Author Topic: Carpet Padding  (Read 3139 times)

menesesjesse

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Carpet Padding
« on: March 04, 2010, 23:16:04 »
Where should I put it and where should I just use the new carpeting without using padding behind it?  I have fabric padding and I like the softness and deadning qualities of it.  What are your thoughts? Thanks
Jesse
1966 Mercedes 230 SL auto
2003 Mercedes E500
1992 Ford F150
1994 Ford Bronco
2019 Shelby GT350R
1967 Mercury Cougar XR7

Bernd

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Re: Carpet Padding
« Reply #1 on: March 05, 2010, 00:24:59 »
Hi Jesse
are you ordering a kit or are you sewing the carpet yourself? There are only four pieces that are padded on my kit which i purchased from GAHH The mats in front of the seats, and the two pieces directly under the seats. The rest has no backing There are some diffferences to what was in my car originally though with this kit, but unless someone is an absolute stickler for an identical look nobody would know the difference. The remainder of the carpet is glued in place directly to the underlying metal. Be careful with padding. If it's too thick, it will look funny and you will not be able to trim the car out properly. There are threads on Dynamat and other similar products, but they don't provide cushioning really. They are great for sound and heat isolation. Remember that at the door aluminum threshold the carpet needs to fit into the groove of the aluminum trim. Do a test fit of the piece first to see how it needs to look. The metal trim piece will cause a very small stepoff under the carpet which is palpable if one pushes hard. If you want, glue Dynamat right to that edge, then you won't feel a stepoff. Also, (just a tip from me) if you don't glue the carpet itself all the way to that piece of trim and if you leave a small strip next to the trim without glue, you will be able to tuck in and, more importantly, pull back the carpet and thus remove the trim if you find it necessary to refinish or replace the trim (unless you buy new stuff, in which case it will most likely outlast the carpet cosmetically)

I am myself wondering if anyone has found a nice way to pad under the two pieces over the drive shaft tunnel. Those two pieces don't fit too well in my opinion, even in the original carpet in my car

Jordan

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Re: Carpet Padding
« Reply #2 on: March 05, 2010, 01:52:36 »
Jesse, my padding is also in the same locations as those mentioned by Bernd.  Just remember to not glue down the carpetting over the transmission tunnel (shifter tunnel/gear tunnel) in case you need to get to it at some point in the future.  I'm not sure if this is also the drive shaft tunnel Bernd is referring too ??? but mine does not have any padding under it and it is a single piece. :-\
Marcus
66 230SL  Euro 4 speed

menesesjesse

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Re: Carpet Padding
« Reply #3 on: March 05, 2010, 03:09:06 »
Thanks for the advice.  I have bought a square weave kit.  The material looks very good and like my original.  I have seen some carpets without any padding and they seem to look light and shifty after being put in.  My plan was to use glue the pad to the carpet. This way I can remove it and install it at will.  I am in the process of doing the whole interior and I would like it to have cushion without looking cheap.  I think that I will skip the padding as you advise on the thresholds.  I will not glue down the carpet over the xmission tunnel because of the access covers.  I am curious to see how some people have done theirs and if  it holds up nice without glue. Thanks and I hope to get this done sooner then later.
Jesse 
Jesse
1966 Mercedes 230 SL auto
2003 Mercedes E500
1992 Ford F150
1994 Ford Bronco
2019 Shelby GT350R
1967 Mercury Cougar XR7