Thanks for stopping in to see one of the most comprehensive help sites on automotive interior repair and upholstery refurbishment and restoration.
Specializing in leather repair, leather dyeing, leather cleaning and conditioning, vinyl repair, cloth repair, carpet cleaning and dyeing, plastic repair and painting, and any other type of automotive interior help needed to keep your car looking show room ready.
Here at Automotive Interior Repair with The Interior Guy you will climb into my world of automotive interior upholstery repair , refurbishment, and preservation.
Hi, I’m Mike the owner of The Interior Guy.
Since 1999 I have built my mobile interior repair business on quality, integrity, and honesty. I give my customers only the best of the best.
I have put together some great content with tips for the auto interior repair professionals and the automotive do it your self-r’s at home.
Each Repair Help Article is packed with information and recommended products for doing your interior repairs or just keeping your car’s interior clean to preserve it’s life.
No stone gets unturned here with me.
Attention to detail is top priority with The Interior Guy.
The whole idea of this site is to help you “Do it Right the First Time”.
I hope your stay is informative and you get the answers you were looking for in your journey to automotive interior perfection.
Thanks again for stopping by and feel to contact me anytime.
Mike “TIG” Warren
Owner and Operator
The Interior Guy, LLC.
theinteriorguy@gmail.com
Looking for a New Career check out “TIG’s” Training – Learn the craft from a Pro with Personal Training!! or Call Randy Singh at 1-800-942-8754 and book your Personal Training Session or Group Seminar TODAY!
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I have a 2002 VW Passat wagon, tan leather interior. The dash panel material is cracked between the dash panel and the glove compartment door. Can this be repaired without replacing the entire panel?
Many thanks!
Ken,
Definitely sounds like a repair can be done on this type of crack. I would have to see pictures to give you a for sure though. If you can email me some pics I’ll let ya know.
Talk to ya soon,
Mike Warren – The Interior Guy
Hi!
I love your instructional techniques. You have taught me some really great tricks. I had a repair the other day of seat impressions in the back seat of an Acura MDX. I tried soaking the leather and heating it with a hot iron to flatten the leather. This worked in leveling most of it out. I still had to use a good amount of filler. I considered using some filler with mesh… thoughts?
Brian
Some really great information on this site. And I must applaud you for your great choice of cars on the home page! A few of my favorites
Brian,
Be careful using to much filler, this is just asking for a redo. Fillers are good in moderation, but there is a time when you just have to replace and not try to repair. I have turned down probably half as much work as I do due to the piece of leather is just to far gone. A customer will respect you more for your honesty then if you try and fail.
If you really have to finish it off you can try some mesh but use a low heat compound. I have used mesh before on leather for holes with some success but no larger then an inch or two, so I’m not sure how this will turn out for ya. One thing you could try is Leather Magic’s leather repair compound, it works a lot like a caulk and extremely durable and flexible. You’ll have to do it layers but I like the way this stuff works and you might be able to eliminate the mesh. Well good luck with your repairs
Talk to you soon,
Mike Warren – The Interior Guy
Mike,
Did you ever write the article on repairing the 78 Monte Carlo dash? I have an 85 SS that has some cracks in the dash that need to be repaired.
Hey mike, what do you do about a peeling dash on a early 2000 model Chev p/u? You know that rubbery tan or gray color with black underneath. I use solvent base Sem and it causes it to bubble. Any suggestions.
Kris
Front Line Ready
Auto interior repair
Enid, OK
Kris,
Here’s an article I wrote for just that problem, http://theinteriorguyllc.com/2008/sems-sand-free-repairs . The dashes are painted with a water based dye, so thats the reason your getting the bubbling when you use a solvent to try to repair them. Solvents and Water Based Dyes do not work well together. Your only fix is to use a Water Based dye. In the article I talk about using the SEM Sand Free to break and feather the edges, this works well but a couple of tips with it, one is to use it in the shade, heat causes it to work to fast and can cause even more peeling. The other tip is to make sure you spray your sandpaper and not spray it directly onto the repair, again its causes unneeded peeling as well. One last tip to help hide your repair and that is using a little Water Based Spray Grain before you paint, this helps to hide the edges as well and just makes your repair look more natural. Well Kris I hope this helps out and feel free to call me anytime….
Talk to ya soon,
Mike – The Interior Guy
I have a 1995 GMC Sierra and am looking to cover the ceiling of my truck with mossy oak material. I do not need to replace the ceiling, I just want to customize the interior of my truck to my liking. I have already done a portion of my doors in mossy oak and am trying to figure out how to attach the material to the ceiling. Is there some kind of clips, pins, or something I could use for this? I do not want to have to pay for an upholsterer to do this. It looks like something I can do myself as long as there is something I can use to attach the material to the ceiling. Can you please help me with this?
You should be able to use a spray glue to adhere the material to the headliner board material. But be careful not to soak the Mossy oak to much or it could bleed through to the front and make a mess. Id test a small piece first. You’ll have to drop the board to do the job right. This is kinda hard to do, so be careful not break the board, its only fiberglass. Now if your material has a foam backing I would remove the original material from the board and then replace it with the Mossy Oak. You’ll just have to much material there to fit it back in right. When gluing the material down lay the material out over the board, fold back half, spray both the material and the board with the glue then let set for about 30 minutes, then lay the material down working from the center out to the edge and to the end of the board, smoothing it all out as you go. Then repeat for the other half. Next cut X’s where all the holes are to be then re-install. It sounds easy but it can be a booger, just take your time and don’t rush the glue, let it set up a bit before you stick it. This eliminates the bleed through and making it look bad, plus it will adhere better as well. Hope this helps out. Take a pic when ur done and send it to me and I’ll post it up, got a friend that did the same thing to his GMC and it looks really cool!
Talk to ya soon,
Mike – The Interior Guy
Hi Mike,
Thank you for getting back to me. I was going to use the spray adhesive but wasn’t sure if that was enough. I live in Maine and wasn’t sure between the heat in the summer and the cold in the winter if the adhesive would stick with the changes in the weather or would I need some sort of tacks or pins of some sort (not really sure what I would use, upholstery pin or something) which is why I’m asking you. What do you think?
The adhesive should be enough to hold it, but if your worried then they do make a cork screw type tacks for that very thing. I’m not really sure where to get them but I have seen them before in headliners…
I like the work you have done previously. Did you ever write the article on repairing the 78 Monte Carlo dash? I have an 85 SS that has some cracks in the dash that need to be repaired.
Best Regards,
Portland Carpet Cleaning
Not yet, but I do have it in the works. I have pictures of one just have to take the time to sit down and write the article. Sorry for the delay but I will get that post up asap…
Talk to ya soon,
Mike Warren – The Interior Guy