[woodco]

I figured Id ask here, even though its for my van. Is there a method to form new carpet over the wheel wells, with contact cement, or steam or something? The carpet is pretty thin and rather pliable. I cant seem to find any videos of this.

This pic is of flooring I pulled form a van at a junkyard. It doesnt quite fit, and its really dirty. I have a bunch of new carpet, that I'd rather use, if possible.

 

[Nealtw]

 

[woodco]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvGRsM5Z2P8

Thanks Neal. I'll just run out and buy the original forms and hydrolic press really quick.... Why the hell didnt i think of that?

 

[huesmann]

Pull the floorpan from the junkyard van to use as a form?

 

[Druidia]

Lay the carpet over the surface it’s supposed to cover. Then, place a large wet towel over it. Use a steam iron at its highest setting and iron over the wet towel small section by small section.

I salvaged an 18x24” badly deformed wavy cutting mat. The above procedure was what I did to flatten/straighten it. I placed the cutting mat on my very clean glass stove top. Placed a towel over it and poured water on the towel then ironed it. It was amazing. It took about 20 min (maybe more) to flatten the entire mat. I have a fabric steamer but a fabric steamer would have taken much much longer (smaller head and not as hot as an iron’s linen setting) to accomplish the same thing.

 

[Druidia]

Lay the carpet over the surface it’s supposed to cover. Then, place a large wet towel over it. Use a steam iron at its highest setting and iron over the wet towel small section by small section.

I salvaged an 18x24” badly deformed wavy cutting mat. The above procedure was what I did to flatten/straighten it. I placed the cutting mat on my very clean glass stove top. Placed a towel over it and poured water on the towel then ironed it. It was amazing. It took about 20 min (maybe more) to flatten the entire mat. I have a fabric steamer but a fabric steamer would have taken much much longer (smaller head and not as hot as an iron’s linen setting) to accomplish the same thing.

The carpet used in Neal’s video probably has a resin layer that allows it to be formed by heating and to keep its shape afterwards. Same with my cutting mat.

If you’re using ordinary carpet, it probably can’t be moulded and keep its shape by heating. Heating will still make it follow the form of the surface but you’d have to use spray adhesive afterwards for it to keep the shape and to stay in place.

I have spray adhesive I got from Menards. I don’t remember the brand - Loctite or 3M, maybe. They come in different tackiness - 100, 200, 300, etc. make sure you use a mask, the kind used when spray painting.

 

[Druidia]

Actual experience from some people here:

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/forming-molding-carpet.413325/

 

[Druidia]

Very meticulous trimming of car carpet.

 

[woodco]

Well, I got some good advice from my van forums. Heat it/steam it, use spray adhesives, and whack it with a rubber mallet. I guess thats how a lot of customizers do it.

 

[woodco]

Pull the floorpan from the junkyard van to use as a form?

Really??? lain:

 

[Nealtw]

Really??? lain:

I think he was joking. When you get this done, be sure to let us know what worked for you. :wink2: Before carpet layers had heated tape they hand sewed seems in carpet and in the 60s that is how we fit carpet in a friends truck.

 

[woodco]

So, heres the first side. This carpet is so thin and pliable, I just used spray adhesive and used my mallet to form it. I let it sit in the sun, but didnt use any heat or steam. Yesterday, I covered this gas tank filler thing, and it formed around it no problem, so these mellow lumps arent bad.

 

[woodco]

One more question though. For the driver side, I want to cut out these rubber things from the old mat and glue them to the new carpet somehow, just for the sake of wear and tear.. Is there a good way to do that?