Custom Box Cover?
Printed From: the12volt.com
Forum Name: Fiberglass, Fabrication, and Interiors
Forum Discription: Fiberglass Kick Panels, Subwoofer Enclosures, Plexiglas, Fabrics, Materials, Finishes, etc.
URL: https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/forum_posts.asp?tid=28172
Printed Date: July 21, 2025 at 12:25 PM
Topic: Custom Box Cover?
Posted By: BangBang
Subject: Custom Box Cover?
Date Posted: March 11, 2004 at 3:06 AM
hi i have this 10 dual sub woofer box. and im going to be making a custom box cover for it.. using ply wood and putting up again'ts the back of my trunk so it would cover the back of my trunk.. only leaving 10" wholes for the subs.. but the wood is funny ugly looking.. wut material fabric is cheap that i could buy to cover the entire thing... i wanted to look like leather but its not?
Replies:
Posted By: S.I.Autosports
Date Posted: March 11, 2004 at 5:50 AM
what about vinyl?
Posted By: 93accordSE
Date Posted: March 11, 2004 at 9:15 AM
I hope your not using cheap plywood, depending on how much flex it gives is going to determine how good or bad your subwoofers sound. I could consider using MDF, its cheap, and strong as hell.
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Posted By: BangBang
Date Posted: March 11, 2004 at 10:42 PM
yeah mdf for the box.. i'm talking about a seperate cover.. for the entire trunk... just so that u cn't see the back of my seats.. also leaving space for some items.. such as bats.. clubs... and etc... ^_^ vinyl sounds good but i'm new to vinyl. .... not sure how to install it properly. and where to buy, and how much do i need.
Posted By: Supa lao
Date Posted: March 11, 2004 at 11:40 PM
what about just carpet that's the same color as your trunk carpet?
Posted By: BangBang
Date Posted: March 12, 2004 at 2:17 AM
sure i suppose where can i buy that and how do i install that? -------------
Posted By: soup
Date Posted: March 12, 2004 at 2:50 AM
Where you would buy it depends on where you live, how much you need depends on the exact size of what you are building, how to install it once again depends on exactly what you are doing.
Have you done carpeting before? Carpeting is pretty easy, clean the surface you are applying the carpet to, spray some adhesive on it and the back of the carpet, then smooth the carpet over top, fold it over the edges, if the back side of it wont be viewable, cut a notch in teh 4 corners to get a nice seemless look... then staple the back of it
Vinyl is pretty well done the same way if you dont need to make the back of the trim piece you are doing look good. You can use a heat gun or even hair dryer to give a little more stretch to the vinyl for getting nice edges.
If you want nice edges all the way around, and all side to be carpeted, the best way to do it is get out some needle and thread. Sew a piece that will slide over it like a pillow cover. You can do the same thing with the vinyl.
Try walmart for nice cheap vinyl/carpet
Posted By: 93accordSE
Date Posted: March 12, 2004 at 9:15 AM
I would suggest not to use spray adhesive, I hear contact cement is way better. Spray adhesive doesn't stick well, I've had bad experiences with it.
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Posted By: shawn62
Date Posted: March 13, 2004 at 3:02 PM
i agree contact cement will stic way better but if your not carefull then you could get blobs of it under the carpet and u could see them
Posted By: soup
Date Posted: March 13, 2004 at 6:39 PM
I was going to say use the contact cement at first, but because of that reason I said use the spray adhesive... you need to make sure you get the right kind. Some spray adhesive is meant to leave no residue, and have the part removeable, and replaceable.. like if you cut out a stencil, you could spray the adhesive on, and put the stencil on multiple surfaces without respraying it... that kind wont work, I had found a good upholstry spray at home depot I think it was that worked real well. No clumps, it was some messy stuff though, had to clean the edges afterwards. But I could spray it on, stretch the carpet quite a bit, and it would still hold it.
Posted By: Sobe_Death
Date Posted: March 13, 2004 at 7:15 PM
most spray adhesives i have seen have been contact cement. of course, with a father in the aerospace repair industry, you dont see much "normal" stuff coming home...
Posted By: auex
Date Posted: March 14, 2004 at 10:23 AM
Are you the Sobe_Death from ALTHonda?
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Certified Security Specialist
Always check info with a digital multimeter.
I promise to be good.
Tell Darwin I sent you.
I've been sick lately, sorry I won't be on much.
Posted By: BangBang
Date Posted: March 15, 2004 at 2:47 AM
ok i just bought 1/2" ply wood and cutted and shaped of my trunk. then i bought vinyl and contact cement. wat is the best way to apply it so that it wouldn't leave bubbles and that it would be nice and hard and good on it? i need some exact directions or help or advice plze... -------------
Posted By: soup
Date Posted: March 15, 2004 at 4:08 AM
I havent really used vinyl, but I have done a lot of carpeting.. it really depeond on the shape of what you are doing, but this is exactly what i would do if you r pieces are like i think
make sure you are not working out in teh cold, warm up the vinyl a bit, see from someone else if this is a good idea or not, but what I would try is put the vinyl in teh dryer real quick.. dont leave it in there for more than a minute or so, because im pretty sure it will be wrecked/melted, but it will help when applying it. Cut the vinyl so you have about 2' overlap on teh back of the piece one stretched over. lightly coat the back of the vinyl and the plywood with teh contact cement. quickly place the vinyl over top the plywood, and allign it so you have the 2" overhang. Smooth out the vinyl with something like a squeegee. I would use a bondo knife wrapped in a smooth material so it doesnt mark up the vinyl. once you have a nice smooth contact between the vinyl and plywood, put some cement on the back side of the plywood in about a 1 1/2" wide stripe down one side. still working on that one side only, spray the top of the vinyl on the edges with water a little and use a hair dryer or heat gun to heat up the vinyl.. be carefull not to melt it.. you just want to aid in teh stretch, not melt it. then pull that vinyl around the plywood edge nice and tight and smooth it down, staple the vinyl in place. don't pull too tight, because you will just pull it off allignment on the other side. Once you have it stapled, do the other side, follow the same steps, this time you can pull a lot harder, and get it nice and tight. once you get it real tight, and have a nice smooth edge on teh top of the plywood, and two edges, you want to tackle the other two sides. basically create a corner like you would if you were folding a present for christmas.. once again, same steps, pull tight, staple.
if I am wrong and you are doing complex curves nad corners, then get out your sewing needle and thread.
Posted By: soup
Date Posted: March 15, 2004 at 4:09 AM
oh, btw, 1/2 is prety freakin thick for what you are doing, I woudl have just used 1/8"
Posted By: hk2k3
Date Posted: March 15, 2004 at 10:57 AM
BangBang wrote:
yeah mdf for the box.. i'm talking about a seperate cover.. for the entire trunk... just so that u cn't see the back of my seats.. also leaving space for some items.. such as bats.. clubs... and etc... ^_^ vinyl sounds good but i'm new to vinyl. .... not sure how to install it properly. and where to buy, and how much do i need.
------------- i'm a car audio fanatic
Posted By: BangBang
Date Posted: March 15, 2004 at 12:06 PM
soup]I wrote:
havent really used vinyl, but I have done a lot of carpeting.. it really depeond on the shape of what you are doing, but this is exactly what i would do if you r pieces are like i think
make sure you are not working out in teh cold, warm up the vinyl a bit, see from someone else if this is a good idea or not, but what I would try is put the vinyl in teh dryer real quick.. dont leave it in there for more than a minute or so, because im pretty sure it will be wrecked/melted, but it will help when applying it. Cut the vinyl so you have about 2' overlap on teh back of the piece one stretched over. lightly coat the back of the vinyl and the plywood with teh contact cement. quickly place the vinyl over top the plywood, and allign it so you have the 2" overhang. Smooth out the vinyl with something like a squeegee. I would use a bondo knife wrapped in a smooth material so it doesnt mark up the vinyl. once you have a nice smooth contact between the vinyl and plywood, put some cement on the back side of the plywood in about a 1 1/2" wide stripe down one side. still working on that one side only, spray the top of the vinyl on the edges with water a little and use a hair dryer or heat gun to heat up the vinyl.. be carefull not to melt it.. you just want to aid in teh stretch, not melt it. then pull that vinyl around the plywood edge nice and tight and smooth it down, staple the vinyl in place. don't pull too tight, because you will just pull it off allignment on the other side. Once you have it stapled, do the other side, follow the same steps, this time you can pull a lot harder, and get it nice and tight. once you get it real tight, and have a nice smooth edge on teh top of the plywood, and two edges, you want to tackle the other two sides. basically create a corner like you would if you were folding a present for christmas.. once again, same steps, pull tight, staple.
if I am wrong and you are doing complex curves nad corners, then get out your sewing needle and thread.
? sorry i lost this sounds complicated. -------------
Posted By: BangBang
Date Posted: March 15, 2004 at 12:14 PM
can i get ur fone number soup? do you have aol instant messanger? i understand up tot he part "lightly coat the back of the vinyl and the plywood with teh contact cement. quickly place the vinyl over top the plywood, and allign it so you have the ............... " coat the back of the vinyl and the back of the ply wood? -------------
Posted By: BangBang
Date Posted: March 17, 2004 at 12:20 PM
Hey guys thanx for your help i finsihed the cover with vinyl. i hvae ac oupld of yards left of vinyl it looks greet.. but then there were some minor bubbles lolz its still looks pretty.!! now i'm going to install interrior neon lights. probably under the seat. 2 in the front and 2 in the back. with a switch. that would be bomb bigidty!!! let me know if u guys can help me install it in the inside of mah car plz! -------------
Posted By: soup
Date Posted: March 20, 2004 at 5:21 AM
SOrry I didnt see your question untill now. I guess you know waht I meant... simply coat both the plywood, and the vinyl where they would be contacting. each other
Glad it looks good... but dude.. I think you should try and attempt a lot of this stuff on your own. It is the best way to learn. You said you got the vinyl done and it looks good, so you should be able to tackle neons by yourself. It is really straight forward. If this comes off rude, I am sorry, I am not trying to be rude, just for some things, trying it first will give both you, and the people trying to help you, a better idea of what you are trying to accomplish.
For instance, I have no idea what car you drive, where exactly you want the seats (under the seats is still quite vague) How big are the neon tubes? Are you using neon tubes? Or are they cold cathode? A lot of people confuse the two. Are they just teh store bought, pep boys.. or streeglow style neons? If that is what they are, then just hook them up to a 12v source. Whether it be your int lights, accessories on the fuse box, even the accessories power wire off your deck.
I am pretty sure that if you attempted it, you coudl have it figured it out in less than 10 minutes, and have them installed, and mounted in less than an hour (for all 4) So that is my advice, attempt it, if you have troubles, please ask, ill be glad to help
Posted By: BangBang
Date Posted: March 21, 2004 at 2:08 AM
oK!!! thanx none of your suggestions are rude . I"m not providing the info you wanna know cuz u gotta ask if your interested in helping me. Second i'm not an experct when it comes to wires. harness, and etc.. so you need to be a bit less vague for i.e. accessories on the fux box and accessories power wire of my deck? Thanx again! wen my neon lights come i'll give you the details. how long, wut it looks like and where i wanna intstall it. etc...>! -------------
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