DIY How to Make & Install Your Own Automobile Carpet

Customizing your car includes carpeting, too.

Many cars come with minimal carpeting and no carpet mats to protect it, or the carpeting in your automobile may have ripped. You can install new carpeting in a few hours by using carpet remnants cut and shaped to fit the floor area. Or, you can use carpet samples to quickly cover worn sections.

Things You'll Need

• Carpet remnants
• Carpet samples
• Carpet cutter
• Lighter
• Carpet glue
• Sandpaper

Instructions

Installing New Carpeting

1. Remove the old carpeting and measure the area to be covered with the new carpeting.

2. Clean off any old carpet glue from the floor area. Rough up the floor surface with sandpaper so that the newly applied carpet glue will stick better.

3. Find carpet remnants, often sold cheaply at floor-covering stores. Cut the remnants to fit the area to be covered.

4. Melt any cut edges with a lighter to keep the polyester fibers from unraveling. Always do this in a well-ventilated area.

5. Apply carpet glue onto the back of your cut remnants and press the pieces into place. Let the job dry overnight.

Carpeting Over Worn Areas

1. Measure the area of the car's floor that you would like to carpet over.

2. Remove any threads or pieces of old carpet that are sticking up or are in the way.

3. Cut a large carpet sample to fit the worn area you are trying to cover.

4. Burn any cut edges of the sample with a lighter to melt the polyester fibers and keep them from unraveling. Always do this in a well-ventilated area.

5. Glue strips of sandpaper onto the backside of the carpet sample to keep it from sliding around. Press your new carpet piece onto the worn-away area.

Tips & Warnings

• Measure carefully around any pedals and melt any unfinished carpet edges to keep the pedals from getting caught in the carpet.

• Melt any unfinished carpet edges in a ventilated area.

Resources

• Automotive Interiors: Molded Auto Car Carpet