Recovering parcel shelf DIY

[Exdee 6]

Alright, I've just recovered my parcel shelf and thought I'd make up a bit of a how to. I have reused the old parcel shelf and repaired it, but you could just use it as a stencil and cut a new one out if yours is beyond repair.

 

I had already removed it before I thought of taking photos and doing a write up on here, but basically, all you need to do to remove is take out the back seat, pull out the plastics clip, speakers and slide it out.

 

Tools you will need:

Stanley knife

Hole punch kit (not essential)

Trim scissors (or dress making scissors)

Contact adhesive (don't be stingy, buy two cans if you are using aerosol)

Prepsol/white spirits/acetone etc

Your chosen fabric

Tailors chalk or white pencil

Gaffer tape

Superglue

Rags

 

Start off by cleaning the parcel shelf with your chosen solvent, I used acetone because that's what I had lying around.

 

This was the worst of the damage to mine, I just wrapped a single layer of gaffer tape around the crack to hold it together. Any splits, I put some superglue in and taped together. I the covered all unnecessary holes with gaffer tape ( just a single layer, or it will show through on the finished job).

 

Now I had a piece broken off, so I sprayed a bit of contact onto each piece, stuck them together to hold temporarily, then squirted a bit of superglue into the gaps, and taped it up.

 

 

 

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[Exdee 6]

It should look something like this once you have covered all the holes and repaired any cracks

 

Now mark out your fabric. I used Tailors chalk

 

Now cut out leaving 10-20mm extra all the way around. This is where good scissors come in handy.

 

And recommend putting your scissors back into a protective pouch each time you put them down, and never drop them. There is nothing worse than blunt or bent scissors when you are trying to do trim work.

 

 

 

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[Exdee 6]

Now it's time to glue up both surfaces. Clean everything again just to be sure. Now here's a handy tip for whenever you glue or paint anything, cover h top of your drink!

 

 

Start by spaying a light even coat over both surfaces, and let it dry. Do this twice. This will seal the surfaces. Then give another coat, go a bit heavier this time, but keep it fairly even.

 

Once tacky, it's time to stick it down. It may be easier with a helper, but I did it on my own. Just make sure you keep the fabric straight when laying it.

 

Start by lightly sticking it in the centre, then lay it across to one edge, holding the other up. Take your time, the glue will take a while to go off.

 

Then lay the other side down, then press it all down firm.

 

And don't try just placing the parcel shelf straight onto the fabric, you WILL end up with creases and bubbles. It will look terrible.

 

It should look something like this

 

 

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[Exdee 6]

Any little creases should push out if you act fast enough.

 

Now it's time to flip it over and glue the edges down.

 

Around the curved parts you will need to make lots of small cuts to make it fold over evenly, and cut out a couple of darts on tight corners.

 

 

Then spray with contact and stick down once tacky. It should look something like this.

 

Do the same for speaker cut outs and the holes for the trim clips.

 

Then use one if theses to poke out the screw holes for your speakers.

 

Then bore them out bigger with a screw driver or centre punch

If you don't, you will never get your speakers screwed back down and you may damage the trim work you have just done trying.

 

 

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[Exdee 6]

Any little creases should push out if you act fast enough.

 

Now it's time to flip it over and glue the edges down.

 

Around the curved parts you will need to make lots of small cuts to make it fold over evenly, and cut out a couple of darts on tight corners.

 

 

Then spray with contact and stick down once tacky. It should look something like this.

 

Do the same for speaker cut outs and the holes for the trim clips.

 

Then use one if theses to poke out the screw holes for your speakers.

 

Then bore them out bigger with a screw driver or centre punch

If you don't, you will never get your speakers screwed back down and you may damage the trim work you have just done trying.

 

 

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[Exdee 6]

Now it's time to put it back in. It will slide back in the same way you pulled it out, reinstall speakers, clips etc. put the back seat back in last, or you might have trouble positioning it.

 

And the finished product

 

I used Sellys kwik grip contact adhesive and loctite industrial super glue.

 

I have used the same technique on door trims as well.

 

If you are using vinyl to do this, I recommend gluing a 2.5mm foam backing to it first, or it will show all the imperfections in your base surface (check that trim will go back on with the extra thickness first if you are doing this)

 

Always check the direction of stretch in the fabric before starting. You need to make sure the grain will stretch the way you want it too.

 

 

 

 

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[steve mcqueen 1,796]

I like the effort you went through to repair your parcel tray and more effort to take pics and create a thread. Top stuff.

This also works for a piece of MDF to.