Do-it-yourself car mat repair

Why is repair necessary?

Carpets in the interior perform a number of important functions:

protection of the original upholstery from snow, dirt, water, salt deposits;
creating additional convenience for the driver;
addition to the factory interior.

If there are holes in the product, water can easily accumulate on the floor. In the future, this will lead to unpleasant odors, dampness and metal corrosion. Removing rust is problematic and expensive. For non-through holes, dirt will become lodged in the material, destroying the carpet from the inside. To avoid these problems, we recommend restoring the integrity of the carpet using available methods.

You can buy a new carpet or special metal pads. Moreover, their cost is disproportionately high compared to the investments required for repairs.

Do-it-yourself repair of fabric and rubber car mats

Almost every car is equipped with floor mats. This element is an important and useful attribute that requires careful care. If you find defects in the carpet covering, you can fix them in the car yourself. Drivers will need to prepare a patch and means to attach it. The procedure is not difficult.

You can repair car mats in the garage with your own hands in a few hours (even if you have no experience in such procedures).

Repair of fabric rugs

Repair of pile (and fabric) products follows a similar method, but with the exception of the use of glue. Experts and advanced drivers recommend applying a special pattern using a sewing machine. This is a more reliable and aesthetic way.

After completing the entire procedure, be sure to take it for a test drive. In dry weather, pour a special amount of water into the carpets. If after driving for 24 hours the product retains liquid, then the repair was carried out professionally. In case of leaks, it is necessary to remove the patch and then do the procedure all over again. It is better to detect defects immediately than during heavy rains and snowfalls.

Now you know how to repair rubber and fabric mats for any model and make of car with your own hands. Investments are minimal: purchase of glue and patches, and if the rugs are fabric, then plus a patch. Most car enthusiasts usually already have all the materials in the garage.

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Author Christian

A professional auto mechanic with more than 7 years of experience at one of the largest service stations in Moscow. I am well versed in cars such as VAZ, Kia, Peugeot, Bmw, Audi, Mercedes and many others. If you want to receive a professional answer, leave your feedback in the comments to this material.

Pasting method

The classic way is to seal a hole or cut with a patch. You can use different products depending on the size of the cut:

Standard patches for wheel air chambers. Can be purchased at any car store or market. Bicycles and cars are allowed.
You can use material from another unwanted rug as a source for the patch.
Cut from a mudguard or tire.

Read more: At what temperature does diesel fuel freeze?

Wheel patches have clear dimensions, so their scope of application is limited. If the hole or cut is of a non-standard size, it is recommended that you cut it out yourself. Please note that the layer of rubber is not too thick compared to the carpet being repaired.

First prepare acetone or solvent, sandpaper (minimal grit), and specialized glue for rubber.

You can use rubber glue models U425-3, 4NB-UV, 4508. The compositions do not have any strong odors, retain their properties in the range from –40 to +60 degrees Celsius, and are not susceptible to the destructive effects of chemically active compounds. The last characteristic will be relevant in winter, when the roads are actively sprinkled with chemicals.

Having selected the material, you can begin repairing rubber carpets:

Take out the carpet and thoroughly wash it under running water (you can do it with your own hands or with various brushes). Try to remove absolutely all contaminants.
Clean the problem area, removing burrs and other irregularities.
Degrease the surface. Next, thoroughly dry the area with a hairdryer. The presence of moisture will significantly increase the “setting” time of the adhesive.
Apply glue around the edges and attach the patch. Wait until completely dry. It is allowed to place a heavy object on top so that the patch is firmly fixed.
Repeat the previous steps for the second side if the hole was through.

If the patch on the rugs sticks out too much and you feel discomfort, be sure to solve this problem, otherwise it will be very annoying later.

The relief can be removed with a grinder or grinder.

Do-it-yourself rubber mat repair

To repair a rubber mat you will need the following:

the finest sandpaper;
patches for air chambers located in wheels;
solvent (or acetone);
specialized glue for rubber.

Note that the method using patches is considered the most attractive and reliable. After all, the patches on the mat should be thin enough so as not to tear up during direct use.

It’s quite possible to make patches yourself from an old (leaky) camera. However, today in the automotive markets you can find complete ready-made kits for quickly eliminating holes in the camera.

There is already glue there, which is ideal for rubber. It performed much better than the classic moment (similar glue can be purchased at any household store).

However, no matter how high-quality the glue is, it will not hold the patch unless the surrounding surface of the rubber mat is first prepared. There must be a matte surface for the glue to adhere to securely.

It happens that the rug is so worn out that it is useless to repair it. The website https://stingray-market.com.ua/ will provide a wide selection of analogues at very affordable prices.

Patching a rubber mat

There is an original rubber mat, in the center where the right leg stands there is a 1 cm * 1 cm hole. I tried it with glue for a moment, with super glue, after a couple of weeks of exploitation the patch falls off. I wanted to vulcanize it, but tire shops refuse. What can you recommend?

What is so good about this rug that you can’t just throw it away and buy a new one (for example, a non-original one of suitable size and shape)? Methods (and means) for attaching patches to rubber products (hussars - keep quiet!

) yes, any search engine can easily find them. But is the game worth the candle?

There are no non-original sizes like this! specifically for the driver's seat

Well, then, look in the garages of handy car enthusiasts who still have vulcanization kits from the old days (nowadays you can hardly find them on sale). Essentially these are: raw rubber patches (of different sizes), a grater for stripping, a degreasing compound, a clamp with low-power heating elements. Simple gluing, as you know, cannot solve the problem - the driver’s heel constantly puts pressure on this place, and also “scrapes”. For the dry season, there is a simple solution - throw another one under the original rug from below, let the sand from the driver’s heel fall into it; but in winter it will be inconvenient...

My brother repaired my shoes professionally. I saw he had Moment glue. -What is he holding?

- Yes, you just need to read the instructions carefully. I suggest: Glue Moment original (you often come across a leftist) If you follow the instructions, it’s problematic to tear it off. I re-glued a lot of things...

Professional patches for “cold vulcanization”: Rosswick, for example. If you follow the instructions, it is impossible to tear it off.

Raw rubber is now sold in rolls, often leftist, and most likely not intended specifically for hot vulcanization. When the supply of Soviet rubber ran out, I abandoned this business and switched to cold vulcanization.

2 Kostya1 Are you sure the mat is rubber? There are a lot of rubber-like plastics now... and rubber glue does not stick them...

gabik wrote: Professional patches for “cold vulcanization”: Rossvik, for example. If you follow the instructions, it is impossible to tear it off.

Thank you, so can I use it at home?

Gleden wrote: Are you sure the mat is rubber? There are a lot of rubber-like plastics now... and rubber glue does not stick them...

Of course I’m not sure, I can’t tell with an untrained eye.

Kostya1 wrote: there are no such sizes that are not original! specifically for the driver's seat

You got excited. Rugs are sold with already molded sides, which can simply be cut out as desired. Just go to a good car store and talk to the seller, it is advisable to have yours in hand. I'm sure you'll find a new one, beautiful, even better than the original one. And darn rubber with barbed wire. And Moment glue is NOT waterproof.

gabik wrote: Raw rubber is now sold in rolls, often leftist, and is most likely not intended specifically for hot vulcanization.

Sprinkle with sulfur powder from the pharmacy and use an iron through the foil. Everything vulcanizes beautifully. But whether the mat is made of rubber is a question.

Burrdozel. special cement for hot vulcanization. Instead of an iron, a factory vulcanizer. It is not possible to repair anything with substandard tubes or those not intended for “vulcanization”, raw rubber. This is a fact.

2gabik I understand that every craft is surrounded by legends and “special materials” (“imported gasket - Japanese for three rubles” (C) Afonya) But raw rubber vulcanizes at a temperature of 150-180 degrees and in the presence of sulfur. School chemistry, 9th grade. How to heat the sulfur and where to get it - like “special cement” at an expensive price or in a pharmacy or garden store cheaply, vulcanize it with a “special factory vulcanizer” or an iron, or a bowl with gasoline (and this has been done) - the result is usually the same. There are fewer show-offs in my case, that’s for sure. And, accordingly, deception.

gabik wrote: It is impossible to repair anything with substandard or not intended for “vulcanization” chambers, raw rubber.

If the rubber is rubber and it is raw, then all the above secret information works. It should still dissolve freely in gasoline, forming an excellent rubber adhesive.