advice, I think that the glue is not the most important thing in the end... since the fabric separates from the foam, but not the foam from the headliner itself.

After that project comes a transmission rebuild!

 

[nanofrog]

So are you guys replacing the foam when redoing headliners? Or scraping the old foam off and gluing the fabric straight to the backing board?

Replacement headliner fabric I've used is also foam backed (example).

 

[PRND3L]

I replaced the headliner on my '00 Voyager; it turned out fine. With your self-proclaimed OCD, I'm sure you will have no problems.

 

[turbodave]

The 3m adhesive has worked fine for me on the ones I've done. Just re-did the one on my 89 Dodge Shadow that I first replaced 14 years ago, like others have said it was the foam that failed not the adhesive.

The minivan headliners are pretty big, but not too hard to do, get a nice clean flat work surface for it and when you go to glue the new one on try doing it in smaller sections of maybe 2' at a time instead of trying to do 1/2 all at once. The adhesive isn't forgiving if you make a mistake and get a wrinkle so take the time to get it right. An extra set of hands can be helpful as well.

 

[gipraw]

I use the DAP Weldwood all the time with zero issues. Sounds like you have a handle on the prep. Just follow the directions on the glue and you should be good.

 

[Hannibal76]

I use the DAP Weldwood all the time with zero issues. Sounds like you have a handle on the prep. Just follow the directions on the glue and you should be good.

Hey buddy, which of the DAP Weldwood do you recommend the blue is gel and the red can is liquid? Also they have the spray can. Which one do you recommend ? I don't own a spray gun

 

[Hannibal76]

If I remember right it's call Dap Welwood contact adhesive. You can spray it out of a paint gun. Light blue can

Hey buddy, the blue can of weldwood is gel and the red can is liquid adhesive. Is gel better than liquid? Also they have it in a spray can, do you recommend the spray can? I don't own a spray gun.

 

[Buck_nekid]

Hey buddy, the blue can of weldwood is gel and the red can is liquid adhesive. Is gel better than liquid? Also they have it in a spray can, do you recommend the spray can? I don't own a spray gun.

Used this on hundreds of headliners. It's the industry standard. Buy a cheap gun that's made for adhesives.

 

[Hannibal76]

Used this on hundreds of headliners. It's the industry standard. Buy a cheap gun that's made for adhesives.

Thank you sir!

 

[speed bump]

Ive had good luck with 3M super 77 on the headliners I have done. On large head liners I have added in bars across it to hold up the foam.

 

[Hannibal76]

Ive had good luck with 3M super 77 on the headliners I have done. On large head liners I have added in bars across it to hold up the foam.

Thank you

 

[no704]

Can be sprayed with the cheap HF primer gun.

 

[minke]

I can't remember how I learned that my '17 F-350 supercab has a magnet in the center.