anyone out there have a lot of experience with vinyl. i built some custom door panels and want to cover them in vinyl. i have done boxes and kick panels and the like in vinyl but these door panels have a lot of curves and i would like to get any tips on some really strong adhesive and any tricks on manipulating it into shape.
-------------
"If a man made it, another can modify it...it just takes some thinking."
"If you ask questions, you're a fool for 5 minutes; if you don't, you're a fool for a lifetime."
Get 4-way vinyl if you have a lot of curves in the project. Pricey stuff, but it will stretch to next year and is very easy to mold. Hit it with just a little bit of heat and it'll go even further. Expect to pay anywhere from $15-30 per yard. Car domain has 3-way stretch for $11 per yard, but you'll have better luck with 4-way.
AllSport makes GREAT 4-way that the people here use all the time for curving FG.
link. AllSport 4-way vinyl
As for gluing, get a good quality contact glue. Spray a thin layer on one side, then another. Let it flash for a couple of minutes (wait until it is tacky but doesn't stick to your hand) then apply the vinyl to the surface. start from the middle and work your way out to the edges. 3M's contact spray glue is good if you are on a limited budget. I forget what glue used at the shop I am at, but I can ask the owner what he uses in our guns. (If you have a spray gun, doesn't need to be HVLP)
-------------
Never send your ducks to eagle school.
The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra.
The 3Ls of life: Learn from the Past, Live for the Present, Look to the Future.
I've just finished covering my kick panels and rear deck with vinyl and my problem was that i did not use a very strechy material and i used some of the less tacky spray can glue. Bellsracer is right on in suggesting the 4-way vinyl; i used some vinyl that only stretched 2-ways and it was a mammajamma getting it to stick around the curves and dips.
If you use the 3m spray, use the 8890 it has a green label and is much tackier than the 8870(maroon label) or 8880(white label); only problem is around here the green can runs about $4-5 more expensive than the maroon or white cans. I would also suggest dap weldwood contact cement, i got some from my local upholstery shop for about $11/qt. but i think you can also get it from home depot also. I used a brush to apply this stuff and after the suggested 10-15 minute tack time it sticks much better than the spray and so far has held up to the TX heat very well.