How can I fix fabric hanging from ceiling of my car?

Question

The fabric on the "ceiling" of my car has been coming loose. It's now at the point where it's attached only at the outer edges and in the middle by the ceiling light. It's very annoying to have the fabric resting on my head as I'm driving.

This is a very old car with very little, if any, resale value and I'm not going to put much money into it, so having it fixed professionally is not an option. The fabric is very thin and it would not be practical to try to glue it back in place. Would it create other problems if I just pull all that fabric down? I know the uncovered ceiling will look very ugly. Would painting the ceiling be a good solution? I'm reluctant to even try it because it'll be a nightmare painting overhead and there's a potential for a big mess. I actually thought I could glue a bunch of photos all over the ceiling, but that would look cheesy. How about buying new fabric and gluing it in sections from the back to the front? Or gluing the fabric in sections to cardboard and then gluing the covered cardboard to the ceiling? There are very few "pros" and too many "cons" to all these possible "fixes." Buying another car is not even a remote possibility right now.

Does anyone know why that fabric comes loose? I know this happens in many makes and model of cars. I thought that using the car heater might have melted the glue that was originally used to attach the fabric, but I live in an area with a moderate climate and very seldom use the heater. The car was formerly owned by someone who lived in Alaskan and that person might have used the heater a lot. This problem is starting to happen in a friend's car and we would both like to know why.

Thanks.

Answer 1

other than recovering,there is no fix,ive done this to several vehicles,and recovering with the same liner sucks,because if its cloth,if its vinyl it has shrunk.your best bet is to just buy the whole headliner,or do it redneck and get some hank williams jr hat pins and tack it back up

Answer 2

By the sound of it, your car is kinda falling to bits, and pretty worthless

I doubt its worth spending a whole lot of money fixing the ceiling.



Just rip the fabric down if its annoying you, and you dont care what it looks like.



Whats underneath the fabric? Is there anything to secure it to, or just bare metal? Maybe you could just get a staple gun and staple the fabric back in place.



Failing that, get a hot glue gun. Slice a few small slits in the fabric, put the glue gun through and squeeze a blob of glue. Then hold it in place until the glue sets. Im sure that would keep it stuck there, quick to do and costs very little

Answer 3

The ceiling of your car is called the headliner. Sometimes the fabric can be glued back in place using a spray adhesive. They are adhesives specifically formulated to do that. You can find them at many auto parts stores.

Answer 4

ive had this problem with gm cars for years. you can stick pins in it if you stick them through at an angle for a quick cheap fix. if its something you intend to have for awhile, i suggest going to craft store and purchasing a large piece of naugahyde. you can remove all the trim and take out the headliner. after its out peel off the cloth completely. this leaves a messy styrofoam board covered in little bits of foam. spray a solution of vinegar and water onto it and the foam will easily scrape away with the edge of a drivers license. use a spray can of general trim adhesive to attach your naugahyde to the headliner board. i also usually staple th edges where the trim will hide the staples. once reassembled it looks better than original. dont forget to cut out any holes for dome lights etc before installing it.

Answer 5

Get some 3M Super77 spray-on adhesive.

Answer 6

get your staple gun out and go at it.