Bring the Beauty Out of Your Car With Car Upholstery
Auto upholstery is not something we think about very often but it’s an essential component of your auto’s overall performance. If your car or SUV’s seating isn’t kept up-to-date and in pristine condition it will suffer from wear and tear. Even if you’ve regularly taken care of your auto, over time some parts could start to fall apart and thus require repairs. Auto upholstery repair in general refers to the refinishing of seats and trim on the inside of your car. Seats in your car, SUV or truck are also the most heavily reupholested item in your vehicle as they get the biggest wear and tear; whether it be from spills, tears or burns. There are several different techniques used for repairing the interior of a car that requires professional assistance, so before you make the switch to do it yourself, you should consider some of these pros and cons below.
Bucket seats are probably the earliest technique used for auto upholstery, and still one of the most common methods today. The buckets of paint or vinyl on a bucket seat form an air-filled cavity that’s attached to the bottom part of a car, SUV or truck’s side panels. In order to reface a bucket seat you must remove the old vinyl top layer, which is usually more difficult than it sounds. You can also make any other type of seat removable, although it would be wise to practice proper safety precautions when doing so.
Many auto upholstery jobs like the classic bucket seat were made with cheap vinyl material that’s been stretched and glued together like old vinyl stickers. While this does provide a cheap way to make a nice looking finish on your car or suv, it doesn’t last nearly as long as good, high-quality vinyl that’s built to last for years. High quality, low cost materials like Weathermax or Soft Weave are superior to vinyl in almost everyway.
If you’re planning to do your own auto upholstery repair, you have several options, but the first two should be avoided like the plague. First, it’s not very hard to damage a stretched vinyl bucket seat, and the resulting holes and cracks could get pretty severe if not repaired in time. Second, doing repairs on your own could result in a situation where you ruin the finish on your own vehicle, which isn’t exactly what you want to happen.
Leather seat repair is another popular method of auto upholstery replacement, and many people go this route without question. However, it’s a very tough process, especially for vehicles that were built decades ago when quality leather should have been nonexistent. Although there’s no shortage of poor materials being used in modern seats, there are plenty of good ones out there as well. Reputable dealers will be able to tell you exactly how good a leather seat is, and should be able to give you an accurate cost for repairing one. The internet is also a great resource for locating reputable dealers with good seats.
As for whether to choose an upholstered soft product or a hard one, that entirely depends on your comfort level and what you’re looking for. Many of us today are more interested in purchasing comfortable seats for children, and soft auto upholstery is often the best choice. This is also true for those who aren’t necessarily looking to upgrade but just need something more comfortable for sleeping. On the other hand, hard auto top products provide better support, and are sometimes more durable when it comes to resisting the impact from a car’s hood or trunk. These days, we can even buy convertible baby cars that convert into a soft infant car seat!
One thing to keep in mind when purchasing your car make and model is the type of upholstering material it’s made from. Most manufacturers use either nickel or plastic in their products, while some use a combination of the two. Plastic is probably the more popular choice, but both have their pros and cons. For example, plastic is very easy to clean and repair, but it doesn’t look nearly as good as, say, nickel.
Whatever your particular situation is, there’s a perfect solution for you out there. For a small fee, a car interior restoration expert can give you a free estimate on restoring your auto upholstery. Why spend thousands on new furniture when you can get everything you want for much less? Of course, the price of auto upholstery is largely dependent on the quality of the upholstery you purchase, so don’t let the prices scare you away. A high-quality piece can last decades if cared for properly, and many people find it an elegant, beautiful addition to their vehicle. If you do decide to replace your existing interior, consider giving your old furniture a second life through auto upholstery!