Ok this post was originally just going to be a review for http://www.stockinteriors.com but I decided to make it into a HOW TO for carpet install. I noticed not a lot was posted on what was aftermarket carpet, how does it compare, and how much work does it take to get into the car, SO HERE IS WHAT I CAN ANSWER FOR EVERYONE.

CLICK ON A PICTURE TO ENLARGE IT

AFTERMARKET CARPET VS. STOCK CARPET

I have installed carpet in both my civic and integra and have installed both stock and aftermarket. I have found that a good condition stock carpet, is super easy to install, but always shows that wear that you wanted to get rid of. If you buy a new one from the factory it is over $400.00 , and well that is way too much. A new one from stock interiors was like $165.00 and was molded really nicely, but of course was uncut.

Here are the carpets compared side by side ....



Stock carpet, so clean you could eat off of



Stockinteriors.com carpet, I was surprised it came with the padding on the bottom too. accmatts.com didn't have that padding and it was more expensive




GETTING READY TO INSTALL CARPET
After you order your carpet, get ready to have some fun being crammed into your car in weird ways to cut and trim. Now remember the more time you take to take care you do it right the better it will come out, DO NOT RUSH!!!! BE PATIENT, MEASURE TWICE AND CUT ONCE!!!

TOOLS
1). razor blade or really sharp pocket knife with sharp point
2). carpet shears or I prefer titanium nitrade shears (in pic)
3). measuring tape
4) Flashlight (smaller the better for tight spots)
5). Zip ties of your carpets color
6). whatever else you used to strip your interior down to bare bones, including taking out back panels

HERE ARE THE FOUR MAIN THINGS I USE



I start by taking my interior down to nothing on the floor ....
MY BACK PANELS ARE COMPLETELY UNBOLTED, I DID NOT TAKE THEM ALL THE WAY OUT BECAUSE OF THE STRUT TOWER BAR. BUT IT WOULD HAVE MADE IT EASIER TO TAKE THEM OUT.




Then i find the top of the carpet (the part that goes up by your pedals), the I find the center of the carpet, and make a 4-5 inch cut from top center towards the bottom. Then I lay the carpetin the car and mark and cut small holes where the e-brake will come through and the shifter. REMEMBER to cut the e-brake cut farther back than where it touches because your e-brake is at an angel, just look at it.

*If you still have your stock carpet you can measure where the cuts are and make small cuts down the center of your new carpet so it get a really easy basic lay out on the interior, but do not make more than small cuts in the carpet because if you mess up it wont show like a hole.

NOW IT IS UP TO YOU, YOU HAVE THE CUTTING TOOLS AND ZIPTIES. START AT THE CENTER FRONT AND WORK YOUR WAY TO THE REAR. I LIKE TO GET MY CENTER CONSOLE IN FIRST AND WORK OUT FROM THERE ...

1) Cut center lines to get basic layout
2) Get area around dash cut and ziptied ... your center console will cover this up if you do it right. I got the idea from the HONDA Factory Service Manual
3) Install dead pedal, then kick panel.
Now that the top, and part of the center of that carpet is secured
4) Cut holes in carpet for seats, trunk/gas door, and seatbelts (Do not cut the rear for installation, save it for last so you can pull it all tight!!)
5) Install trunk/gas door lever cover, and seatbelts
6) To install step guards you need to remember the carpet needs to be "tucked in" so keep it as long as possible so it goes all the way over the edge and wont get pulled out (don't worry about the rear panels, just get the step guard in and secure)





NOW CHECK YOUR CARPET BEFORE YOU SECURE THE REAR, AND MAKE SURE IT LOOKS GOOD AND IS PULLED DECENTLY TIGHT.
7) Install rear side panels
8) Fasten rear carpet and cut out rear seat holes, and put your seats in.




I HOPE THIS HELPED


If you want to look at the whole album I uploaded this all to photobucket.com, here is the link to the whole photo album

http://s146.photobucket.com/al...0Post/

Modified by KalD at 8:15 PM 2/26/2007


Modified by KalD at 10:27 PM 4/16/2007

 

New carpet makes such a difference in interior appearance. I have been thinking about doing this myself

 

looks good man

 

Oh yeah some quick tips ....

Use your finger to make sure that the slit you make for a bolt hole is right over the bolt.

Then to make a perfect bolt hole I cut a small X in the carpet then pull back each edge and cut it to make a nice square

 

looks like you did a pretty good job

 

nice man I got carpet from stock interiors waiting to be put in.. nice write up

Ill be bookmarking this

 

Nice Thread, Good job on the DIY

 

nice write up for sure will come in handy. bookmarked

 

nice writeup man...my interior should be in on tuesday

 

good lookin out

 

do they include the trunk carpet??

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 0h teh sl0w ek!! &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">do they include the trunk carpet??</TD></TR></TABLE>

NOPE

I also got a pic of my four main tools I use up today

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by KalD &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

NOPE

I also got a pic of my four main tools I use up today </TD></TR></TABLE>

dat sucks.. i wanted to redo my whole interior and do the trunk also.. guess i gotta look for trunk carpet first then

 

good stuff ill need to be replacing mine soon

 

are the pics broken for other people? I can't see ****!

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by spectacle &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">are the pics broken for other people? I can't see ****!</TD></TR></TABLE>

Pics down for me as well...sounds like a good write up tho

 

Pics should be back up + I gave the link to the whole photo album

P.S. thanks for the PM or I would have never noticed the pics are down

 

Good job! how did you attatch the carpet to the door sills?

 

Zip tie? HAhahaah

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by JDM KID 510 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Zip tie? HAhahaah</TD></TR></TABLE>

That is what they tell you to use in the Factory Service Manual from Honda, the one you have to order from Helms directly

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by LudeSH &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Good job! how did you attatch the carpet to the door sills?</TD></TR></TABLE>

You have to tuck it under the lining/trim, or you can use some kind of carpet adhesive but I don't recommend it because that sh*t gets everywhere and is permanent

 

I installed carpet from stock interior in my car. I guess i dont understand where you used the zip ties?

 

bookmarked.

 

I know this thread is old... But did you get the mass backing?

 

how do you get the carpet to stay down and not come up like if you were vacuuming it out cuz i didn't see anything about gluing it down? cuz my carpet now comes up everytime i vacuum its so annoying AF. so is there like an adhesive on the bottom that keeps it down??