Automotive Interior Repair with The Interior Guy

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1. 1 On January 11th, 2010, Elgin said:

   I have a question…can the inside ceiling be repaired if I get a rip in it??….I’m talking about the carpet-like material above my head when I sit in my car….Please inform me if this can be repaired…thx..

2. 2 On January 12th, 2010, Jon Latronica said:

   Mike,
   Checking if you recieved samples ok? Give me a call if you get time.
   Thanks
   Jon 267-228-5682 Leather Refinishing

3. 3 On January 21st, 2010, Mike-TIG said:

   It all depends on the size of the tear. If it’s larger then say 2″ then I would recommend you replace the material. Any larger and a repair won’t look right. I’ve repaired tears and they are probably the most difficult to repair, you always seem to end up with a crevice like area due to the fact of the headliner material being stretched. Cuts just don’t mend well.
   Now one thing I will tell you with a repair on a headliner…it is a temporary fix… so if you rub the area it will rub off, like cleaning ect. But being it is on the headliner there won’t be a lot of traffic like a seat and if you careful a repair can last a while.
   For a repair like I’m talking about a professional like myself should be able to handle this with ease. If replacement is needed a local upholstery shop should be able to take care of that for you.
   Hope this helps out and let me know if there’s anything else

   Talk to ya soon,
   Mike Warren – The Interior Guy

4. 4 On January 21st, 2010, Mike-TIG said:

   Jon
   I sure did and thank you for a great product. I look forward to doing more business with you in the future!
   The dyes are great! They finish out just like I wanted.

   Talk to you soon,
   Mike Warren – The Interior Guy

5. 5 On January 23rd, 2010, Drugs verslaving said:

   I liked reading this. I will post this on digg. I am sure you will get some thumbs up

6. 6 On January 23rd, 2010, Amsden said:

   I was very pleased to find this site.I wanted to thank you for this great read!! I have enjoyed every little bit of it and I have you bookmarked to check out new stuff you post.

7. 7 On February 1st, 2010, Lois Mancell said:

   Thanks for the information

8. 8 On March 4th, 2010, Martin Peck said:

   I’ve been looking for a website just like this for a long time.  Thank you for taking the time to create and maintain this…never easy when you have so much to do.

9. 9 On March 4th, 2010, Bill Jenkins said:

   Great post. I’ve been looking for this exact information for a while now. Bookmarked!

10. 10 On March 5th, 2010, Manny said:

    Hi Mike, excellent tutorial, yes i did learn new tricks,
    Mike i`m in South Africa, here the climate is very harsh,
    to hot in summer, very often, we find lots of dashboards
    with cracks,included my own, i try-id all kind of products to fill the cracks, all when well up to the point of “finishing” and match the grain, please any advise on this matter?
    Thanks
    Manny

11. 11 On March 10th, 2010, Dent Masters said:

    I just saved your blog to my favorites! Just forwarded it to some of my friends. Thanks again for another great post. http://www.dentmasters.biz

12. 12 On March 10th, 2010, Natasha said:

    I was wondering, I have a 1995 vehicle, could you update my interior from cloth to leather??

13. 13 On March 10th, 2010, Mike-TIG said:

    I don’t but I kind send you to a place that can…http://www.katzkin.com/main.html …these guys have one of the best fitting aftermarket leather kits I’ve seen, they have a installer finder on there site that can help you find someone in your area to help you out.
    I hope this helps

    Talk to you soon,
    Mike Warren – The Interior Guy
    Automotive Interior Repair Professional

14. 14 On March 10th, 2010, Mike-TIG said:

    Manny,
    Hey! Wow South Africa! I bet the climate is harsh… Well it’s great to hear from you!
    The grain is a very hard thing to achieve when it comes to repairs. At times you won’t always be able to match the grain perfectly. I have used the SEM Texture Coat with a matching grain pad and pressed it into the spray right as it flashes but not dry and been able to match pretty close if not perfect at times. Another way you might try is the wet grain method with the Wet Grain Slicker from Viper Products, I’m sure they could ship there. Getting your repair as smooth and level as possible and at least getting some sort of grain pattern to your repair without making it really standout usually will trick the eye enough to get a pretty good result and a happy customer.
    Have you used the Padded Dash Filler from Urethane Supply Company ? It works really well and is designed to be flexible to withstand the heat that dashes take. I use it all the time and the SEM Texture Coat works well with it. In fact I just finished a dash out of a 78 Monte Carlo, it had multiple cracks and a color change at that. I’m hoping to write an article on it soon. So check back soon and I’ll see if I can get it up there for you to see, got lots of pics too so that should help out a little more also.
    Well I wish you luck on your grain quest, it takes time and remember they can’t always be salvaged and brought back to the exact grain, it’s still a repair, not new…All we can do is try too hide it the best we can.
    If you need anything else, don’t hesitate to get back with me either here, email or even my forum…

    Talk to ya soon,
    Mike Warren – The Interior Guy
    Automotive Interior Repair Professional

15. 15 On March 18th, 2010, Raheem said:

    Hi, I just bought a 2002 Aurora and the interior needs work done. I wanted to know where I should go and about how much should I expect to pay?

16. 16 On March 20th, 2010, Gregory Despain said:

    Hello! completed going through some of your posts, which I found entirely by mistake while doing a bit of online research for some of my projects. Please write lots more, since it’s rare that somebody has something appealing to say about this. Will be watching for more!

17. 17 On March 20th, 2010, Mike-TIG said:

    Raheem,
    Great to hear from you…
    Go to your local car dealer and check with them to see if they have a recommendation for a person like myself in your area. Now as far as cost, that of course is going to depend on what all needs done. If you have any pictures you could send me I could give you a better idea

    Talk to ya soon,
    Mike Warren – The Interior Guy
    Automotive Interior Professional

18. 18 On March 23rd, 2010, Jason said:

    good articles

19. 19 On March 26th, 2010, Decorating Schools said:

    Wow good info, thank you. This is what i looking for.

20. 20 On March 26th, 2010, Touch Up System said:

    Nice site.

    The public needs to learn that their interior pieces (cig burns, worn bolsters, worn steering wheels) can be repaired for a fraction of the cost of replacement.

21. 21 On March 29th, 2010, Else Chatterjee said:

    This is my first time to visit your blog and I would say you share nice information. You definitely do research and write very well. Keep it up!

22. 22 On March 31st, 2010, Casey Gattshall said:

    I just wanted to know if you provide an eBook or something like that. Additionally do you have an RSS Feed? I want to subscribe to it so I can keep on receiving fresh info. Once again thank you so much for posting this info. Maintain the great work!

23. 23 On April 16th, 2010, Trish said:

    Please, how do I remove ball point pen ink from leather seat of a BMW?

24. 24 On April 19th, 2010, Mike-TIG said:

    Trish,
    First try a little dawn dish soap and warm water with a Scotch Brite pad and scrub the area lightly. If this doesn’t break it then your gonna have to a little stronger. Take a Q-tip with a little nail polish remover and rub the ink spot, now this should cut it but it will take a little dye off too so be careful and not soak the area. Now if this doesn’t work then that means the ink has soaked into the leather and the only fix is to have the area dyed. Good luck with your ink spot and hope this helps.

25. 25 On April 28th, 2010, health insurance said:

    Any suggestions for cigarette burns? Is it a total redux kind of job?

26. 26 On May 16th, 2010, San Diego Auto Insurance said:

    I haven’t been able to find anything that will repair or fix cigarette burns. This is something that I have from previous owners in both my Lexus and Corvette. So any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

27. 27 On May 22nd, 2010, Brandi Finstad said:

    It’s nice site and nice content.

28. 28 On May 23rd, 2010, Taylor said:

    Can the plastic part around the window control be replaced. I also need new sun visors because they are broke. How much do you think it would cost on a 2002 Dodge Stratus 4 door?

29. 29 On May 24th, 2010, joe said:

    could you give me some ideas on where i can find good info on color mixing, i cannot leave town thanks joe

30. 30 On May 25th, 2010, Mike-TIG said:

    Taylor,
    Sure they can be replaced, you can check your local dealer or even the junk yards. To remove them you should be able to take a small pry bar and pop them right out, then unplug the switches and then swap the switch’s out to the new ones. Just be careful not to poke a hole in the vinyl removing them, maybe wrap the pry bar with a towel. I think they come out from the rear of the switch panel, so that’s where you would pry first from. Well I hope this helps out.

    Talk to ya soon,
    Mike – The Interior Guy

31. 31 On May 25th, 2010, Matt said:

    Hello Mike,
    Just wondering what is should I be using on my dashboard,and vinyl parts of my seats to keep them looking nice? What types of products should I stay away from? Also I have a couple of chunks taken out of the vinyl and foam on my door, is their any thing that I can use to fix this problem? Last thing I have some burn marks in the seat not the whole way through from the previous owner, can I repair that? All these repairs are for my 2001 Malibu. I have one question about my 06 explore, I have black marks on some of the plastic interior sides that is from my three boys hockey sticks. Then black hockey tape on the sticks is came off on to the plastic sides in the cargo area. I have scrubbed it with dish soap and hot water and even tried a magic eraser, but some of the marks are still there. Any suggestions?

    Thank you
    Matt Kramer

32. 32 On May 29th, 2010, Mary Burkhart said:

    Hi Mike-
    Great site to help people out. I just discovered a piece of lipstick that melted with the heat on my white leather seats in my Cadillac (it’s 2 inches long). Do you have any ideas on how to remove it? I’m afraid to touch it yet for fear of spreading it and making it worst. I appreciate your help and time if you have any ideas.

    Thank You!

33. 33 On June 28th, 2010, Corey said:

    Hello,

    1992 Chevy Cavalier. Daughter tore off the headliner exposing all the fiberglass underneath. I’ve decided to remove it entirely and recover it myself. I’m stuck however on getting the dome light out. The cover is removed and I’ve found two simple screws on either side of the bulb but they just turn and turn. What’s the trick?

    Thanks in advance!
    Corey

34. 34 On June 28th, 2010, Mike-TIG said:

    Corey,
    Not really sure on this model of car, I usually don’t replace headliners much, but I think I know what the problem may be and that’s the screw threads are probably stripped a bit. If you can get a pair of needle nosed pliers or a flat screw driver wedged in behind them while you screw them out this might help. You may have to drill them out if not. But there should be only those couple of screws holding it up. Most either attach to the board itself or to the roof by either a couple of clips or screws like yours. Well I wish you luck on this I know things like that can be frustrating and a bit of a booger being above your head like that, feeling your pain.

    Talk to ya soon,
    Mike Warren – The Interior Guy

35. 35 On July 2nd, 2010, Luis said:

    My 2001 BMW 330 CI interior cloth is starting to come off. I think the heat outside has something to do with it but simple glueing or taping does not work since the cloth is now wrinkled in different areas. I assume I should take it into a professional for repair? or are there any repair kits in auto shops to fix this.

    Thanks

36. 36 On July 5th, 2010, Joanna said:

    My husband put a tire in the back seat of our civic. We have tan leather seats. It left a huge tire print. How can I clean it?

37. 37 On July 6th, 2010, Mike-TIG said:

    Joanna,
    Well unfortunately there’s not a cleaner that is going to take the imprint out. I have run across this before, in fact in a brand new Cadillac not to long ago. It left a nice tread mark right across the back seat. The tire was only in the car for over night but the damage was done.
    What has happened is the oils from the tire have penetrated the leather deep under the dye, which means that no cleaner will remove the imprint without removing the dye first. So the only way to remove the stain is to dye over the top of it. A professional like myself can do it for you for a minimal cost, this isn’t a big job. Or if your crafty you could probably do it also. Just send me some pictures to my email and if I can get the color right I’ll send you the supplies to get it done.
    Talk to you soon….

    Mike Warren – The Interior Guy

38. 38 On July 9th, 2010, infinity downline said:

    great post. My headliner is falling down due to water damage (sunroof leaks) any advice?

39. 39 On July 13th, 2010, Evia Jun said:

    Hey, I am the first time on this website and am truly enthusiastic about so many great articles. I think its simply very good.

40. 40 On July 13th, 2010, Lasonya Corza said:

    Hello This is a great blog keep your good work and thank you for hvar in with me So nice to hear frome you.Thanks!

41. 41 On July 18th, 2010, Eric Green said:

    How do I repair my vinyl upholstery on the interior door panel of a BMW 335i 1996. The super glue is not working with the vinyl and cardboard. Thanks

42. 42 On July 19th, 2010, Mike-TIG said:

    Eric,
    Hey man great to hear from you! Well without a picture I really can’t give you much advice on the use of super glue on your door panel. Super Glue is not always a great fix for vinyl. I usually will only use it as a last resort, or on an edge that I know won’t mend well with a repair compound. If you can email me a picture of your door panel I’ll see what may be needed to repair it correctly.

    Talk to you soon,
    Mike Warren – The Interior Guy

43. 43 On August 1st, 2010, Brenye said:

    What’s up man…I have a 1993 es300 I just brought(purchased) and the interior needs to be replaced…what would be the better thing to do…should I replace it or get seat covers. And if it needs to be replace where’s a good place to get quotes from

44. 44 On August 1st, 2010, Mike-TIG said:

    Brenye,
    I would go check out your local Upholstery Shop and see if they can help you out. Seat covers to me are a temporary fix to a permanent problem. An Upholstery Shop can replace sections of the seat or the entire covers if needed and bring your car back to it’s original state. I do a lot of work with my local shops here doing dye work and such when they replace sections in seats to bring the leather back to new again. But ya go check out your local Upholstery Shops before you consider wasting your money on covers.

    Talk to ya,
    Mike Warren – The Interior Guy

45. 45 On August 2nd, 2010, skip durham said:

    Hey Tig,
    i have been in the touch-up business since 1986 and added interior cleaning and small repairs 4 years ago.
    The guy i origionaly sent to fl for training is long gone and I am working on a new business model for mobile interior restoration.
    I am in need for training for myself and a new hire. I am still going to concentrate on the paint work, but I need to know how to train new hires.
    I will discuss the business model with you over the phone if thats OK. Too much to type.Please call when you have time
    Thanks ,
    Skip Durham
    Pro Paint Repair

46. 46 On August 5th, 2010, Epifania Gilboy said:

    I eventually decided to post a comment, and let me tell you this is yet another very powerful post. I have been browsing some of your past discussions and have been browsing your website every now and then|Hola, I love your page.

47. 47 On August 5th, 2010, arniggan said:

    i stared for quite a while at the BMW topdown at the top. i’ve always been a fan of BMW cars with their sleek design and bad ass wheelywheels. absolutely drool-worthy. lovin it.

48. 48 On August 15th, 2010, heliroy said:

    Mike,

    I have a 1997 Toyota T-100 truck and the material on my door panels has started to peel back around the door handles and it is stained on the arm rests…if I send you pictures can you help?

    Thanks!

49. 49 On August 16th, 2010, Mike-TIG said:

    Definitely! Send away…I’ve seen this before and it can be a tough fix if the vinyl has shrunk. If this has happened you might have to take it to an upholstery shop and see if they can re wrap the door or a new door panel may in order. Just send me a pic though and I’ll see what ya got first before I start sending you off somewhere. It may just be a matter of re-gluing the vinyl back. So talk to ya soon….

    Mike Warren – The Interior Guy

50. 50 On August 20th, 2010, Cheryl said:

    Hi Mike,

    Is there any way to repair the plastic on the inside of a car door? My son’s stroller has caused some pretty deep scratches on the inside of the tailgate of my minivan and I’d like to try to repair them, if possible. Thanks!

51. 51 On September 1st, 2010, Ken said:

    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!

52. 52 On September 16th, 2010, Mike-TIG said:

    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

53. 53 On September 17th, 2010, Brian MacPherson said:

    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

54. 54 On September 24th, 2010, Nina Ottosson said:

    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

55. 55 On September 26th, 2010, Mike-TIG said:

    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

56. 56 On October 15th, 2010, Larry said:

    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.

57. 57 On September 7th, 2011, frontlineready said:

    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

58. 58 On September 7th, 2011, Mike-TIG said:

    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

59. 59 On February 21st, 2012, roby130 said:

    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?

60. 60 On February 22nd, 2012, Mike-TIG said:

    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

61. 61 On February 23rd, 2012, roby130 said:

    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?

62. 62 On February 25th, 2012, Mike-TIG said:

    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…

63. 63 On April 1st, 2012, PortlandCarpetCleaning said:

    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

64. 64 On April 10th, 2012, Mike-TIG said:

    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

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