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Best Headliner Adhesive Spray To Fix That Sagging Headliner Once For Good
In today’s post, we’ll present you with our top picks for the best headliner adhesive. We’ll discuss their benefits, types, and answer some questions you might have. Let’s dive in!
As you might have already experienced, taking proper care of your vehicle can be challenging, especially when you begin to face annoying issues like a sagging headliner.
Having owned a car for years, you must’ve come across this problem once, if not several times. This is because high levels of humidity or hot weather can cause your headliner to peel.
As a result, the interior of your car will look worn out, which is the last thing you want. But Garage Chief has come to the rescue.
To prepare the best headliner adhesive reviews, we’ve checked more than 25 products. We then narrowed the selection to the TOP 10 and then, finally, we’ve chosen the best headliner glue.
A Summary of Our Top Pick
Permatex Headliner and Carpet Adhesive
Naturally, there are plenty of noteworthy products out there – just read the reviews below. Yet, this one had our attention for all the right reasons.
We like how this headliner adhesive by Permatex combines an affordable price and great performance. It’s weather and water-resistant, plus it can withstand a temperature of 170°F.
Now, let’s take you to our favorite picks for the best headliner glue.
Our Top 10 Best Headliner Adhesive Reviews
It’s time that we discuss the unique features of these products in-depth.
Permatex Headliner and Carpet Adhesive
The first product that we love is this one by Permatex. There are more qualities to this spray adhesive than meets the eye.
First of all, this adhesive was made for use on interior car spaces. With this in mind, the manufacturers made sure of its strength and durability.
Also, we admire that it can handle high temperatures, which is up to 170°F. Therefore, you can apply it on hot summer days with no fear of the glue peeling off.
The formula is resistant to extreme weather conditions and water. This can be a great feature for people who live in a humid environment.
It usually takes about 5 minutes to dry between coats and about 30 minutes for the bonds to form.
As well as headliners, you can use this adhesive to fix other loosened areas in your car. These include carpets, trunk linings, and inside door panels.
Not just that, but many users found it amazing when they tried it on rubber, plastics, foam, and fabrics in general.
Wondering about the price? Well, we’re delighted to let you know that this adhesive falls into the midrange category.
Pros
- High-strength adhesive
- Specifically designed for vehicle interiors
- Weather and water-resistant
- Endures high temperature (up to 170°F)
- You can apply it on various types of surfaces
- Moderately-priced
Cons
- The nozzle tends to clog quickly if you don’t wipe it after every use
- The spray pattern can be uneven
3M Super Trim Adhesive
Now, if you don’t mind spending more cash on a high-quality adhesive, we highly recommend this one by 3M.
3M is a well-known company for automobile products as well as many other supplies. Therefore, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that it’s our second favorite choice.
The first thing we admire is that it’s made for attaching lightweight trim material.
This 3M adhesive spray dries to a low-profile clear color. This way, if you use it to fix your sagging headliner, it should look as good as new.
In addition, it’s easy to use. With its unique nozzle design, it should give you a low-mist formulation. Therefore, it should keep you from over-spraying any nearby surfaces.
It also dries up pretty fast, according to multiple positive reviews. Not just that, but many people liked the strong bonds that it produced as well.
Others admired that it didn’t dry with a wet look once they used it on their headliners. However, to achieve that, you should be careful when you apply it.
All in all, we think there’s so much to love about this adhesive.
Pros
- Easy-to-spray nozzle
- You can use it to secure lightweight material on metal surfaces
- A great option for bonding styrene
- Dries to a clear color
- Midrange price
Cons
- No mention of whether or water resistance
- You have to be careful with the spray because it comes out in a line
3M Headliner and Fabric Adhesive
Here’s another awesome headliner spray adhesive by 3M. Unlike our previous pick, this adhesive can be used to bond heavyweight automotive materials.
In this case, this strong formula works to secure materials like fabrics, foam, and plastic to metal surfaces. Talk about versatility!
Wondering about its nozzle? You might be relieved to know that, unlike other products, it’s adjustable. You can turn it around to change the spray pattern.
Also, there’s almost no fear of oversaturating the area that you intend to fix. The design of this aerosol should give you an even and consistent spray.
According to several users, this adhesive should do its job beautifully to make your headliner look brand new. Some admired its strength and ease-of-use, while others loved its value for the price.
This 3M product should cost you as much as the previous one. However, one noteworthy advantage of this adhesive is that it’s moisture and heat-resistant.
Check the price at Amazon here >>
Pros
- Adjustable nozzle
- Easy to use
- It can bond heavyweight automotive materials
- Even spray
- Dries in 30-60 minutes
- Moderately-priced
Cons
- The nozzle can be clogged quite fast
- You might need more than 2 cans for a full-size car headliner
Scotch Super 77 Multipurpose Adhesive Spray
Now, this one might be the most expensive on our list, but it’s probably one of the best headliner adhesives out there.
An incredible plus to this adhesive spray is that you can use it on multiple surfaces. This way, if you don’t use up the whole can on your headliner, you can still find other ways to put it to work.
For example, it can perfectly bond to fabrics, wood, cardboard, plastic, or even metal. Working on one of your kid’s school projects? Just grab this adhesive spray from where you keep it in the garage and have a go!
It can easily replace super glue, glue sticks, and liquid glues.
What makes this multipurpose adhesive remarkable is its strength. Many reviewers commented that it worked great to fix their headliners without soaking them.
Also, due to its low-moisture formula, it doesn’t cause wet surfaces. Therefore, it shouldn’t take you forever to dry.
As for the price, we know that it might be over-the-top. But since you can use it anywhere in your household, it might be worth the cost.
Pros
- Multipurpose adhesive spray
- Works on hard surfaces like wood, cardboard, etc.
- Doesn’t leave wet spots
- Quick to dry
- Acid-free and low-moisture formula
- Produces strong bonds
Cons
- The most expensive product on our list
- Might create unwelcome fumes
Gorilla Heavy Duty Multipurpose Adhesive
After we’ve shown you our most expensive product, let’s talk about one of our best budget-friendly options.
This Gorilla adhesive spray can save your peeling headliner as well as your bank account!
For starters, it’s a suitable product for bonding more than just your headliner. You can use it on wood, metal, fabrics, foam, plastic, paper, and even glass.
Also, it produces a permanent, clear, and strong bond. Even better, it’s compatible with both interior and exterior projects. This is because the formula is moisture-free as well as weather-resistant.
Let’s talk about its nozzle. It’s designed in such a way to provide you with fine and even mist.
The only thing to beware of is that you can’t use the Gorilla adhesive on rubber, vinyl, or acrylic. Also, you shouldn’t use it on any heavyweight material.
As for the user reviews, some people recommended using this adhesive for your headliner. They said it was easy to use, but you should be careful of the strong fumes.
Others complained that it wasn’t strong enough for the job. However, others said that you should apply multiple coats to get the desired results.
Pros
- Easy to use
- Dries up quickly
- You can use it on various types of surfaces
- Water and weather-resistant formula
- Produces clear and durable bonds
- Fine spray
- Budget-friendly
Cons
- You can’t use it to bond two heavyweight surfaces
- Might produce harmful fumes
Loctite Spray Adhesive
This is another great choice if you’re on a tight budget. Besides its affordable price, many reasons make this adhesive Amazon’s Choice. Let’s explore them!
First of all, you can use this high-performance adhesive for both repositionable or permanent bonding. This feature can be a life-saver if you’re working on large surfaces.
Second of all, we like that it dries to an invisible bond no matter how many coats you apply. In addition, it forms almost no bubbles; so your headliner should look neat when you’re done.
Lastly, many people loved that this formula is acid-free. Therefore, you can safely use it on photographs without damaging their quality.
However, some don’t recommend using it on certain materials like foam.
Pros
- Easy application
- Permanent or repositionable
- Clear bonds
- Acid-free
- Affordable price
Cons
- Difficult to clean off your hands
Permatex Black Weatherstrip Adhesive
Since we’re exploring some of the best budget-friendly adhesives, we should discuss the remarkable qualities of this one, too.
Even though it’s used for fixing weatherstrips, you can apply it to put your headliner back into place as well. This is because it contains a strong and weather-resistant formula.
Also, it can withstand kerosene, gasoline, and most solvents.
The only downside here is that it’s in liquid form, which can make it a bit harder to use on your headliner than a spray. No matter, if you follow the directions closely, you should be able to apply it with no mistakes.
Many reviewers thought it was a great product, taking about 10 minutes for each coat to dry. Others described it as ‘super-strong’, the only downside being that it tends to come unevenly out of the tube.
Pros
- Manufactured specifically for automotive application
- Effective and strong bonding
- Resistant to extreme temperatures
- Dries quickly
- Affordable
Cons
- Might take more time to fix a headliner than an adhesive spray
- Comes out unevenly
Scotch 3M Super 77 Multipurpose Adhesive
Another Amazon Choice on our list! Don’t be surprised; this adhesive spray by Scotch manages to balance performance and a good deal on the price!
Just like the previous Scotch adhesive, you can apply this one on a wide range of surfaces. These include fabrics, cardboard, plastic, wood, and more.
Many reviewers loved it for its durability. They claimed that once it’s sprayed on a surface, there was no way of taking it off. You should be extra careful before applying this adhesive.
Unlike the other one, this adhesive comes at a much more affordable price. The reason behind this might be the difference in sizes. This can is almost half the size of the previous Scotch can.
Either way, they’re both great options to purchase. It’s only a matter of how much you’ll need to fix your headliner. It also depends on your budget.
Pros
- Quick and easy to use
- It can be used to bond many types of surfaces
- Produces clear and durable bonds
- Budget-friendly
Cons
- The direction of the spray might be hard to control
Design Engineering High-Temperature Adhesive
Now, we’re back with another midrange spray adhesive that should be worth your attention. This product by Design Engineering can easily steal the spotlight.
You can use it on your headliner as well as other places. With its high-strength formula, it can be applied to bond fabrics, foam, and more.
Also, since it can withstand a temperature of 160°F, it can be used on DEI Heat Screens. These screens are one of the original products by Design Engineering. They’re made to reflect radiant heat from a vehicle’s interior.
Last but not least, we like this adhesive spray for its quick and clear bonds. In addition, it comes with an adjustable nozzle that you can turn in 3 directions to get the desired spray pattern.
As for user reviews, most of them thought that this adhesive was worth the price. It gave them satisfactory results without much effort on their part.
Pros
- Strong and clear bonds
- High-temperature adhesive
- Adjustable nozzle
- Moderately-priced
Cons
- Some users complained about defective nozzles
3M Foam Fast 74 Spray Adhesive
Here’s our final candidate for the best headliner adhesive. Although this 3M product is advertised to use on foam, many users found it a reliable choice to use on their headliners.
Wondering why? Well, let’s start by saying that this adhesive was designed solely for foam and fabrics. Therefore, you can count on it to hold your sagging headliner in place.
Second of all, we admire its lace-spray pattern. It should provide you with a surface coverage that’s wide as well as even.
As for the bonding time, it usually takes about 30 minutes for your whole work to be done.
All in all, we highly recommend this adhesive for its premium bonds. Not to mention the price, which falls in the midrange category.
Pros
- Quick and simple to use
- Produces a lace-spray, even pattern
- You can use it on foam and fabrics
- Moderate price
Cons
- Doesn’t bond other materials like wood or plastic
- Might cause wet spots on the fabric if you’re not careful
What to Look for Before Buying a Headliner Adhesive
Since there’s a wide range of products out there, you might get stuck -pun intended- trying to pick one. Luckily for you, we’ll give you some points to aid you with your research.
Type
The right type of adhesive should make your work easier and save you much trouble. Basically, there are two types of headliner adhesive in the market.
Aerosol
This is the most common type of headliner adhesive. Also, it’s much easier to use than liquid glue. You only need to adjust the nozzle to get the desired pattern, then spray an even coat to put your headliner back into place.
Of course, sometimes you’ll need more than one coat to form stronger bonds.
Liquid
While liquid adhesive might be a bit challenging to use on your headliner, many people prefer it for being more budget-friendly.
Also, you can use it with a spray gun to speed up your work and get satisfying results.
After, your decision depends on the size of the area that you need to fix. If the entire headliner is coming off, you’re better off using an aerosol.
However, if it’s only a small part of it that needs fixing, then a liquid adhesive is more suitable.
Temperature Resistance
This is another factor you should think about before buying an adhesive. You must’ve noticed that some of the products that we suggested come with temperature-resistant formulas.
These can be great if you live somewhere prone to extreme weather conditions, whether they’re hot or cold. Also, these formulas are perfect to use in the summertime when you might be concerned that the glue will melt off.
Strength and Durability
Of course, you don’t want your headliner to come off any time soon. Therefore, you should look for maximum strength and permanent holds.
Wondering how to know that? The key here is finding an adhesive that’s made especially to use on headliners or car interiors.
Another way to stay on the safe side in this department is by picking a product that’s compatible with fabrics. Don’t go for high-performance without figuring out all the specific details.
Nozzle
If you’ve decided to buy a spray adhesive, you should pay close attention to how the nozzle functions. Naturally, it’s best if it’s adjustable to change the spray pattern.
Again, the spray pattern depends on how large the area is. You can adjust the nozzle to spray in a line if you want to cover a small space.
However, with more spacious areas, you should turn the nozzle in the direction where it produces a fine and even mist.
Benefits of Using Adhesive to Fix Your Headliner
Loose headliners can be a nagging issue. The more you wait to fix it, the more trouble you might get into later on.
For that reason and more, using adhesive can be your best shot. Let’s find out why you should use a headliner adhesive.
Affordable and Easy to Use
Your car repairs might be costly in general, but keeping your headliner intact shouldn’t be. Since most adhesives aren’t pricey, using them should be your number one option.
Also, they’re simple and quick to use. This way, they can save you time and effort.
Strong
By forming permanent bonds, a headliner adhesive should keep this problem from resurfacing.
Of course, some brands of adhesive might require you to spray several coats to reach maximum strength. Some work great right after applying the first coat.
To make sure that you’re on the right track, you should read the manufacturer’s instructions first.
Invisible Bonds
Most adhesive brands that you can use on your headliner dry up with a clear color. This helps your headliner look brand new and doesn’t produce an unwelcome wet look.
You might accidentally oversaturate a certain area, which can result in a soaked appearance. To keep this from happening, follow the instructions closely.
Fixing Your Headliner Using Spray Adhesive
While headliner spray adhesive is easy to apply, you might use a few tips to get the work done with zero mistakes.
- Clear the sagging areas of anything attached to them such as screws, etc
- Remove the entire headliner if the whole area needs fixing
- To do that, make sure that you remove the dome lights first
- Keep your headliner on a flat surface
- Remove the headliner fabric
- Clean the hard surface of old glue and torn fabric
- Wear gloves for safety
- Make sure that the surface is clean and dry
- Spray the surface with adhesive using quick strokes
- Let it sit for about 5 minutes before applying a second coat
- Wait for the recommended time included in the instructions
- Put the fabric back into place
- Ease any wrinkles
- Let the adhesive dry, then position it back to its former state
- Reattach everything you’ve removed
TIP: Before using any type of headliner adhesive, you should read the instructions first. The drying time and the number of coats can vary from one product to another.
A quick and easy way to repair that sagging headliner using spray adhesive.
FAQ
What causes sagging headliners?
The main culprit here is moisture. Over time, the humidity in your area can affect the bond that keeps your headliner in place.
This bond keeps growing weaker until it ceases to exist, resulting in a sagging headliner.
Is headliner adhesive effective in the long term?
Yes. Most people who used headliner adhesive said that its effects lasted for years before they needed to reapply it.
Due to its temperature and moisture-resistant features, you can count on its long life.
How Can I Fix my Headliner without Removing It?
Fixing a sagging headliner without removing it is quite simple. Of course, it works best if only some areas of the fabric are loose, not the entire thing.
Here are a few ways you can do it.
Using Adhesive
This one is the easiest method. Simply spray the area above the sagging fabric after making sure it’s clean and dry enough.
Leave it to dry as recommended by the instructions on the spray can. After that, put the fabric back into place. You might also need to apply pressure if the directions say so.
You can also use liquid adhesive since the affected area isn’t large. Repeat the previous steps, and by the end, your headliner should look fresh and neat.
Using Pins
These might be a temporary option until you buy the right headliner adhesive. Also, if you’re too busy to glue the fabric back into place, these pins can hold it fine until you’re free to do it.
To do this, push those pins through the fabric into the foam layer. Adjust them according to your liking and the direction where the fabric is coming loose.
Using Twist Pins
Twist pins are also another easy and mistake-free option. They should fix your problem swiftly and with minimum effort.
Also, they tend to last longer than normal pins because they have twisted bodies. You should only push them through the material the same way that you’d do regular pins.
Which is a non-toxic adhesive to make a headliner for my car?
We suggest that you try the Loctite Spray Adhesive for being the safest option on our list. Besides its strength and performance, it’s acid-free.
Also, it doesn’t produce as many harmful fumes as other products.
How long can it take for the adhesive to dry?
Most adhesive sprays can take from 30-60 minutes to dry. Of course, the duration might vary according to the brand and the number of coats.
Where to Buy the Best Headliner Adhesive?
Our recommendation is Amazon. It should be your first destination for many reasons.
First of all, it’s a trustworthy place where you can find almost any product you need, including a vast selection of headliner glue sprays.
Second, there are many deals on the prices that you can find there. For instance, you can get free shipping or other offers, especially if you’re a Prime member
Not to mention that you can return any product if it doesn’t live up to your standards. Also, most people prefer ordering over Amazon for its quick delivery nationwide.
You’ll find plenty of user reviews and answered questions to help you with your research before buying a product.
Best Headliner Adhesive Spray – The Bottom Line
We know that sagging headliners can be problematic. Therefore, using the best headliner adhesive can save your day by reducing time and effort.
An excellent choice that balances quality and price is the Permatex Headliner and Carpet Adhesive. With such features and performance, fixing your headliner should be a piece of cake!
Last update on 2024-04-25 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
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