How to do Auto Upholstery

Step1

Got broken springs? Seats are a main auto upholstery item, made up of springs, padding and covers that are held on with hog rings, plastic clips, zippers or some other method of fastening the cover to the frame. It may be necessary to repair springs, replace a layer of burlap and repad, as shown in the before and after photo here, where I've also painted the frame. Never install new covers over rust and dirt, clean 'em up!

Step2

Padded Flames While you're designing your new covers, how about incorporating some cool flames? I invented padded flames. I developed a technique to stitch and trim the padding away so that only the area of the flame was raised, giving it a three-dimensional look. It makes a dramatic statement in an interior, especially when done in bright colors. Make your flames simple, don't get too crazy, or you'll have a hard time stitching it up!Mount 1/2" sew foam to the back of the finish fabric by stitching it around the very edges with the raw foam side down. Draw the design on the backing. Stitch it right on your lines. Sew slowly and carefully, stopping to turn the workpiece if needed. Once all the flames are sewn, knot the thread or back tack. Using sharp shears, skim along the stitch line on your padding, and remove all the padding outside your flame design. Turn it right side up and inspect your cool, padded flames! Now sew this padded panel into your auto upholstery. Booyah! You can use thicker foam for really dramatic flames.

Step3

Old truck door panels Panels are another main component of auto upholstery that require a skilled hand and a good eye. Whether made of hardboard or panel board, every hole must be cut by hand to accommodate window regulator handles, the arm rest mounting screws, chrome trims, finger pulls or pockets. Speaker holes can be cut with a circle cutter for drywall. Once all the holes are perfected, a method for attaching it to the door will have to be worked out, using plastic clips, screws, teeth or metal track. You can see in this photo that I have hidden the means of attachment, by putting plastic clips into the panel before I glued the covering over it. They snap into holes drilled around the perimeter of in the door, so it looks very tidy. I also blind tacked the vinyl section first to create a seamless looking edge between it and the cloth.

Step4

Camaro carpeting Carpeting is fairly easy if you already have the rest of the interior out, and even more so if you pop for the molded set, which only requires the cutting of a few holes for seat hardware and such. A good molded set fits the contours of the floor well, has sound deadener already glued on and saves labor over cutting and sewing a set. Cut and sewn is correct for some models and years, like 57 Chevy, but you can find them readily already sewn through a number of carpet suppliers. In this photo, I have used a flex form carpet, without a back which is easier to work into a highly contoured floor than one with a rigid backer. The heel pad is glued and then stitched in on the machine.

Step5

This guy stiffed me $75 ! Convertibles present additional pieces to be reckoned with, since most used a two piece piston panel/quarter panel up until the late 70's. The panels usually have to be resurfaced, repadded and recovered. Grind off any glue residue to get a smooth surface, first. You can see how nice they turn out if you go all the way to the bone, here.

Step6

In addition to the major components, there are kick panels, sill plates, seat belts, dash pads, package trays, consoles and headliners. Tops and rear window curtains are considered auto upholstery too. These are stapled, glued, screwed and riveted on, most have cables to tension them, and they are a high ticket item on most vehicles. If you're new to auto upholstery, invest in installer's videos that show exactly how to install the top you plan to do, about $30 each.