Wood trim
The advantages of wood as a material lie primarily in its natural origin and special aesthetics. Unique natural beauty, when the pattern (structure lines) is able to fascinate even the most aesthetically insensitive people. Connoisseurs even argue that you can look at a cut of noble wood like looking at the fire of a fire: before your eyes everything seems to be the same, but at the same time something is constantly changing, hypnotically attracting your gaze.
Wooden trim always brings a characteristic atmosphere to the interior of the cabin, which can be called “cozy”, “lively”, “positive energy”, “calming” - whatever suits you better. But some kind of good, pleasant influence of wood is definitely felt by almost everyone.
And, finally, trimming the interior with wood is always “respect”. On the one hand, it looks solid and not flashy, at the same time, the valuable type of wood and the author's handmade work are visible to everyone.
Modern “aesthetic plastics”, so beloved by designers, may be good, but wood is definitely a “completely different topic”. And this topic, according to our information, is of interest to many car owners: in the current era of synthetics, people are naturally drawn to natural, natural things. Moreover, in terms of finances, wood finishing is very affordable - it can be not only exclusive, but also quite affordable.
However, first things first.
Gifts of nature
Let's start with the material itself. To decorate the interior of a car, as a rule, only valuable types of wood are used - “noble wood”, such as Karelian birch, zebrawood, wenge, mahogany, rosewood, myrtle, walnut, elm - trunk and root. In general, the range includes more than 100 species. The variety of colors and patterns, thus, turns out to be incredibly large: from the lightest to the darkest shades, from barely noticeable to a clearly defined structure rich in lines. And if we add here the possibility of using primers and varnishes of different colors, we get a literally inexhaustible choice of finishing options.
But that's not all. Nowadays, a material such as artificial (or reconstituted) veneer is becoming increasingly fashionable. It is done like this: valuable wood is crushed into small sawdust, which is then specially painted and glued into a “log”, from which the veneer is cut, just like from a regular log. This makes it possible, without going far from the naturalness of the material, to obtain shades and textures that are impossible in nature - for example, various green and blue colors, geometrically correct chess and stair patterns.
The highlight of the interior
In terms of style and design, wood has a wide range of uses: thanks to its versatility and the ability to give it almost any appearance, it can be used in a wide variety of interior decoration projects.First of all, this material is often used for deep interior tuning, when - in combination with leather upholstery - a luxury class interior is created. Wood is also widely used to “revitalize” standard interiors, when the entire interior is not remodeled and refaced, but individual touches are simply added in the form of, for example, a steering wheel or gearshift lever “clad” in wood. Options include replacing plastic imitations with real wood, changing the color scheme of the factory trim (for example, from light to dark and vice versa), as well as restoring wooden elements that have lost their appearance in cars with high mileage.
Speaking about design using wood finishing, it should be noted that wood in the interior acts as a decorative inclusion and is used in fairly small volumes. For passenger car interiors, such elements that need to be finished with wood are the steering wheel, gearshift lever, door trims and handles, console, inserts and veneer trims are also made in the dashboard, dashboard and door pillars. For large SUVs, minivans and minibuses, when creating a “cabin” or “office” style interior, wood is used for finishing armrests and for making various “furniture” - folding tables, minibars, drawers, etc. However, practically Nowhere and never is the entire interior trimmed in wood - otherwise it will just be a box. This material looks great in the interior just when you don’t go overboard with it: its role is to be the “highlight” of the interior.
This is where the beauty of wood as a material opens up - an almost infinite number of options in color, texture and ability to be processed and take on any form. The possibilities for customizing the interior are therefore unconstrained. It’s easy to choose a breed with the desired pattern, give it any shade - and no one else in the world will have such a console. The steering wheel can be made of any profile - either smooth or with deep recesses and “platforms” for the fingers. The gearshift lever can be given the most complex shape, decorated with inlay from a different type of wood or a metal monogram, for example with your own initials. In general, everything that imagination is capable of, and everything that is at art exhibitions - everything can be applied in the interior of a car.
In a workshop
In terms of its technical execution, wood finishing has two main directions: finishing an element with veneer and manufacturing overlays, and even entire elements, from solid wood. Veneer is used for trim on the doors and console, as well as the dashboard and dashboard. On small flat areas it is applied in single pieces, and on large and curved surfaces it is assembled from separate parts integrated with each other. Handles, inserts, the gearshift lever knob and the steering wheel trim are made from solid wood. The latter is assembled like this: separately, solid longitudinal halves are made for the upper and lower half rings, which are then tightly glued to the metal base.
The entire technological cycle for finishing is as follows. The part is dismantled and sent to the workshop, where the previous coating is removed from it - down to the metal base - or the top layer is cleaned off if the element is entirely plastic. Then the dimensions are taken from the part prepared in this way, according to which the wooden part is made. It is fixed using a special glue either directly to the element or through a thin aluminum backing. The latter option turns out to be the best (but not always technically possible), since it compensates for the difference in thermal expansion and the different reaction to changes in humidity that the wood and the base have.
In addition to giving shape (size, configuration, etc.), wood processing is also carried out. First, the wooden part cut to size is sanded on special machines and by hand, while all roughness is removed from the wood and it becomes smooth. Then the part is coated with a primer, which can be colorless or contain a tint that gives the wood the required color. After this, it is dried in a special chamber and varnish is applied (also either colorless or containing a dye). Then it is dried again and finally polished - on a machine and by hand.
As for the quality resulting from the entire process, it depends on several factors. First of all, it depends on the quality of the wood itself, it must meet all standards for humidity, density and the presence of defects, as well as materials for processing - primers, varnishes, glue. The use of good modern equipment for processing - milling, polishing, grinding machines, painting and drying apparatus is also of great importance. Also a necessary condition is strict adherence to all the nuances of the technology.
But the key quality factor is the professionalism of the craftsmen. After all, any, even the most technically advanced equipment, you must simply know how to use it, not to mention the ability to make artistic carvings or inlays. The quality and aesthetics of the manufactured item ultimately depends on the craftsman. For example, to finish a large surface - a dashboard or console - it is important to beautifully join the pattern of parts of the veneer, which should “flow” and look solid - otherwise such a finish will look like a plank fence. At the same time, on light wood it is important to be able to adjust and hide as much as possible the joints - seams, which is very difficult to do even in the simplest part. In general, there are a lot of professional subtleties when working with wood, and the master must know and take them all into account.
What is the price
And now about how much you will have to pay for everything. Pricing is as follows: material plus labor cost. Wood can cost differently: for 1 cubic meter. m of walnut, for example, European suppliers ask from $2 thousand, and for 1 cubic meter. m Makassar - from $20 thousand. Accordingly, the complexity of the work can be different: the gearbox lever can be simple polished, or it can be complex in shape and inlaid.Meanwhile, in options without any special frills, prices turn out to be the most affordable. For example, finishing a console with Karelian birch veneer costs an average of $200 (100 for the work and about the same for the material). A polished gearshift lever will cost from $15 to $60, and from $150 if the shape is unusual. The steering wheel trim is more expensive - from $250 to $1 thousand and even more. They will charge $50-100 for door trims. By the way, it is interesting to emphasize this point - ordering an original part is on average 2-3 times more expensive.
Let us note that there is no upper price limit - you can make any artistic projects with wood, even the most technically complex ones, for which, of course, you will have to pay. But, of course, the finishing in this case will be appropriate - exclusive of the highest level.
An article about how to choose a finish for car interior design, the pros and cons of finishing materials, the nuances of work.
The content of the article:
When choosing a car, its interior decoration is of great importance. There is a big difference between interiors trimmed with genuine leather and fabric, and not only in price. But it all depends on the buyer’s budget, although every car owner always strives for coziness and comfort. The dream remains to create a special interior in the cabin of your car. Such dreams come true, because over time, the interior trim wears out, and the time comes when reupholstering the interior is simply necessary.
Re-equipment and repair of cars are on a large scale here, and you can easily find a company that will make a “doll” from the old interior of your car for a certain amount of time and money. New upholstery will allow you to see it as attractive and elegant.
Recently, the interior of the car began to be decorated with airbrushing. The author's unusual design on the gearshift knob or on the instrument panel decorates the car's interior in an original way. You should always remember that you are in the car interior for quite a long time, and the interior converted according to your wishes will be much more interesting than the one offered by the manufacturer.
It should be noted that another important element of interior renovation is lighting. You will be offered LED or neon lights to suit your taste. Don't refuse - they will decorate the interior of your car even more.
It should also be mentioned that the cost of interior trim always depends not only on the material you choose, but also on the car model and on the services chosen.
Today there are many companies that will do a high-quality job finishing the interior of your car. You need to decide on the interior and upgrade material, and after a while you will receive your car with a completely new interior. The range of finishing materials is quite extensive:
- Genuine Leather;
- Faux suede;
- Carbon;
- Vinyl;
- Upholstery fabrics;
- Carpet, or carpeting;
- Natural wood, as well as imitation of natural leather and wood;
- Flocking.
Advantages and disadvantages of each material
Interior reupholstery with genuine leather
Prestigious and expensive cars from reputable manufacturers are produced with interiors trimmed with genuine leather. Only rich and respectable people can afford such a car interior (the cost of finishing 1 sq. m is from 2-2.5 thousand rubles). The leather interior creates an atmosphere of comfort and coziness. Special automotive leather is used for finishing. This is an expensive pleasure, but if you decide to save money by using another similar material, then in six months it will not look quite decent.
Faux suede or Alcantara
This finishing material is an excellent alternative to genuine leather. It looks quite presentable, pleasant to the touch, and does not slip. Very practical, easy to clean with various detergents. The material is much cheaper than genuine leather (the cost of finishing 1 square meter of interior with artificial suede starts from 400 rubles, Alcantara starts from 600 rubles), is acceptable and popular among many car owners.
Wood interior trim
with wood trim elements it looks solid and very presentable. Wood trim elements are often used. They usually decorate the dashboard, door pillars and handles, steering wheel and other parts. Wood trim is not very expensive and not complicated. To carry out this work, a special film is used that imitates any wooden surface. When using such technologies, the quality depends on the film itself.
To decorate the interior with wood, you need to remove all the parts, apply a film to them, dry them and varnish them. You can apply carbon coating, also in the form of a film. It is of better quality and is applied using an industrial hair dryer, following the technology of applying carbon film. This is a very durable material with a wide range of colors. Carbon fiber trim for car interiors is very popular these days. It allows you to hide scuffs and cracks of some parts and gives a more attractive and expensive look. The negative aspects of the film are its high cost (from 300 rubles per 1 sq. m) and the inability to imitate the real texture of wood.
Natural wood finishing
This is one of the most difficult types of finishing of car interior parts. Decorative wooden overlays are often used - they are attached to the parts with special clips. It is very difficult to cover individual parts with a thin layer of wood - specialists use thin veneers of natural valuable wood for this. With this finishing, every detail is removed. This is a rather lengthy process. It is not so easy to glue veneer onto each part - first it must be sanded until a rough surface is obtained, then degreased. Apply a layer of special primer. The primer will dry and form the layer on which the glue used to glue the veneer will be held. This is a special glue for wood veneer, made on the basis of PVA glue. The first layer is applied to the prepared veneer pattern for a specific part and is completely dried. Then a second layer is applied and dried in the same way.
Next, the pattern is applied to the part and smoothed with a special iron. This technology gives the glue the opportunity to soften and get rid of excess moisture. The result is a strong adhesive seam. The part must be completely dry and only after 12 hours can it be treated with a fine-grained abrasive and coated with several layers of colorless varnish. The advantages of this method are durability and aesthetics, the disadvantage is that it is too expensive (interior trim, depending on the brand of the car - from 500 USD).
Fabric trim
The cheapest option for interior decoration (cost - from 200 rubles per 1 sq. m). The most popular materials are used - upholstery fabric of varying quality, which is available to everyone. It is a relatively durable material made from synthetic fiber. There is a wide variety of fabrics, a good option for motorists on a limited budget. However, there are a number of disadvantages: the material quickly fails, breaks easily, and gets dirty. For longer preservation, additional costs are required to purchase rubber mats. Cleaning fabric upholstery also requires a lot of effort and the purchase of detergents and stain removers.
Carpet
When carpeting a car interior, the so-called carpet is used, which translated means “carpet” or “carpeting”. People call it carpet. This material is much stronger and more durable. Due to its density, the material improves the acoustic properties of musical audio systems. It is preferred by lovers of loud music, mainly young motorists. Cost of finishing 1 sq. m of interior carpet - 300-500 rubles.
Vinyl upholstery
Vinyl is a synthetic resin that is used for car exterior and interior trim. The material is extremely durable and moisture resistant. It is very popular among motorists of all budget levels, has a wide range of colors, and is not expensive (about 4 rubles per sq. cm). For a family car whose interior is exposed to daily activity and clutter from children, vinyl can be an indispensable material. It is stronger than fabric and is a great alternative to leather. The disadvantages of vinyl are the following: at high air temperatures, especially in summer, it becomes soft and sticky; With prolonged use, parts finished with vinyl become covered with cracks.
Imitation of genuine leather
The interior of the car, trimmed with artificial leather that imitates natural leather, looks very elegant, while the cost of the car does not increase in any way. This finish is now available in different colors and is very popular, although not very practical.
Artificial finishing leather, which is used in mechanical engineering, is obtained by stretching artificial leather with the help of special units, and then divided into several thin layers. This material is easy to cover any part of the car interior. It is easy to apply different patterns to imitate different skin textures. Black and brown colors are very popular, less often beige. It has practically no drawbacks, except for a short service life. Cost of finishing 1 sq. m of car interior with artificial leather - from 900 rubles.
And finally, the most modern interior change - flocking
What is the flocking process? This is the application of small charged fibers (flock) to any prepared surface using special equipment. The process is very similar to spray paint, only here small pieces of fabric are sprayed. Using flocking, you can apply an even layer to a part of any shape. This method is widely used today when updating the interior of a car. Flock feels like velvet or suede to the touch. Parts coated with it acquire an original appearance. The average cost of flock is from 800 to 1500 rubles per kg.
Flocking has many advantages:
- High fire safety;
- Sound insulation and thermal insulation;
- High wear resistance;
- Wide range of colors;
- Easy to care for.
How to decorate a car interior yourself
Every car owner wants his “iron friend” to be the most powerful, beautiful on the outside, reliable and the most beautiful on the inside. But not everyone can afford, say, flocking or vinyling. This work must be carried out in special studios that provide such services. But at home, you can do it much cheaper to reupholster the interior with high-quality and not too expensive material with your own hands and breathe new life into it. To do this you will need:
- Knife for cutting finishing material;
- Cutting scissors;
- A set of keys;
- Screwdrivers;
- Glue;
- Soundproofing material;
- Sewing machine.
Then you can start cutting the material you have chosen. There is no need to rush in this matter, so you don’t have to buy additional finishing material.
Use cardboard first. Attach all the old parts to it and make cuttings using them. If everything is done correctly, you can start cutting new material. And then use glue to cover all the parts with new patterns. To prevent the surface from leaving wrinkles, steam it with a hairdryer, and to prevent the seams from bristling, carefully beat them off. The work must be completed by installing fittings and fasteners. Thus, you will update the interior of your car with your own hands and save your family budget.
How to make car interior tuning - watch the video:
Decorating a car interior with wood is a newfangled trend in car tuning.
There are more and more car enthusiasts who want to decorate the interior of their car with valuable wood species. This kind of business can become very profitable - after all, the cost of this “chic” is high, and your expenses are minimal.
Wood trim- a sign of refined taste. In our artificial age, natural materials are becoming more and more valuable. After all, only natural materials - wood, leather, cotton - make you feel comfortable and allow your body to breathe.
Instinctively, people are drawn to natural materials. Especially if you have to spend most of your working day in the car. Comfort comes first.
For interior decoration, valuable wood species such as walnut, myrtle, mahogany, Karelian birch and others are used.
You can offer customers an endless variety of patterns and colors - from the lightest tones to rich dark shades. The structure of the tree can also be barely noticeable, or it can be pronounced.
In addition, the use of numerous impregnations and varnishes will make your work exclusive - no one will have a second salon like this, just as there is no second person like the owner of this car. After all, the interior decoration will exactly convey his taste and preferences.
With all the individuality of the approach to interior wood trim, there are also fashion trends here. For example, African style is in fashion now.
What can be included in the concept of wood trim?
- Steering wheel trim. The profile can be smooth or with grooves, special “platforms” for fingers.
- Gear shift lever. It can be given any shape, decorated with a metal monogram or inlaid with wood of another type. And this is not the limit.
In principle, all this work can be done by one master. This is jewelry work - valuable wood species are very expensive, mistakes are unacceptable here. Before you start working, you need to try out the technology, gain experience, improve your skills and hone your skills on your own car and the cars of your friends.
For this business you will need a heated garage and a minimum set of tools. There is no need to purchase materials in advance - have samples of wood, impregnations, and wood varnishes on hand. The customer must decide on the material and approve the sketch. After you draw up a cost estimate, the client gives you a deposit, for which you purchase the necessary materials.
For example, the cost of finishing the interior of a Volkswagen Passat car with wood is 500 USD. Time to complete an order is 5 days. There are also more affordable finishing options.
You can generally limit yourself to imitation - decorate the car interior using a special film that copies the color and texture of valuable wood.
In order for as many respectable people as possible to know about your services, you need to organize high-quality advertising. It can be placed both in local media and at gas stations.
Video Start with wood finishing, and perhaps soon you will have such an atelier.
Many motorists are in a hurry to buy decorative overlays for the car interior, which combine aesthetic and practical qualities and functions - they are beautiful and useful. With their help, you can always cover up minor defects in your car's dashboard - cracks, chips, abrasions and scratches. Our studio site offers high-quality and modern decorative overlays for the interior, which will allow you to quickly, economically and easily update it and create an individual atmosphere.
Types of decorative overlays
The decision to change or update the interior trim of the car will not require moving all the instruments on it from the original dashboard. Most often, the interior trim is made of high-quality plastic, which in some cases is covered with leather or leatherette. They can also be made from:
But more often plastic is tuned to match these materials. These decorative elements are sometimes made individually for a specific car brand.
Wooden overlays
Wood-look interior trims do not require special care. They look aesthetically pleasing for a long time and retain their original appearance; they will be an excellent addition to the interior design. Modern industry offers a lot of options for interior wood trim - any of them looks presentable and expensive. Wood-look plastic overlays are characterized by a naturalistic texture and can be made to match the following species:
Karelian birch;
rosewood;
The wood interior palette, made of high-quality plastic, is very diverse and has many variations.
Carbon trims
You can also use carbon-look plastic trims. The choice of such products for car interiors is large in both color and design. They can be:
red;
gray color.
Such an update will refresh the interior and make your stay more comfortable. Previously, a 3D carbon fiber interior film with a checkerboard pattern was used. Nowadays, 4D film is increasingly being offered, which closely resembles the texture of real expensive carbon fiber. She has a three-dimensional drawing. Real carbon fiber is not used in the interior for several reasons - it is fragile, very expensive and is used when tuning the interior of premium cars.
Overlays for metal and metal decor
No less popular among modern car owners are decorative metal overlays and metal imitation for:
dashboard;
They can be made of ABS plastic to look like aluminum or made of chrome or stainless steel. They are characterized by wear resistance, durability, resistance to temperature changes and high humidity. In addition to the fact that they can decorate the interior, these car accessories protect some of its elements from external influences.
Advantages of ordering from our company
A large selection of such accessories is offered by the exclusive auto tuning studio website. We have reasonable prices, a flexible payment system, and prompt delivery anywhere in the world. We work 24/7/365. We give our clients gift certificates and offer a flexible system of discounts. All products have certificates and a 3-12 month warranty.
