Headliner Glue

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matty mopar

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My headliner fell in the rear, towards the rear window.

The factory insulation came apart. So I removed all of it, and put a carpet insulation that I had up there, and glued that to the roof, and glued the headliner to it. I used the spray on glue that's intended to interior parts.

It all worked perfectly, till a few hours later, it drooped again. I believe that the glue I used can't cope with the heat that exists from the roof.

Has anyone had this happen before, and can recommend a better, more heat resistant glue?

Thanks in advance!
 
are you talking about a headliner in a later model car...i.e. an impact headliner (hard type) rather than a suspended type like in 60's-70's models?
 
Weldwood contact cement won't let you down.
You will need to clean off the non drying aerosol glue with some naptha
to get down to a clean dry surface suitable for contact adhesive.
Sadly you just learned the hard way about adhesive in aerosol cans.
It is formulated to never dry so it has a shelf life and can be sprayed from the can.
Great for selling glue.
Bad for your trim projects where heat and gravity arnt working to your advantage.
It remains sticky or liquid indefinitely when it needs to dry into a solid to work.
 
I used contact cement. The process I did was paint the roof, paint the insulation, let is sit for a few minutes, then attach them. This held.

When I went to put the headliner back up, I put the contact cement on the insulation, but not on the headliner. A day later, the headliner fell, but the insulation stayed up.

If I try it again, putting contact cement on the insulation, but this time also putting it on the headliner, does anyone think that it'll work this time?
And does anyone know a way to stop the cement from falling through the headliner and looking messy?
 
What model & year headliner are you working with?
Sounds like a modern design not found in our A-bodies. Foam/felt glued to a ridgid panel?
If this is the case you will need to purchase new headliner fabric
to glue to your cleaned original panel.
The foam pad and fabric are one piece when new and with age the foam deteriorated
allowing the fabric to fall. Fabric not reusable.
 
The car is a 1963

There wasn't the insulation up originally. It had a type of thin brown stuff. Not sure how to explain it, it wasn't part of the headliner but it was on the roof.
 
Ok 63. That helps some. What model? I have done about every make and model headliner install and there are many different methods conceived by the manufacturers. This also changed with eras. I could use more information to help you best.
Most all cars have the noise reduction insulating pad you mentioned regardless of style
of headliner. Good that you replaced it. The carpet pad you used works fine for this. Some cars
used a tar paper.
Does your car have wire rods or bows that hold up the headliner fabric or is the fabric glued to a panel. These are the two most common methods.
If the glue is being absorbed into the fabric and showing thru the finished side it must have a
cloth fabric rather than vinyl? The older cars had mohair and this could happen. Mohair
headliners are generally the bow type and will only need glue around the perimeter.
 
Can this (weldwood) be used to permanently glue roof insulation above the headliner?
 
Yes, it will not release when left out in the sun even on the hottest days.
Once this glue has dryed it will not soften up with heat. At least not at the temps
any automotive soft trim or paint can withstand.
 
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