There is no doubt that buying a car is a daunting task, and maintaining it is equally taxing. Over time and due to rough weather conditions, the car faces several issues, and one of them is ‘sagging headliner.’ What could make a headliner to sag? Is it easy to rectify the issue without a professional? All these questions have elaborate answers here. Let’s find out!
What Is Sagging Headliner?
A headliner is a multilayered fabric attached to the roof of the car, which gives a soft feel and accentuates the overall aesthetic presentation. It also absorbs noises and keeps the interior temperature pleasant. In due course, especially in old cars, the fabric may become loose and separate from its backing board resulting in a condition called ‘sagging headliner.’
What Causes Headliners to Sag?
Due to lesser weight, the headliners are among the first to deviate from the original state in comparison to other interior parts of the car, mostly due to bad handling and lack of care. Often due to wetness, the deterioration is accelerated to the point at which the headliner subsequently falls and needs to get fixed.
Steps To Repair a Sagging Headliner
First of all, let’s make it clear that fixing a sagging headliner does not require extensive knowledge. Any average person is capable of fixing it. However, you can decide whether it requires professional assistance, depending on the level of damage.
A ‘sagging headliner’ completely drops the aesthetic value of the car. Replacing the headliner with a new one can be quite expensive, especially in case of an old car, whereas the repairing can be cost-effective.
In terms of price, longevity, and ease of use and acquisition of materials, here are a couple of hacks that can readily get the headliner back in shape quickly and cheaply.
1. Use Glue To Re-Attach
If the headliner has sagged partially, the glue can come handy. By applying special headlining adhesives on the edges of the damaged headliners and distributing it evenly, can help fix the fabric from falling for a considerable period of time. For more durability, high-quality glues can be used.
2. Use Sequin Or Clear Headed Twisted, Pins
It is the simplest and less expensive method to repair the sagging headliner. Just use a few push or sequin pins to attach the fabric to its backing board. The use of clear-headed twisted pins makes great sagging stopper as it doesn’t damage the thin headlining board with the holes.
3. Use Staples And Hair Spray
This method may sound unusual, but it proves to be very productive. First, staple the headliner back to its frame by stapler gun. When done, apply hair spray and let it dry. It is a semi-permanent fix but quite cheap. The hack is popular worldwide on account of its quick-fix value. A majority of websites push for the method.
4. Use Double-Sided Tape
The sagging headliner can also be fixed by double-sided tape. For its application, it’s important that both sides of the tape have adhesives for the headliner and the underlying board. Place the tape on the loose spots and apply pressure so that it firmly sticks the headliner to the board.
5. Utilize A Steam Cleaner
The use of steam cleaner is a fairly easy and permanent solution for the damaged headliner. This technique attempts to revive the ailing adhesive. By heating the spots with the steam cleaner, the glue underneath the headliner re-melts and regains its sticking qualities.
Conclusion
Further going by the severity of the condition, the damaged headliner can be fully removed and reinstalled for which car needs a mechanic. So, next time while facing a ‘sagging headliner’ problem, these five easy hacks could be tired to sort out the hitch for once and all.