TheSamba.com :: View topic - Replacing the Carpet

Thu Jul 28, 2005 7:14 pm

all of my carpet must be replaced and i've been struggling with the decision, whether to buy a good-used OEM carpet kit (that IS available) or have it done by a vanagon interior specialist (sewfine interiors).

i'd instantly go w/ sewfine if they didn't glue the carpet down - oppose to the easily removable OEM molded carpet. these carpets are no longer manufactured. any ideas???

thanks for the help!

Thu Jul 28, 2005 7:24 pm

Depending on your needs, you have options. In my van we yanked the carpets and cleaned them. Pretty easy in this hot weather.

Or you could pull some out of a parts van at a bone yard. Or get a few pieces here and there until you get what you like.

Typically, the aftermarket ones in kit form only fit so, so. One that is made and installed by a shop is better. Sometimes, they do not work out as well as the OE ones. Pedals hang, bludges and so on.

In my case we also have a set of carpets that were made like matts to cover the OE carpet. On top of that I use the OE "Vanagon" rubber mats.

Thu Jul 28, 2005 7:34 pm

only cleaning the carpet isn't really an option - i'm trying to replace some carpets that were burned in an electrical short. i've found a guy that will ship me good-used OE carpet. i'd love to let sewfine do it, but i just can't get past the glueing part. i'm sure that i'll eventually need to get under there...

Thu Jul 28, 2005 7:44 pm

I put a sewfine kit in mine. I think I went through 2 cans of 3M carpet glue. It took me a full day but there aint nothing better than driving barefoot in a VW bus with nice new carpet. This winter I'm going to rip it all out and put soundproofing down so consider that and see mightyarts post on soundproofing.
I got some butcher paper and layed down my pieces on the floor of my garage and then layed them in. I also sprayed both the back of the carpet and the area the carpet was adhering to. Watch for overspray when spraying inside the van. Use butcher paper or masking tape to mask areas you don't want glue on. Once you glue down a few pieces you'll get the hang of it. I think it's way better than the formed OE piece. More plush!

Thu Jul 28, 2005 7:55 pm

supplicationjam, tell me more about sewfine. i was initially very excited about using these guys because they work on show cars and do beautiful work. but, now i'm worried about their kit's functionality - what happens when you need to access the firewall, etc...? i was told by sewfine that you CAN'T peel this stuff up and still salvage the carpet.

just today, the OE kit started to sound the most attractive, especially since i've decided against sewfine's carpet mats because they don't use a real backing...........it's mostly cut and bound carpet.

i'm torn on the decision. i'm NOT concerned about price - this was from fire-damage, so it's being payed for by my insurance company.

Fri Jul 29, 2005 4:23 am

The kit doesn't cover anything that you need to gain access to. I've read about some of the crazy glues and formica cements that some people use and that might prohibit getting the carpet back up easily but if you'll use the 3M carpet glue you can take it back up and put it back down. The 3M glue is kind of gummy and on several pieces I had to lift and reapply and it wasn't a problem. In my line of work I work with tons of different adhesives from metal glues like they use to build airplanes to very high bond tapes etc. and I was real impressed with this carpet glue. Also if your insurance company is paying for it go see a carpet guy and get an estimate from him to install it for you!!! Then if you decide to do it yourself you can rightfully pocket that amount of money.

Fri Jul 29, 2005 5:20 am

I got a GoWesty carpet kit two years ago.

A little less than OEM quality, but fits well, and looks great!!

Much better than the 200K miles of spilled drinks and food the van came with!!!

I used double sided carpet tape and "heads up" interior spray. Stuff sticks well.

Fri Jul 29, 2005 8:01 am

I've heard good things about sewfine. I need new carpent myself.
I think I'll just go the Gowesty way like Dan did.
New carpet is one of the last things I'm getting. I'm still doing some messy work on her. I've already knocked a bottle of brake fluid over on the old carpet. I wasn't happy about it but if it
had been spilled on a new carpet I'd just put in, then I would have looked
like this poor chap here- :cry:

Fri Jul 29, 2005 8:21 am

I recently took some of the carpet out of my Westy before we painted it. It looks like it was glued down with something very similiar to the 3M glue. Unless it is very worn (falling apart) or very heavily stained, I have found you can oft times make the OE materials (not just carpet) look really really good and clean. You have to take it out and you have to apply a lot of elbow grease but it turns out nice, usually. On seats we even take a pressure washer to them and then let them sit outside for a few days. In the Summer it works out well. Ditto the carpets. But, if you carpets are smoked, then, of course, you need to replace them.

Since they do not contribute to the performance of the van, ditch them, you'll get better gas milage! :) :) :)

Fri Jul 29, 2005 8:52 am

I ordered my kit from Gowesty too but it shipped directly from the sewfine factory.

Sat Jul 30, 2005 4:34 am

Quote: I ordered my kit from Gowesty too but it shipped directly from the sewfine factory.

Same here.

Sat Jul 30, 2005 6:27 pm

oh, really??? so, gowesty sells the "sewfine" kit........hmmmmmm......interesting. :wink:

man, i'm seriously torn on this decision - especially since i told my mechanic what my choices were. he highly recommended that i NOT get a glue-down kit installed, since it's pretty likely that i'll need to get back under the carpet sometime.

so, it sounds like some of you have had success installing yourself in a fashion that you feel confident that you could peel it back and re-glue when needed, but i specifically asked sewfine about this and they said that "most-likely, if you peel it back or have to break the carpet from the glue, then it's gone......meaning that you would need a new carpet piece for that section". i don't know...

Sun Jul 31, 2005 10:13 am

My 81 westie came with brand new carpet from West Coast Metrics. I have a child and we go to the beach a lot, so i have been thinking about an alternative. I spoke to an old guy here, with a 80, ivory westy, and he installed some wood flooring in his. The kind that snaps together, that they use in houses. Looks awesome and spills and sand are just swept up or wiped clean. I am seriously thinking of installing some in the future. Said it costs about 30 bucks!!

Sun Jul 31, 2005 10:51 am

I don't know why you would need under the carpet again..... Even so if you use the 3M glue it should be as easy to get up as the OE you pulled out. I'lll take the plush kit anyday over used OE. Maybe sewfine is assuming you're going to use contact cement or something. I think it's a non issue.

Sun Jul 31, 2005 2:36 pm

Yea, the stuff I used can come off if you need it to. I didn't use a lot of it, and its held up well.

EVERYTHING comes off with enough force! :lol:

Sun Jul 31, 2005 4:15 pm

anybody tried putting wood in?
Just for the cargo section, like in a westy?

Mon Aug 01, 2005 4:01 pm

yup, i put some wood in the cargo area. ridiculously easy to do, and looks pretty damn good. pic below from before i put the rubber trim on. planning to do a little bit more in wood (between seats, but keep carpet in front) when i get some time.

[img]http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=218798[/img]

Mon Aug 01, 2005 4:02 pm

DOH!!!!! image linkin' didn't work. cut/paste, or check my gallery, to see it.

Tue Aug 02, 2005 4:24 am

I just pulled the carpet from my eurovan. A gallon of coolant spilled on the floor. I am considering the wood floor. Qt. how difficult, and I have a center seat.

Tue Aug 02, 2005 5:42 pm

bigdood wrote: yup, i put some wood in the cargo area. ridiculously easy to do, and looks pretty damn good. pic below from before i put the rubber trim on. planning to do a little bit more in wood (between seats, but keep carpet in front) when i get some time.

Wow, that looks really nice!!!