Re-covering the seat - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

C15_Sierra · 01-22-2013, 12:13 AM

I'm digging into re-covering my seat, and having gotten all the hog rings off, I looking at the next step.

A while back, I bought a mint '80 Custom Deluxe seat, with the same pattern as mine, but in blue. I bought it to scavenge the bottom cushion, but I'm hesitant to hack it up because its in such great shape. Plus, the hog rings on my seat gave me a headache. I'm wondering...is there any way I can trim missing chunks and insert some upholstery foam. The DS is the only problem area, the PS is in great shape

Pics...

Sierra seat:

Custom Deluxe seat:

Thanks!

*79 silverado* · 01-24-2013, 03:11 PM

Personally I think it'd be a shame to tear up that original seat. There are options depending on the route you choose to go ranging from a foam overlay that installs on top of the original foam, to a re-pro cushion that would give better support...

I think I've seen some heating kits that have you cut a groove into the existing foam then install the elements then slightly cover them with some foam type material as well, but I'm not entirely certain on that... might be making your seat heated while recovering could give you the foam material to work with and repair the damage?

**LEEVON** · 01-24-2013, 04:11 PM

You don't have to tear it up. Clip the hog rings with a pair of snips, dykes, whatever. I had a seat with a brand new cover on it but the foam was soft on the driver's side. I had a crew cab rear seat with a faded cover but the foam was perfect. I removed the brand new cover and placed it on the good bottom foam and the new cover was preserved just fine. You bought the seat for the foam, use it! Take pictures of the cover before you dismantle and sell it.

C15_Sierra · 01-24-2013, 05:57 PM

Thanks for the pick-me-up LEEVON...I was (still am?) unsure what would be an easier sell - just the cover or the seat as a whole. The whole reason why I'm going to the pain of recovering my original seat is because it has a folding back frame whereas the blue Custom Deluxe is a fixed seat. I figured I would swap bottoms, but if I would have an easier time selling it as a whole seat rather than in bits (dunno how desirable the whole pkg. would be vs. just the upholstery) then I'd rather go the repair route on my old seat and just re-sell the Custom Deluxe bench

Maybe I should just go HAM on them both and stop overthinking it haha...

dealrcn · 01-25-2013, 10:33 PM

Yes you can just patch the foam. I was raised up in upholstery, my dad did it for almost 50 years so I have been doing it for a long time as well. Go to you local upholstery shop or fabric store and get a scrap piece of foam and foamed spray adhesive. Just get the foam bigger and thicker than the area needing to patch? Cut out the bad area and then cut a patch to fit the hole basically. Spray both the old seat foam and the new patch foam with the adhesive. Let set for a few minutes until tacky and then place it in. You can use a electric fillet knive on the foam, it works great or just a good sharp knive will work also. You can also get a 1/2" or 1" sheet of foam to go over the entire seat to smooth it up even more. You can glue it down the same way. The glue is just a contact type cement. If you go to a upholstery or trim shop they should have it in bulk so take a glass quart jar or metal can with you. Its the same as what they would use for foam headliners. It cleans up good using Naptha. You can get it from the local hardware like Lowes or Ace. Anyway hope this helps.

Danny
Posted via Mobile Device

Damon23 · 01-25-2013, 11:03 PM

The timing on this post is perfect. I bought a good bench seat the other day to replace the aftermarket 40/20/40 I have now. The cover is not in great shape so I'm having a replacement made right now. I want to bolster it up some so that is good advice on sheet foam. Is thier another material you can use to give more cushion to the seat?

dealrcn · 01-26-2013, 12:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Damon23

The timing on this post is perfect. I bought a good bench seat the other day to replace the aftermarket 40/20/40 I have now. The cover is not in great shape so I'm having a replacement made right now. I want to bolster it up some so that is good advice on sheet foam. Is thier another material you can use to give more cushion to the seat?

You could use a polyester fiber fill type material or just a good polyester blanket would help. Always check the springs under the foam for breaks or rubbing.
Posted via Mobile Device

77chevyinline6 · 01-26-2013, 04:18 PM

im jut rocking the walmart mossy oak seat cover lol

01-22-2013, 12:13 AM	#1
C15_Sierra Registered User Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Hartford CT Posts: 223	Re-covering the seat I'm digging into re-covering my seat, and having gotten all the hog rings off, I looking at the next step. A while back, I bought a mint '80 Custom Deluxe seat, with the same pattern as mine, but in blue. I bought it to scavenge the bottom cushion, but I'm hesitant to hack it up because its in such great shape. Plus, the hog rings on my seat gave me a headache. I'm wondering...is there any way I can trim missing chunks and insert some upholstery foam. The DS is the only problem area, the PS is in great shape Pics... Sierra seat: Custom Deluxe seat: Thanks! __________________ -Steve 1980 GMC C15 Sierra LWB Dark Carmine Red/Carmine Int Was: 250/3spd (1980-88), then a 305/TH350 (1988-2011) Now: 5.3/4L60E, 2.73 12-bolt open rear

01-24-2013, 03:11 PM	#2
79 silverado Account Suspended Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Rhode Island/Vermont Posts: 583	Re: Re-covering the seat Personally I think it'd be a shame to tear up that original seat. There are options depending on the route you choose to go ranging from a foam overlay that installs on top of the original foam, to a re-pro cushion that would give better support... I think I've seen some heating kits that have you cut a groove into the existing foam then install the elements then slightly cover them with some foam type material as well, but I'm not entirely certain on that... might be making your seat heated while recovering could give you the foam material to work with and repair the damage?

01-24-2013, 04:11 PM	#3
LEEVON Moderator Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Ozark, MO Posts: 4,893	Re: Re-covering the seat You don't have to tear it up. Clip the hog rings with a pair of snips, dykes, whatever. I had a seat with a brand new cover on it but the foam was soft on the driver's side. I had a crew cab rear seat with a faded cover but the foam was perfect. I removed the brand new cover and placed it on the good bottom foam and the new cover was preserved just fine. You bought the seat for the foam, use it! Take pictures of the cover before you dismantle and sell it. __________________ '86 GMC C30 Crew ~ '86 C20 Crew ~ '79 K15 Sierra Grande ~ '76 Blazer 2wd ~ '74K10 ~ '71 Cheyenne swb ~'50 3100 bagged ~ '80 Wife ~ Late model kids

01-24-2013, 05:57 PM	#4
C15_Sierra Registered User Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Hartford CT Posts: 223	Re: Re-covering the seat Thanks for the pick-me-up LEEVON...I was (still am?) unsure what would be an easier sell - just the cover or the seat as a whole. The whole reason why I'm going to the pain of recovering my original seat is because it has a folding back frame whereas the blue Custom Deluxe is a fixed seat. I figured I would swap bottoms, but if I would have an easier time selling it as a whole seat rather than in bits (dunno how desirable the whole pkg. would be vs. just the upholstery) then I'd rather go the repair route on my old seat and just re-sell the Custom Deluxe bench Maybe I should just go HAM on them both and stop overthinking it haha... __________________ -Steve 1980 GMC C15 Sierra LWB Dark Carmine Red/Carmine Int Was: 250/3spd (1980-88), then a 305/TH350 (1988-2011) Now: 5.3/4L60E, 2.73 12-bolt open rear

01-25-2013, 10:33 PM	#5
dealrcn Registered User Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: westville, Florida Posts: 30	Re: Re-covering the seat Yes you can just patch the foam. I was raised up in upholstery, my dad did it for almost 50 years so I have been doing it for a long time as well. Go to you local upholstery shop or fabric store and get a scrap piece of foam and foamed spray adhesive. Just get the foam bigger and thicker than the area needing to patch? Cut out the bad area and then cut a patch to fit the hole basically. Spray both the old seat foam and the new patch foam with the adhesive. Let set for a few minutes until tacky and then place it in. You can use a electric fillet knive on the foam, it works great or just a good sharp knive will work also. You can also get a 1/2" or 1" sheet of foam to go over the entire seat to smooth it up even more. You can glue it down the same way. The glue is just a contact type cement. If you go to a upholstery or trim shop they should have it in bulk so take a glass quart jar or metal can with you. Its the same as what they would use for foam headliners. It cleans up good using Naptha. You can get it from the local hardware like Lowes or Ace. Anyway hope this helps. Danny Posted via Mobile Device

01-25-2013, 11:03 PM	#6
Damon23 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: D'ville Georgia Posts: 470	Re: Re-covering the seat The timing on this post is perfect. I bought a good bench seat the other day to replace the aftermarket 40/20/40 I have now. The cover is not in great shape so I'm having a replacement made right now. I want to bolster it up some so that is good advice on sheet foam. Is thier another material you can use to give more cushion to the seat?

01-26-2013, 04:18 PM	#8
77chevyinline6 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: mount airy NC Posts: 308	Re: Re-covering the seat im jut rocking the walmart mossy oak seat cover lol __________________ 77 c10 (went from a inline 6 to 350) (converted to 3 speed in the floor) 350: mild cam, holley 600cfm 4bbl, summit stage 1 intake, accel billet distributer, flowtech headers, 2 1/4" exhaust with glasspacks, powermaster 160a alternator.



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