This
bench seat is out of a full size American pickup truck. The back folds
forward so we are able to remove it. Many car bench seats, especially out
of four door cars, have rigid backs and you have to cut and/or sew around
the frame just like a piece of furniture. About the only difference between
a truck seat and car bench seat is that the fabric only covers a portion of the
outside back on many trucks (see side view below) and all of it on a two
door car. The outside back fabric will usually attach under the back of
the seat on a four door car.
This
is the new reupholstered seat. We've made some modifications. The original back
had channels that were pressed into the vinyl at the factory, our's are
sewn in . Before starting a job like this, study Basic
Cutting and Sewing procedures. You don't need to cut vinyl welt
cord material on a bias as with most upholstery fabrics. Most vinyls are
54" wide. This seat is about 58" wide so it was necessary to cut the job
up the roll. Try tugging on a piece of vinyl you'll notice it stretches
a little across the roll and a lot up the roll. Here's an important thing
to remember: if you make a car seat cover and it goes on easy it's probably
going to wrinkle the first time someone sits on it. We cut it tight and
pull it taunt. We will, of course, initially block the seat out larger
than necessary in order to compensate for the fabric being drawn in during
the quilting process (tuck and roll). Your seat may be a combination of vinyl and fabric (inserts). Sew those pieces together
before you do any shaping.
This
seat is in 4 pieces: the top plate, front boxing, and 2 side boxing pieces.
It has a single welt cord between the plate and boxing. Block out the entire
job to get the best cuts. Measure carefully, the top of the center boxing
on this seat is about about 1 1/2 inches wider than the bottom. This will
take up the slack. There is little room to hide extra fabric here. Sew
the 3 boxing pieces together.
Top
stitch the seams down like this example. We use a fairly long stitch on
heavy materials. Next, pin the boxing around the seat, feel for the old
welt cord or the edge wire of the seat itself, and chalk it off. You can
take apart the old cover for a pattern if it makes you feel better, just
make sure the last guy that did the job did it right. (The channels on
the seat and back didn't line up on the old piece). Notch the centers of
the plate and boxing. Fold the boxing in half and make sure both the right
and left sides are the same before cutting. We didn't make a seam allowance
like we tell you to do in almost every other segment of our series, we
stretch it to fit. We also do this for restaurant booths. Remember you
should have to fight the cover on, at least a little bit.
Mark
out the channels with a piece of chalk. These are about 6" apart. Cut out
a piece of scrap fabric and also apiece of bonded polyester cushion wrap
the same size as the seat plate. Spray glue the three pieces together with
the Dacron wrap in between. Spray the glue on the wrap and let it dry a
minute so you can't feel it through the vinyl fabric, this is only to hold
everything straight until it can be sewn.
Sew
through all 3 pieces using a long stitch. Too tight a stitch can "saw"
into the vinyl cutting it. Make sure you have enough bobbin thread to get
through the whole job, we usually use 16 oz. polyester thread.
Next
center and shape the quilted plate to the old cover or edge wire that goes
around the springs.
Fold the
cover in half to make sure both right and left sides are the same.
Sew
the welt cord to the seat plate making cuts to release the welt material
when going around corners. Beginning at the center of the plate, sew down
the boxing, then flip it over and sew the plate side to the boxing to finish
off the other side. Get as close as possible to the welt so that no threads
show.
Remove
the old seat cover and pad the seat foam with a layer of cotton or bonded
polyester. Put some extra padding where the foam is really worn down, usually
on the driver's side. Make sure the seams are all pointing down and not
twisted. This seat was attached using hog rings with a special plier. Some
seats have a strip of plastic which must be sewn to the the cover's boxing,
it then slides into a groove on the metal frame.
The
inside back was cut and sewn in a similar manor as the seat except that
it was necessary to sew rod pockets to the plate and boxing to hold a wire
which is then hog ringed to the frame. We hope this info has helped you but hey, it's easier to learn from our video!
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Auto and Marine Upholstery VideoSee how to cut, sew and reupholster a car bench seat with headrests, a bucket seat and a boxed boat seat. Also boat seats with cut out corners (less sewing) and upholstered backs. Learn to sew diamonds and channels (tuck and roll) and work with vinyl. This video will help you with commercial seating such as bar stools and restaurant booths etc. 120 minutes. Full Screen DVD $49.95
Starting and Operating an Upholstery Business (Manual)Take advantage of this practical, printed guide for starting up and surviving in the Upholstery / Interior Decorator business. Learn about obtaining licenses, samples, tools and equipment, subcontracting and employees, estimating and selling jobs, simple bookkeeping, advertising, buying wholesale and more. 44 pages. $12.95
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Hog
ring pliers, shears, button making machines and more.
Stock #VB1710AUH
|
1-55561-171-0
U.S., $19.95 Paperback 8.5 x 11, 232 pages, English 550 b&w photos Learn step-by-step how to:
Make and install interiors for any car, truck, van, RV or airplane
Author Don Taylor has spent a lifetime as a professional upholsterer.
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Custom Auto Interiors By Don Taylor and Ron Mingus |
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Stock #VB1400CAI Tapiceria de Autos Customizados (Spanish)
|
1-55561-140-0
U.S., $22.95 Paperback 8.5 x 11, 176 pages, English
Expert trimmers Don Taylor and Ron Mangus share two lifetimes of
Planning your car's interior Seats Door Panels Armrests and Door Pulls Stereo Panels Trunks Dune Buggies Carpets Reveal Moldings Convertible Tops Modesty Panels |
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