There may come a time when you notice that the seat material in your car is looking a little dull or damaged, and you would like to get them redone with different material. It is possible to make this a “do it yourself’ project, as it is often much cheaper to avoid labor charges or marked up products from your dealership or mechanic. However, before starting this kind of project be sure to allow yourself enough time in the day to get it done thoroughly. New seat material is will require some careful movements, but once everything is in place it should be gratifying to see a fresh new interior to your car. Here are the steps on how to change the seat upholstery yourself from your own garage.
1. The first step is to shop around for the right kind of material. There are so many different kinds of fabric and material that can be used, but the key thing is to decide which is the best fit for your car. Some people prefer leather and others are fine with a softer material, but it truly depends on where you live and what kind of outer layer will make it comfortable to ride in.
2. Before you start, make sure that you have the correct amount of material to line the interior seats on hand, a ratchet set, large sheets of paper (or butcher paper), scissors and an upholstery stapler. Next, go ahead and remove the seats from your car, and you can do this by locating the bolts on the inside that are holding the seats to the frame of the inside. Once those bolts are loosened and removed, the seats should come out with relative ease.
3. Then, take a good look at how the material is bonded onto your seats. Most cars have a series of staples, and you will want to remove them carefully and keep as much of the old material in tact so it’s easier to cut out and form shapes in the new material to replace it.
4. Next, lay down the old material onto the large paper and trace it. Take the time to trace each area out carefully, and make it similar to what the old upholstery was. Remember it is always better to make it a little bigger if needed if you are unsure because you can always trim it down, but you won’t be able to make it larger if needed.
5. Use the scissors and cut out the tracings you made on the paper, and put them on the new material. If applicable, it can be useful to use some kind of washable ink to help make that outline secure. Carefully cut out each traced piece of material in the best way you can, and then compare it to the original old material to make sure that it looks pretty similar. Sometimes odd shaped parts can be tricky, but it is possible to get them in the right shape.
6. Finally, replace the new material onto the seats where the old upholstery was. At this point you will likely have to use your stapler to fasten them back in place, and be sure to make the material tight over the actual seats. Once that is done, place the seats back in the car, and using the ratchet tighten them back into their original places.
Written by Marc Laferierre, owner of Dents Unlimited. Dents Unlimited has the best auto repair Columbia MO has to offer, where their expert staff can get your car back on the road in no time.