How to: Recover your Center Console (10 Steps)

If your center console is ripped, falling apart, etc. it is really quite easy and inexpensive to just recover it yourself.

Step One:
Remove the three screws at the bottom of the lid.

Step Two:
Find a nice area to work on.

Step Three:
Flip the lid over and remove all the screws and remove the black pastic lid.

Step Four:
Remove all the staples currently holding the vinyl on.

Step Five:
Remove the vinyl from the armrest.

Step Six:
Spread old vinyl over your new vinyl and trace.

Step Seven:
Cut relief cuts near the front edges.

Step Eight:
Start on one side and staple the edge down. Then stretch over to the opposite side and staple again. Keep stretching to the opposite side inorder to get a nice tight cover going on.

Step Nine:
Place black plastic back on and gently screw the screws back down.

Step Ten:
Screw it back onto the console and you're done.

Now if you really try you can probably find a gray/tan etc that is pretty right on with your interior color. I wasn't too worried about it. Also, I think I spent about $12 on vinyl for about 5 lids or so. So it's very very cheap.

 

[Super_Swamper_98]

well I recoved mine the week I got my truck and when I stapeld it to the lid the plastic cracked and got all jacked up, so I need a lid but all the junkyards around here have no more. Everyone I know with and EX the lid is always messed up from your elbow.

 

[mounty71]

Anyone who's done this, what kind of staples and gun did you use? Section, i see you have a craftsman, can i get more info on it? I have an old craftsman gun that uses 9/16" tall x 0.5" wide heavy duty staples, but they can't penetrate the plastic, they just bend. These staples are also a lot fatter than the small staples holding on the original vinyl. Could you tell me if they are T-50 crown, T-21 crown,....or whatever crown they are?

 

[mounty71]

Can anyone that did this help me?

 

[nitrousoxidefast]

hey sorry no one on here replied to ya. i used t-50 and I didnt have any problems. just be careful because the plastic will crack a little. i was fortunate that i got mine to come out pretty good.

heres my final result as seen in a previous post:

hope i helped.

 

[bse068]

In my case I couldn't find the staples, so I just used a high quality spray adhesive all around the edges. This has held up just fine for me. Good luck with your repair.

 

[mounty71]

Thanks both of you. For some reason staples just wont work, i was thinking about spray adhesive instead...what kind did you use? I was thinking about 3M Super77.

 

[bse068]

That is what I used. Just remember that once you "Stick It...It is Stuck Tight" and as with any adhesive it will be all over your fingers so be careful with what you touch.

 

[jhclance]

I am just guessing here but if you warm the plastic a little maybe it would not crack. :scratch:

 

[nitrousoxidefast]

idk dude. if you want then go for it. when i did armrest i just stapled the crap out of it and it turned out fine. but dont do what I do because its always wrong. :

 

[maclamdl]

I did the same thing with my console. I found the vinyl at Jo-Ann Fabrics (~$7.50 for a section cut from the bolt of vinyl). I used black to contrast with the seat and it matches the black portions of the dash perfect. Rather than staples, I used a clear box tape that is hidden by the bottom plastic panel. Simple job - great results.

 

[1992bauer4x4]

how to recover center console help wanted

I am wanting to recover my center console, but am wondering where i could get the foam under the vinyl? my elbow has pretty much dug a hole down to the plastic, any help would be appreciated!

 

[maclamdl]

A fabric store should carry the foam in the thickness you are looking for.

 

[Krazyman]

Very interesting and impressive write-up!!

 

[Steaksauce]

Was just starting to look for a new console cover. Didn't even cross my mind to redo it.
Thanks

 

[Przybysz]

I think I'm going to get a blue one to match my interior lighting


Btw, where can i get the material?

 

[Przybysz]

Just finished repairing console. The stapleing was a B****!!!!!!!!!!!!! jeez i must have been doing something wrong

 

[melman]

I had mine re-covered a few years ago by an upholsterer. His cover was starting to crack, and this time I tried it myself. He used glue, which (along with age, I'm sure) appears to have compromised the plastic - it's brittle and many of the screw holes were crumbling. I got a new cover on and the screws back in, but I probably did about a "C+" job and I really doubt the plastic will survive much longer.

 

[YoungMounty]

here's my console recovery job:

not the best job ever but I plan on doing it again

 

[94pcofscheise]

Recovering console lid

I am having same problem with staples- will BARELY penetrate the plastic. With 90% of the staple still sticking out, will this not prevent you from securing the black plastic piece with the screws?
(Incidentally, I picked up vinyl from an auto upholstery shop that matches my original to perfection- only problem is that it cost me $15 for enough to cover 1 lid. However, the dude that sold it to me said he gets $75 all day long to recover one himself).
Any advice on the staples/stapler? I don't want to purchase or have access to electric stapler.

 

[melman]

Well, "dudes" can tell you whatever they want. If he really can get $75 for a 10-minute job and $2 of raw materials, then he is a business genius.

But the fact is, that you can buy a "kit" on eBay for under $15, which is little more than that same $2 of raw material, cut to the correct shape.

For $8 at a JoAnn Fabric Store, I bought enough material to cover mine at least 3 times over. Maybe 4 times. Same stuff that an upholstery shop would use.

If you are having trouble with staples, you might try glue. Or some very small and short screws.