New headliner?

First let me say my headliner in my forward cabin is in good shape. No sagging of any sort. It just needs some freshening up. It is vinyl with the tiny holes. I have tried all kinds of cleaners on it with no success.

Has anyone put a light coat on their headliner with acrylic paint? I hate to replace it since it is in good shape. Any ideas?

I painted a vinyl headliner in a previous boat. Other than masking everything it was pretty simple. I used paint from an auto parts supplier made for that purpose. I don’t know if regular spray paint would work or not. I think I got it from Eastwood, maybe???

Comodave said:

I painted a vinyl headliner in a previous boat. Other than masking everything it was pretty simple. I used paint from an auto parts supplier made for that purpose. I don’t know if regular spray paint would work or not. I think I got it from Eastwood, maybe???

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Good! That’s the answer I was hoping for. I would like to roll or brush on a very thin coat or perhaps even roll and tip with a high quality acrylic paint to prevent peeling and cracking. I would like to avoid aerosol spray since I don’t want to be found dead in there. LOL

Greetings,
Ms. D. I've had remarkably good success with both Rustoleum and Krylon on plastic. Not vinyl, per se but... https://besttoolexpert.com/paint-for-plastic/


As Mr. C. says, Mask, mask mask and WEAR a mask. Multiple thin coats are far superior to one thick coat as you probably know.


Edit: Just saw your post above. I would think that brush or roller would fill up the holes in the vinyl. With ventilation (fans+open hatches) and a good filter mask, you should be fine. Much easier to control the application thickness with spray IMO.

I used a good quality respirator and had no problem. I also think that brushing or rolling will fill the holes. I sprayed a couple of coats. I left the door to the head, in my case open and taped plastic over it with a furnace filter to catch the overspray and had a fan blowing air in. The filter was up high to let air out of the room and the fan was low blowing air into the room. I took an extra can of paint in with me before I “sealed” myself in the room.

Those tiny holes help the material absorb sound.

Some headliner was fungicidal to stop mildew . Sold by the AIREX suppliers.

A paint job may stop these functions.

I have just read in another forum that quite a few have done this with great success. Thinly rolling and tipping does work if the paint is thinned with water by 20%. I’m going to try this on Saturday. If it doesn’t work, then a new headliner it will be.

I need a new head liner. I have seen pictures where people have used what looks like white plastic bead board. 4x8 sheets. Has anybody used that? Seems like I could use the existing headliner as a pattern. Thoughts on sound deadening? Or lack there of?

I used reflectix insulation to replace the headliner in the vberth,worked out perfect took down old headliner and trim holding it up,traced it onto reflectix stapled it up,then put trim back on,looks dont bother me,I rather have function,and so far in the winter I can tell a difference,I'm waiting for summer to see the real test

Cigatoo said:

I need a new head liner. I have seen pictures where people have used what looks like white plastic bead board. 4x8 sheets. Has anybody used that? Seems like I could use the existing headliner as a pattern. Thoughts on sound deadening? Or lack there of?

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Haven't tried but I think the hard surface would reflect sound and make the noise much worse.

Its way softer than white plastic