Headliner

Ednj · April 13, 2006, 07:29:15 PM

Ya I know I'm jumping around a bit but I'm getting a lot done right now.
Did anyone else make their own? I got a bolt of vinyl and a sewing machine and giving it a try.
I was cutting vinyl all night.
I never sewed before but after a couple tests strips no problem.
Do I need to use nylon thread?

Clarke Echols · April 13, 2006, 07:42:11 PM

I saw a GM conversion a guy here in town did 10-15 years ago. He was an upholsterer and he did the headliner by cutting a bolt of vinyl to about 8-foot lengths to run cross-wise across the ceiling from one side to the other. He sewed them together side-to-side, then put it up as follows: Attach the front edge of the first piece to a 1/4" plywood strip that he then screwed to a cross-member with the edge folded around the strip so it was trapped between the strip and the cross-member. He put a 1/4" or 1/2" foam pad between that strip and the next strip. The second strip was located at the first seam, and the seam was attached to the strip, again on the cross-member side of the strip, and the strip was then screwed to the frame. The sewn seam was concealed under the strip, and the second panel came out in front of the
strip, wrapped down around and under it in the living space and on to the next strip, etc. It produced a really nice tuck-and-roll appearance the full length of the bus. Where there were cabinets, he installed the headliner first, then screwed the cabinets on to trap the headliner above the top of the cabinet face frame.

He had to move out of state and sold the bus, due to his wife's health. She had to move to a lower altitude. I could tell he got nowhere near what he wanted out of it, but don't know what the price
was.

Clarke

Quote from: Ednj on April 13, 2006, 07:29:15 PM
Ya I know I'm jumping around a bit but I'm getting a lot done right now.
Did anyone else make their own? I got a bolt of vinyl and a sewing machine and giving it a try.
I was cutting vinyl all night.
I never sewed before but after a couple tests strips no problem.
Do I need to use nylon thread?

DC_Bus_Nut · April 13, 2006, 08:40:54 PM

Is this the style your speaking of Clark??
It is a nice look.

Eric

Danny · April 13, 2006, 08:44:01 PM

Nice cat - the bus is good too

Danny

DC_Bus_Nut · April 13, 2006, 09:03:18 PM

Thanks Danny. Notice that there are 2 cats...my woman's pride & joys.

ERIC

DC_Bus_Nut · April 13, 2006, 09:04:51 PM

i'm "the" wife, aren't my cats too good for the bus?

T Chellis · April 14, 2006, 05:50:02 AM

Hi guys, You are making to much work of this headliner thing. I have been upholstering for more than 40 years and have a complete custom shop.
I did my headliner with soft vinyl, I have two computerized sewing machines and did not use them for my headliner and the only thing I glued is the foam padding. Tuck and roll over is the way to go. In my case I did not have to handle a piece of vinyl over 18" x 45". The secret is to anchor the vinyl well and nice and straight, and then pull the crap out of the vinyl. That is why it is very important to use a soft (very soft) vinyl. Good Luck. T. Chellis

Don/TX · April 15, 2006, 05:42:09 AM

The above is how I done mine, but no sewing was ever needed, nor foam backing. By pulling each strip tight, you had a suspended vinyl much like the old cars looked. If interested, you can go to my bus photo in the bus photos section, and click on a link that will show photos of the interior, I think it looked super.

Ednj · April 23, 2006, 06:28:03 PM

Quote from: T Chellis on April 14, 2006, 05:50:02 AM
Hi guys, You are making to much work of this headliner thing. I have been upholstering for more than 40 years and have a complete custom shop.
I did my headliner with soft vinyl, I have two computerized sewing machines and did not use them for my headliner and the only thing I glued is the foam padding. Tuck and roll over is the way to go. In my case I did not have to handle a piece of vinyl over 18" x 45". The secret is to anchor the vinyl well and nice and straight, and then pull the crap out of the vinyl. That is why it is very important to use a soft (very soft) vinyl. Good Luck. T. Chellis

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I tried this method tonight and it worked ok, but I think it would have looked better sewn.

FloridaCliff · May 02, 2006, 06:33:49 PM

While walking through Lowes today, I got a an idea.

Has anyone ever used the padded vinyl floor for a headliner.

They make a bunch of solid or marble type patterns, it would be heavy duty and cleanable.

Made to be glued with adhesive.

Maybe I am just nuts

Anyway, curious to hear from anyone on there results

NJT5047 · May 02, 2006, 07:52:58 PM

Another ceiling covering option is Ozite. It's the ceiling covering of choice in most upscale RVs. Very light, glues up well. And Ronthebusnut has it. I bought a roll and it's laying in an unused bedroom in our home. Haven't figured out how to put it up...not really. I see another summer without the headliner. Once up, Ozite isn't as easy to damage as the padded vinyl.
Plan to use automotive vinyl top adhesive...any other ideas are clearly welcome..

Lost in Space, JR

Clarke Echols · June 17, 2006, 04:48:32 PM

Quote from: DC_Bus_Nut on April 13, 2006, 08:40:54 PM
Is this the style your speaking of Clark??
It is a nice look.

Eric

That's the one.

CE

NCbob · June 17, 2006, 05:18:42 PM

When Chuck Lott gets back from his trip this week end I'd hope that he'd post the pic's of the headliner he put in his bus.

He did it in sections (probably 48" wide) and used an RV plastic bead between the sections so that in the even it needed to come down...the whole thing didn't have to. It could be removed by section to repair/replace/add new wiring if necessary. I was impressed and will probably do mine the same way.

Hell, I'm not a pioneer....I just copy what somone esle has done well!

NCbob

FloridaCliff · June 17, 2006, 05:30:31 PM

Would love to see those pictures too!

I have seen the tuck and roll, but a problem in the front means removing the whole thing from what I can tell

Cliff

Ace · June 17, 2006, 08:58:21 PM

I will be doing my headliner this coming week as well and will post some pics asap. It's really not as hard as you think.

If your using ozite as one poster said, keep in mind that it will be very hard to keep clean and it will keep any cooking odors and from that it willmost likely dis-color. Most of the higher end coaches are using vinyl type on the ceilings and ozite type material inside the cabinets for sound deadening!

Also if your using vinyl and want somewhat of a cushion, you can use a material mfgr'd for putting under the laminate plank flooring such as Pergo, in homes. It's very thin and gives just enough cushion. I plan on doing just that! I also will be doing some custom design work using vinyl and some mirror on mine so that should be fun! Another "tip" to doing the vinyl is to use a heat gun when stretching it in. Not too hot but hot enough to really get it tight and smooth. You can use contact and OR staples on the back and if your still not comfortable, any upholster shop can make matching buttons that screw to the piece to hold your work in place!

Ace