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Dye job in the works Posted by Notnoel [Email] (#23) [Profile/Gallery] (more from Notnoel) on Wed, 12 Feb 2014 07:03:37 In Reply to: What to do about carpet?, SwedeFreak, Tue, 11 Feb 2014 16:42:30 Members do not see ads below this line. - Help Keep This Site Online - Signup |
I managed to buy a tan carpet last year that was in relatively good shape. Since I have a gray interior, my plan is to dye it black using RIT or some other acid based dye to actually change the color of the fibers. I'd rather have had blue or gray to start with, but I didn't pay a lot for the tan one and so it will be an interesting experiment.
It will involve boiling a lot of water (dye only sets when it is hot), but it is supposed to be permanent and not rub off - there's a lot of info and some step by step instructions out there on the web if you go looking for it. Supposedly, this is the gold standard and the carpet remains soft.
The other option are spray on dyes that coat the fibers themselves. SEM sell them, and for black, Duplicolor fabric and vinyl paint is available. The downside is that the carpet fibers are only coated with the color, and reportedly the carpet is more coarse (not as soft) when you're done. I also have some concerns regarding wear and tear and the coating coming off, particularly where your right heel rests.
I'll photo-document the results and post it here when I'm done. I've got nice new leather and a brand new dash, so completing the interior restoration is high on my list.
There are lots of links on DIY out there. The best way to find them is to do a Google search, hit images, then flip through the images and use those to guide you to the proper page. There's even a page on a competing Saab forum where a guy dyes his burgundy carpets with pretty amazing results. Start with these search terms: dye automobile carpet rit.
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