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Interior Door Panel Material

37K views 22 replies 12 participants last post by  jaxx22 
#1 ·
I'm starting to look at doing my interior in a 36 Chevy. Can anyone tell me the best material to use for the inside door panels and Kick Panels. I was looking at PVC Sheets that are either 3mm or 5mm in thickness as well as 1/8" Masonite board. Just want to cover these flat panels with a thin amount of foam and vinyl cloth.
Thanks for the input. :)
 
#7 ·
The panel material you bought is already water resistant. Spar varnish is a little bit of overkill, but what the heck............... The problem with waterproof panel board is that it doesn't take kindly to being removed and re-installed well.
 
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#8 · (Edited)
1/8 inch ABS plastic sheet... Easy to cut and if you do need to form around anything when making the under dash panel a little heat and you cab hand for what you need.
The problem with ABS is that it's more expensive, and it takes a lot more heat (up to 350 degrees F) to form it than PVC foamboard (245 degrees F) requires. Most people don't have industrial heat guns that have high enough temperatures to soften the ABS.
 
#5 ·
Thank you all for the tips and suggestions. I have looked at the ABS Plastic (PVC Sheets) on Amazon and will probably go with the 48" x 48" pieces that are 5mm (just over 1/8" thick (.196") for the doors and kick panels. Good idea on heating them to form some tighter bends where needed. I will use the sheet of 1/8" masonite I have to make the mock up panels so I get the holes right.

If I can post some pics, I will show you how I modified the doors to a single sheet of glass with power lift instead of fixing the vent window issues (costly) and paying for 2 pieces of cut glass along with all the seals and B.S. that goes with the vent windows in a wooden framed Chevy:D
 
#6 · (Edited)
ABS and PVC are two different things. Most pros use 3mm thick (1/8") PVC foamboard for interior panels, over 1/8" waterproof panel board. The PVC can be bought at most sign shops and at sheet plastic suppliers. A 4' by 8' sheet of PVC foamboard is around $30. 5mm is almost 1/4", not 1/8". DO NOT USE MASONITE. Masonite absorbs water like a sponge, even the oil impregnated stuff. It is also very brittle.

ABS is very expensive, and does not cut or form or drill as easily as PVC foamboard, and you can easily sew through PVC foamboard. Komatex, Sintra, CelTec, and Palight are some name brands of PVC foamboard, and I'm sure there are a lot of others. It is also known as closed cell PVC or foamed PVC.

These panels are all done with PVC foamboard: Check out this tutorial http://www.hotrodders.com/forum/door-panel-tutorial-145092.html
 

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#10 ·
Thank you very much Dan. I printed out your tutorial so my wife and I can review it and get some ideas as well as the process. We haven't picked up anything yet, so I will make the change to 3mm and shop around for an interior outfit that carries the products you noted in the tutorial.
Thanks again.
 
#12 ·
That's nice, Bill, but if I remember correctly you got this stuff almost free. Trust me when I tell you that no professional upholsterer uses wood panels any more.
 
#16 ·
door panel material

Bottom Line... Use what you feel comfortable with. In the southeast the humidity is such that luan or msot any wood product even with varnish etc. will warp if the car is used very much within a year or two. Why spend big bucks on interior work and go cheappee on the panel material??? As I said use what you feel comfortable with.
 
#20 ·
Bottom Line... Use what you feel comfortable with. In the southeast the humidity is such that luan or msot any wood product even with varnish etc. will warp if the car is used very much within a year or two. Why spend big bucks on interior work and go cheappee on the panel material??? As I said use what you feel comfortable with.
I totally agree with you, and using what you're comfortable with is fine, but blindly using something "because that's what I've always used", and ignoring a better product that is easier to work with and produces a better finished product in less time doesn't make much sense to me.
I recommend certain methods and materials because this is what I do for a living. If I can produce a better, longer lasting, more high quality product for my customers, I'm going to use whatever I can to do just that. People come here to find out the best way to do things, and ignoring the advice of a professional, whether they are body men, engine experts, transmission experts, painting experts, or whatever, makes zero sense to me.
 
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#19 ·
Of course 1/8" wood panels coated with fiberglass resin would work. I'm not saying any of the ideas here wouldn't work as panels. What I am saying is that with PVC foamboard you have a product that:

1) is completely waterproof.
2) is easily cut, shaped, drilled, and sanded with regular wood working tools, and there are no splinters.
3) is easily stapled, accepts contact adhesive with no problems, can be heat formed, sewed, and glued together.
4) will never warp, rot, or absorb liquids.
5) is completely smooth, and tough enough to allow you to install and remove your panels numerous times with no problems.
6)is light weight(1/2 the weight of solid PVC and 2/3 the weight of ABS)
7)is less expensive than solid PVC and ABS. One $30 sheet of PVC foamboard should do your door panels and kick panels, which also makes it less expensive than waterproof panel board and about the same price as good quality luan plywood.

There just isn't a better performing, more complete material out there to make panels out of. If you haven't tried it, do so and see if you don't agree.
 
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#21 ·
most stitchers i know ( who live to far away ) went to aluminum many years ago and some still use it. when the foam board came along many switched to it and never looked back. it is what i will be using. i like the idea of being able to form it , being able to glue it . i am as new as it gets to upholstery but i follow the lead of professionals in everything i do .
and we all know what happens to black water board :(
 
#22 ·
For me the white pvc board works great and with heat it is easy to shape,,if you decide to do any sculpture design the dark gray pvc backed foam board also requires heat to shape the contour of the door (note bottom of door ) and the glue adheres GREAT to the dense foam and easy to sculpture with a router

Dan twolakes is a PRO and does great work ,I would take his word and advice :thumbup::thumbup:
 

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#23 ·
I use F R P ( fiberglass reinforced plastic ) - extra durable - stiff but flexible - can be heated and shaped - can be glued to or even stitched to - painted with the plastic spray paints - smooth on 1 side , textured on the other - most commonly used in commercial bathrooms and kitchens - purchased at most lumber yards - jaxx
 
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