Door Panel Repair
By Bjorn-olof Berglund
Let’s go thru various steps of door panel makeover from cleaning via cardboard
repairing to repair minor damages in the vinyl. Note that I am not, at this
time dealing with leather or cloth.
This is what we start with. A fairly good door panel.
A little bit of dirt build-up through the years. The cardboard is a little warped
but in general good condition.
Start by checking your panels. How dirty are they, how
broken are they, how much repair do they need and what can you live with?
Cleaning.
Start by cleaning with lukewarm water and a mild soap.
Allow the soap to “foam” as it will lift the dirt from the surface. Use a soft
sponge to gently rub the panel. After washing, gently dry the panel with a
cotton rag. After first washing, inspect to see if any further cleaning is
necessary, and it usually is.
A common reason for a dirty look is tobacco, and it can
be a living nightmare to get rid of. I have found out that “bug remover” will
make the work to clean it out. Any smoker that have seen the tar and nicotine
drip from the panels will for sure have second thought of stop smoking.
Depending on what kind of dirt you have to deal with,
you can test with a variety of household chemicals. I have been testing bleach,
grease remover and rubbing. As for all chemicals, test it on a hidden spot
before you start cleaning. And after each cleaning, rinse with water and let
dry.
Warping.
Ok, this is not a particular good picture, but I am trying
to illustrate the warping of the cardboard. Reason for warping can be either
wrong storage or water that has been condensed on the cardboard.
To straighten the cardboard just steam it with a steam
iron, over the entire area where it is out of shape. Do not over heat, as it’s
only 3mm thick and the vinyl on the front can start melting. A couple of
minutes and plenty of steam should do the trick.
After steaming quickly clamp the cardboard to a flat
surface. Do not over tighten it as it will leave dents in the vinyl, just
enough to straightening the panel. Leave it to cool and dry for a minimum of an
hour.
Before
After
And here is the final result. Not as good as new but
at least cleaner and straighter. Still to do is to install the clips on the
back side. I choose plastic clips as they don’t react with the cardboard if
they get wet.
Cardboard Repair
Next panel has some more serious damages, but nothing
that can’t be repaired. As for all
repairs you have to decide when it’s repairable or have to be replaced. It is
usually better to repair small damages in the cardboard rather than replacing
the whole cardboard, that’s because the vinyl is glued to the panel.
Start by making a patch in cardboard with same thickness
as original, which is big enough to cover the damage. And do remember to make
the holes for the fastening clips
Note that I’m making a 90 degree cut, even if a
straight cut would have cleared of the damaged part. That is because a straight
cut would act like a “hinge”, and the final result had been much weaker.
I used a router to bevel of the edge of the patch, in
order to gain a bigger surface for the glue to stick to.
Now for the tricky bit. With the same router, cut thru
the door cardboard. Deep enough to cut
away the broken corner, but not so deep that you cut into the vinyl. In my case
I was able to fold away the vinyl. Note that I’m using a piece of wood as a rail,
to get the cutting straight.
And here we are. The patch has been glued in place
with a good contact cement. Still to be attached is a pair of thin strips of
wood, just 1mm thick, to reinforce the joint. When completely dried, carefully
match the edges with a small hand held plane.
Now the time has come to reattach the vinyl. By using
a steam iron, I’m softening the vinyl to be able to stretch and tack it on the
backside.
Work your way round, stretch and tack, stretch and tack.
Be careful not to let the iron touch the vinyl, as it will melt instantly.
And the final result before cleaning. Note that I attached
the vinyl before I took out any warps in the cardboard, just because the
straightening will help to stretch the vinyl more.
Vinyl repair
Now for the final chapter. A small hole in the vinyl,
not bigger than a fingernail. If it had been on a less visible place, I would
have considered leaving it.
I cut a small strip of the vinyl from the backside, since
it is a nearly exact colour match. Be careful to not take too much.
Insert the strip under the vinyl thru the hole.
Mask of, and glue the edges. I used flexible
superglue.
With a chisel and a punch I patterned a nail head to
make a die.
With a blowtorch I heated the nail head and melted the
edges. Note that I am working without gloves so I can “feel” that the die is
not over heated.
The result. Not as new, but at least better than a
hole. Still to do a gentle sanding of the edges, and careful cleaning with
acetone. The main reason that the fixing is not “invisible” is the fading in
colour of the vinyl. The strip from the backside has been protected from the
elements.
Disclaimer: The advice and guidelines given in these articles are given in
good faith. The owners and managers of the Galeforce Zephyr site will take
no responsibility for any injuries or loss sustained while carrying out
the described tasks and procedures or any consequences arising. Please
read the Safety First Article