Looking up at a saggy vw bus headliner every time you hop within the driver's chair is one of these things that ultimately just gets in order to you. You try to ignore it for a several months, maybe actually a year, but once that fabric starts touching the very best of your head or flapping in the breeze through an open in-take, the honeymoon stage with your vintage ride takes a bit of the hit. Replacing it isn't exactly a walk in the particular park, but honestly, it's one of the most transformative things you can do for your interior of your bus.
Whether you're rolling in a classic split-window or even a late-seventies gulf window, the headliner is the "ceiling" of your house on wheels. It ties everything together. When it's sharp, clean, and restricted, the whole vehicle feels brand brand-new. When it's tarnished, torn, or hanging by a plea, the whole character feels a little crusty.
Choosing the Right Material for your Job
When you start shopping regarding a new vw bus headliner , you'll realize pretty quickly that you have got options. A lot of people would like to stick in order to that factory-original look, which usually means perforated vinyl. There's some thing about those tiny little holes and the off-white or even "chalk" color that will just screams classic Volkswagen. It shows light well, producing the cabin sense way larger than it actually is, and it's surprisingly simple to wipe when you accidentally apply a soda or something.
In case you aren't a stickler for original specs, you might appear into cloth or even tweed. These can make the bus feel a great deal cozier and assist a bit with acoustics, but they're a magnet with regard to dust and scents. If you're residing the van existence and cooking within your bus, fabric may not be your best friend. Vinyl is the standard for any reason—it's tough, it manages temperature swings nicely, and it just looks right .
Why You Shouldn't Skip the Efficiency
Before a person even think about stretching out that new vw bus headliner into place, you've got to discuss what's happening underneath it. If you're stripping out the aged material, you're searching at an uncovered metal roof. This is your 1 big chance to fix the "tin can" effect.
Standard VW busses are loud. They're basically big steel boxes on tires. While the headliner is out, I actually can't recommend good enough that you simply lay down some sound-deadening bedding and some cold weather insulation. It can make a world of distinction. Not only will you actually be in a position to hear your music (or your passenger) while you're cruising at 60 mph, but it'll also keep the interior from evolving into an range during the summer. As soon as that headliner will be glued and hidden, you aren't heading to wish to consider it down once again, so do the insulation now. You'll thank yourself later on.
The Installation Process: A Test of Patience
Let's be actual for a 2nd: installing a vw bus headliner is a work that tests your own sanity. It's not really like changing the oil or replacing out an interest plug. It's a good art form. Most bus headliners use a system of metal bows (rods) that slide into sleeves on the back of the material. These bows then click into clips on the top frame.
The key is tension. You need this tight, although not therefore tight that you copy the seams. Most DIYers discover that the best way in order to tackle this is along with a massive pile of binder clips—the kind you discover in a office source store. You use them to mock up the suit all the way up around the edges before you decide to even touch a fall of glue.
In case you see wrinkles, you shift the clips, stretch out a little more, and try once again. It's a game of millimeters. And here's a pro suggestion: do this on a warm day. If the vinyl is cool, it's stiff plus stubborn. If it's warm—either from sitting down in the sunlight or from a meticulously used heat gun—it becomes a lot more pliable and forgiving.
The Glue Scenario
Once you've got the fit looking decent with your clips, it's time for the "point of simply no return"—the adhesive. You want a heat resistant contact cement. Don't cheap out here. The roof of a van will get incredibly hot within the sun, and if you use the weak spray cement adhesive, you'll go out in order to your driveway in August only in order to find your vw bus headliner slumped on the floor.
You apply the glue to each the metal lip of the bus as well as the back of the vinyl, wait for it to get tacky (this is the part most people mess up by getting too impatient), plus then press them together. It's unpleasant, it smells solid, and you'll probably get some upon your fingers, but when that relationship takes hold, it's a beautiful point.
Dealing along with the Tricky Bits
The toughest parts of any vw bus headliner job are the corners and the window seals. If you're doing the "glass-in" installation, you're basically tucking the particular material under the plastic seals with a dull flathead screwdriver or even a plastic cut tool. It's tiresome and can end up being a bit of a struggle.
Ideally, you'd perform the headliner while the windows are out. If you're doing a full restoration, this is definitely the way in order to go. You cover the material more than the metal flange where the home window sits, glue this down, and after that install the window and seal more than the top. This gives you that perfect, professional end where the headliner seems to disappear behind the rubber. This looks way solution and stays put much better in the particular long run.
How about the "Special" Buses?
In the event that you have the Westfalia or a bus with a pop-top, your vw bus headliner situation is different. You usually possess a mix of a vinyl section more than the cab plus then wood panels or different cut for the rear.
Intended for those wood panels, some people prefer to sand them straight down and revarnish all of them, while others cover them in matching vinyl to maintain a consistent look throughout the truck. If you're heading for a custom "boho" vibe, I've even seen people use bamboo slats or tongue-and-groove cedar. It looks amazing, but keep in mind that adding a lot associated with weight to the roof isn't always the particular best idea with regard to handling or for your longevity of your own roof supports.
Maintenance and Treatment
Once the job is done plus you've stopped smelling like contact cement, you'll wish to keep that vw bus headliner looking fresh. The good news is that will vinyl is incredibly easy-to-care-for. A mild cleaning soap and water solution is usually all you require.
Avoid using harsh chemicals or even anything too greasy, as that may actually break down the material over time or make it turn yellow. For those who have the perforated style, try not in order to scrub too hard, or even you'll just push dirt to the openings where it's harder to get out. A soft-bristled brush is your friend here.
Is It Worth Performing Yourself?
This particular is the large question. If you're a perfectionist plus you've never worked well with upholstery just before, a vw bus headliner may drive you crazy. It's among those jobs where the final 10% of the effort makes 90% from the visual difference. Lots of people choose in order to buy the top quality kit themselves but then pay a regional upholstery shop to handle the specific stretching and gluing.
However, if you've got a weekend break, a patient friend to help a person hold things, and a "can-do" mindset, doing it your self is incredibly gratifying. There's a particular kind of satisfaction that comes from sitting within your bus, looking up, plus knowing that you were the one who obtained those lines straight and those corners tight. It changes the interior through a project into a finished room. So, if your own current headliner will be looking a little bit worse for use, stop putting this off. Grab some clips, look for a hot spot to work, and get to this. Your bus justifies to look as great on the inside since it does on the outside.