Carpet Glue

[ronzet]

Well LBC Fans...

I will be undertaking the monumental task of installing the carpet in my A this weekend...

I will be using and glueing padding in the main areas, that is under the footwells, on the front tranny cover, etc. I will use carpet -lift the dot- studs to secure the carpet in those areas. I will forego the padding on the sides and back and will glue the carpeting directly to the steel.

So my question....

What adhesive (spray or otherwise) have you used??

I bought a spray can of general purpose 3M interior adhesive but thought I would ask for advice before I started.

Any other related advice and anecdotes will also be appreciated...

 

[Steve_S]

That's what I used last time I glued carpet down. It worked fine. Just make sure your carpet has some form of something on the back to prevent the glue from soaking through into the fibers. And only use as much as you need.

 

[RonMacPherson]

Passin on advice from a friend who used to have an upholstery shop here. When you spray the adhesive, be liberal, he used parallel lines like you used to make when mowing a lawn over the main body of carpet, surrounded by an outer ring of glue. Let it get "tacky" on both surfaces before installing the carpet. Then let it dry overnight.

Have you considered using velcro, instead of the "lift-the-dots"?

A lot of modern car companies are going that way.. That way you don't have to drill into the metal..

 

[ronzet]

Steve and Ron,

Thanks for the comments and advice...

So far the biggest headache has been trimming the kit pieces for a proper fit. I bought the kit about three years ago and it was a bargan basement kit from ebay.

The velcro is a very good idea... If it doesn't work out in the long run I can always use the 'lift the dots' later...

I plan to make sure everything fits perfectly before I start spraying and adhering... I am going to work from the battery box area first, then the sides, rear tunnel, under the seats and then on to the front with the main non-glued parts in last...

<span style="font-weight: bold">Another bit of advice needed.</span>

I was thinking that maybe I should glue the padding to the back of the carpet and then secure the assembled padding/carpet with velcro rather than glueing the padding to the floorboards/tunnel. It just seems easier and should provide a good fit as well as easier access should the need arise. Unless I am missing something.

<span style="font-weight: bold">what'cha think?</span>

 

[Jack_Long]

I used Weldwood contact cement on the "fixed" portions of my MGB carpet (tunnel, sills and wheel arches) and heavy duty velcro on the stuff that I wanted to be able to remove in case it got wet. The double-stick Velcro did not want to stay on the carpet backing so I sewed it on using heavy thread that I bought to repair my top. So far it is working well.

 

[ronzet]

Jack,

Thanks for the comment and anecdote...

Did you use padding in your install.. If so, did you glue the padding to the carpet and then install??

Thanks

 

[DrEntropy]

I did the "glue the padding to the carpet" routine. Primarily so it could be easily removed if it got wet (inevitable here in Florida). For the removable "shaped" pieces (talkin' MGB here) I used a synth "horsehair" padding, sprayed it with water and shaped it before using glue to adhere carpet. Oh, and Weldwood contact adhesive in quart cans. Much more efficient than aerosols. The battery box cover ended up as nice as an original (aside from the fact I used modern synth carpet).

 

[tosoutherncars]

3M "77" adhesive here... no padding. Very easy to use, has stayed put nicely.

 

[ronzet]

tosoutherncars and Doc....

Thanks for the advice.

On the padding... I am only putting padding in the A's flat areas and the tunnel so should not need to be moulded...

I do have a question about the padding... I have a large sheet of padding that I plan to use.

I got it at a fabric store and it looks exactly like the padding that was left over from my new house carpeting....

Is there a problem using this stuff or should I buy purpose made for cars ??

Thanks again...

 

[DrEntropy]

If it's "sponge rubber bits in mass formation" I'd think twice. What I used is a synthetic substitute for horsehair. Can't recall where we got it, it was originally for a 300SL resto well over a decade ago and we "overbought". It appears to be a synthetic wool. I'll see if I can dig thru some records/receipts.

 

[ronzet]

Doc,

I am now thinking twice about using the padding I have...

I think I will go for purpose made... Any suggestions as to the WHERE I can buy it??

 

[Jack_Long]

I did not use padding because of my concern that it might retain moisture if it got wet.

 

[vping]

3M "77" adhesive here... no padding. Very easy to use, has stayed put nicely.

This is what I used this past week and it worked well. If I can get motivated enough I'll post some pics. I even used it to make new interior panels and again it worked like a dream.

 

[vagt6]

Regarding the padding/backing, it's a good idea to ensure that it's fire-resistant. You don't want flammable material under your, umm, arse in the car.

The horsehair stuff will burn like a match, so will other natural fibers. Read the labels, ask the vendors.

Better safe than sorry. :thumbsup:

 

[DrEntropy]

What I used is a synthetic substitute for horsehair. Can't recall where we got it, it was originally for a 300SL resto

This was a UL approved synth horsehair substitute, MADE for the task... I'll look up the records on the Gullwing for the source.

 

[ronzet]

Gentlemen,

Thanks for your comments and suggestions...

As for using padding...

I have cut and loosely placed sheets of the padding under the un-installed main carpeting and find a MAJOR decrease in engine and road noise in the A....

Just for the sake of comfort I think the use of padding is worth the effort, at least on the A...

My '66 B, albeit very worn, has, I assume, factory installed padding under the carpet... When I finally get around to rebuilding the B, I will likely go with padding on it also...

As for flame retardance... I took a match to the padding I have last night and, although it did melt, it was self-extinguishing... As long as a flame was present it smoldered, when the flame was removed it went out... ERGO, seems to meet the requirement for self extinguishing/flame retardant.... So my, ummmm, arse seems to be relatively safe, at least from padding fire... :smirk:

And, finally, the areas that may get wet will be removeable to dry since I am going to glue the padding to the back of the carpet and then attach the assembly to the floorboards with velcro as has been suggested above...

Anyway... there is my rambling...

Thanks again...

 

[vping]

Where did you get your padding?

 

[ronzet]

Vping,

I bought it at a local Fabric outlet where they sell all kinds of fabric, leather, vinyl, and lots-o-wife-stuff... I had been drug there with my wife to 'help' her pick some fabric for new drapes she was making.... The trip turned out to be of some value since I found the padding...

 

[kennypinkerton]

My B is getting a full treatment of dynamat when I get to the point of installing carpet. The stuff is like magic. Even the doors make different more luxurious sounds when you close them.

 

[ronzet]

Kenny,

ARGH... I guess I am going to put off the carpet installation until next weekend..

I had thought about the Dynamat products but, quite simply, forgot about them.

My little A is a toaster oven and anything that I can do to reduce the cockpit heat and, of course, the noise is well worth an investment.

I went to the website and looked at the products offered..

Which of their products will you be using??