Thread: laying carpet

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Does anyone have a link to an article or anything explaining the proper way to do carpeting in a hot rod?
I'm not sure how to go about it, If I should just get a big section and spend some time cutting little bits at a time until it fits good?
I guess apholstry shops are the best place to get good carpet sections?

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...books&n=507846

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...books&n=507846

If you are doing this to your 50 pickup then they make already made carpets that should fit right in and all you do is put glue on the back side and stretch it. I think www.chevyduty.com has carpet if you have a Chevy. If this isn't what it's for then what do you plan to do it with? There are kits all over for all different cars, just gotta do a search.

I saw that chevy duty has it, but I figured one made for a stock vehicle wouldn't work very well for me since I moved the steering column hole, moved my brake pedal and switched to a floor shift and made a nice stainless floor panel that is about 12"x 20" that I want to be exposed.

I figured after I got done butchering the carpet I may as well have just saved money and started with a big square section.

Most carpets you buy like from Chevy duty (maybe somewhere else) wont have those holes cut for you so that wont be a problem. If you can find a big square for a great price then that's fine.
Good luck.

does it have to be glued down?
I have already lined the floor and firewall with that sound deadener insulator stuff, which is glued on.
If the carpet is glued to that I wouldn't ever be able to lift it up for any reason without wrecking all that stuff.

No it doesn't but it will move around on your and wrinkle, etc. I am sure you can find other way to fasten it down around the edges where you can't see it like if you have step plates in the door jamb thing at the bottom then you can run the sides of the carpet UNDER that and screw that plate down and it will look all clean and smooth. There's really no wrong or right way to do this IMO.

Most of the time on any old vehicles, the carpet is fastened by screwing the sill plates down over the carpet, this was done factory, even your truck probably had the rubber mat held down by the sill plates.

Hello, If you buy the carpet that is made for your truck it will be formed to fit your floor somewhat. You should use a spray adhesive to attach it to avoid wrinkles. It should come with a padding. When you spray glue this down it should release from the Dynamat leaving pad fuzzys behind if you have to pull it up. Automotive carpet is unitary backed and is flexible enough to follow the contours of a floorboard. On the other hand regular carpet has a secondary backing (Actionbac) that is much stiffer and would be impossible to install in one piece. However you could section off the floor, One piece drivers side, one pass,trans tunnel etc. You would still have to glue it and bind the edges to avoid raveling. This would look more custom. The upside is the regular carpet itself is cheaper, you wouldn't have to order alot as it comes 12 feet wide. 6' or 8' x 12' should be plenty. You could even do the cab wall behind the seat. I've done a couple of cars like this and they looked pretty cool, the sound proofing is a plus too. By the way I'm a Union flooring installer for 20 years so sorry for the long explanation.