How To - Re carpeting XC70 Boot Floor

[TTR]

All,

As some of you will know I managed to eat the extra Weetabix and get the boot floor out!

Due to a previous owner spilling something the carpet was badly damaged,(See photo) and ruined the boot area in my opinion. I did not want a cover or sheet, so got a price for a new floor - circa £300.00!!!!.

On that basis I decided to recover the carpet, for the cost of materials and time I would recommend anyone give it a go taking your time and with simple kit you can get a great finish.


Materials:-

3m x 1.5m tufted car carpet (Octavia Black) £15.00
2 x cans high temp (120oc) trim adhesive £8.00
Flap sander (Had it in)
Wide flat bladed scewdriver
Sharp knife blades £1.50
Masking tape £1.00
Screwdriver and torx t20
1 x bucket load of patience (£ priceless)
1 x heat gun or wifes hairdryer!

I firstly removed the flip up panel, anyone who has not got one then the job will be far easier. Remove the trox cap screws holding the flap to the hinges, make a note that the centre unspring hinge has lock washers on the cap screws.

Tape down the centre unspring hinge underneath the boot panel as it stops it flapping around.

Start with the flip up panel and take photos for the reverse and the way in which the carpet sections are joined on the rear.

Removing the carpet can be done in two ways from my experience.

Method 1

Because I wanted to keep the carpet template I removed by hand the carpet section starting from the rear and working each joint section loose. Put the screwdriver blade at 45 degrees to the carpet and work your way around lifting the carpet away from the adhesive. After the edges are all loose flip and work the top section in the same manner. This is relatively easy and the adhesive used is different from the main panel. It still took me 4 hours ish.
I had the template and was able to use this as a rough guide which assisted in understanding how the joints overlapped as well as having the photos.

The main panel is a different story !! This took me over 8 hours to strip, the glue used to bond the carpet to the fibreglass panel section must be the same stuff used to bond tiles to the space shuttle! Heres were I would recommend method 2 which I had to adopt in the end.

Method 2

If you have a mini grinder get a sanding flap attachment circa 200- 300grit and carefully skim the carpet pile off the panel. Its dusty work but its does it in factions of the time, CAREFULLY work your way around the recesses where the flap panel sits so you feather the edge of the carpet flush. This was you leave the moulded recesses section in place and butt upto the carpet with the new.

Once clear of carpet wipe down the panels with metholated spirit to ensure its free of grease etc.

Carefully layout the carpet and from the rear make an outline drawing of the joints and cut lines, Measure twice and cut once.

From the rear mask of the panel to avoid overspray of the adhesive.

For the edge joints it may be useful (depending on your carpet) to carefully heat the edges of the carpet to get better flexibility. Apply the adhesive to both panel surfaces and carpet edges, allow to tac dry then fix to the panel. Once the edges are set remove the making tape and flip over and apply the adhesive to the front face working slowly down to avoid creases. I laid in 30cm sections.

On the main panel completely mask off the edges of the recess section.

If you work slowly and take time the results are great, I am really pleased with the end results for the cost.

Hope this helps someone.

[Sasha94]

Wow!!! Looking very smart Gotta drool over the fully finished pics soon while the cars twin here in sunny North Wales festers in its own filth in a high school car park lol

[TTR]

Sean94

Cheers for that, even tried to get stripes in the crapet pile on the final picture !!

Should be finished this weekend, just patching up a couple of cracks in the plastic bash plate then all done.

Will post pics over weekend if i get chance

Cheers

[Sasha94]

Haha yes I did see I use an old bank card or similar to do it and a steady hand!

Can't wait! You can update with your lovely clean finished car; I can run and hide as mine is really really bad! The wheels are black with brake dust, the plastic trim brown with mud, the paint coated all over in dirt and dust and the interior.... well I have a 3 month old and a Dog. Let's just say it ain't pretty!