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How to Repair the Ceiling Lining in a Car

There is nothing more frustrating than a saggy headliner in a car. Typically this happens during dry, arid weather. The foam insulation that holds the liner in place, dries. Then the lining is no longer held in place, so it begins to sag. Sometimes it sags so low it even touches the heads of the car passengers. By this point, it is time to repair the ceiling lining. If you take it in to have it replaced it can cost you between $100 to $200 to get it fixed. If you do the repair yourself, however, it will only cost you about $20. The at-home fix does not give you a brand new, upholstered look, but it does look quite nice.

String
Tape measure
Carpet floor strips
Snips

Instructions

- 1
  Take a long piece of string and hold it against the top of the car ceiling widthwise. You need an accurate measurement and a tape measure simply cannot bend to the contour of the ceiling.
- 2
  Cut the string to the length of the measured ceiling and measure the length of the string with a tape measure. Add 1 1/4 inches to the measurement so that you will have room on either side to secure to the car ceiling.
- 3
  Cut carpet floor strips the desired length. These carpet floor strips come in either metal or vinyl. They both work great. Try to match the color of your lining, or find a good contrasting color. Black tends to work great with most colors.
- 4
  Shove the ends of the floor strips underneath the lip on top of the car ceiling on either side of the car. Press the strips to contour the ceiling and hold up the sagging fabric liner. This piece should be horizontally placed right in the middle of the car.
- 5
  Place two more strips across the lining to make it look intentional. Make sure to measure in front and in back of the first strip and cut the distance in half with the new carpet strips. If you have an extra saggy ceiling, you may need to add a couple more strips.