Carpet Installation

Lets talk about carpet installation.  As carpet goes, you get what you pay for. There are several brands out there.  Some are made in the USA and some are made across the pond.  At H&H we sell carpet by ACC.  It is a little higher but as I said you get what you pay for.

Now when replacing your carpet there are few steps that need to be taken and a couple of decisions that need to be made. One, are you going to use an original weave or are you going to go with a late model cut pile?  Next, are you going to use an original insulation or something a little more modern?

Start by removing the front seats and console (if your car came with one).  Next, the rear seat and then the front kick panels should also come out.  Then take out the sill plates and seat belts.  At this point you should be able to cut out the old carpet.  You can also remove the old sound deadener material.  Next, vacuum the floor.  It does not hurt to wash the floor as well.  This will remove the smell or foreign material that might be left over from the old carpet.  After your floor has dried, make note of where the seat belt mounts are located.  This will help you locate them at a later time.  Also, if the car has a floor shifter, make note about where the shifter comes through  the floor. Ok so now the floor is clean and we are ready to install insulation or sound deadener.  Depending on what type of car you are building, you can use the original type sound deadener tare paper type material, the foil backed jute material, or the new rubber butyl type. Either way make sure you use something.  This way you will have quieter ride and it will also help your heat and AC system.  

Next, lay the carpet down.  If you can locate the seat belt mounts from the bottom of the car us a an ice pick or awl to punch a hole.  Then take a box knife and cut a small x in the carpet over the hole.  Do the same for the front seat mounts and console mounts. Then reinstall the kick panels, rear seat, front seat, and console.  Finally, trim the sides, if need be, and install the sill plates. Some people will trim the sides before reinstalling the seats and console.  It really needs to be the last thing you do because of the weight of the seats and console.  If you do this step to early, the weight of the seats and console will move the sides, stretch the carpet, and end up making it too short on the sides.

I hope this helps and will make your carpet installation a little easier.