Using fabric on a door...

[andrew whicker]

Ladies and Gents,

I want to use a fabric to cover the flat portion of these doors. I have some thoughts on how to do that... Make the edges (the cross in the middle and the outer edges) as separate pieces that install after the fabric is laid down to pinch the fabric and stretch it at the same time. I think something like this needs to happen regardless to keep the ends of the threads from showing.

I'm not sure if glue will work between the fabric and the wood. I'm worried about the fabric loosing it's tightness over time and sagging, but also worried about glue discoloring the fabric. I want to know if there is a way to install the fabric such that it keeps it look for decades (i.e., flat and smooth, not sagging).

Anyone an upholstery expert or know one?


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[Frank Pratt]

I can't tell anything from the sketches, but whatever happens, you need to make the fabric easily replaceable. At some point soon it will get soiled or stained & fabric is just about the least forgiving material for that sort of thing.

[andrew whicker]

My thought too

[Jamie Buxton]

One way to deal with fabric is to stretch it over a wood framework, wrapping it over the edges, and securing on the back. You can secure it with staples. Then you secure the fabric-covered panel with screws through the back.

[Randy Viellenave]

Depending on the size, you might also route a groove next to it and hold the fabric with screen spline. If you make a complimentary piece for the back, you could inlay it and hold with magnets so it is replaceable.

[Jim Becker]

If the fabric is going to be left exposed and as "fabric", I agree with the technique of stretching it around to the back of the panel and stapling. If the fabric is going to be embedded in finish, then spray adhesive or Z-Poxy it to the panel and continue with the resin to get the stuff into the finish with the "grain" filled.

[johnny means]

In the industry, we use spray can contact adhesive. Think office cubicle walls. Lay the fabric face down, flattened but not stretched. Lightly spray with adhesive. Do not soak your fabric, it takes very little adhesive. Spray substrate. Position the substrate and drop it onto the fabric. Alternately, one can place the fabric onto the substrate, but this is more difficult. This is his automobile headliners are stuck and they stay in place for years.

[andrew whicker]

Is wood an acceptable substrate? I'm assuming it would help to be sanded with a rough grit first?

[Mel Fulks]

Andrew, obviously you haven't been reading my posts about canvas on ply wood !!. I would thin down yellow glue ,just
a bit, apply the cloth ,cover it with a plastic bag. Top off with a piece of plywood and a weight. If you are doing two pieces
of the same size you can put them face to face with the plastic between.

[Mark Bolton]

We are thermoforming a bunch of material and bonding it over a contoured base at the moment. That cross area in my opinion will be tough if you are wanting the fabric to seamlessly roll into that pocket shape.

I agree that your sketch is a bit hard to understand what your doing but it would seem you would need a good bit of radius work/edge easing if your drawing is accurate as is and then perhaps a press-mold to get in the cross area and your fabric would have to be very flexible.

Mel's issue with thinned PVA hasnt worked for us in higher pressure situations where you have to retain the finished face of the fabric as the adhesive bleeds through in the press/membrane press and ruins the visible face of the fabric. Its a great option if the material is going to be finished in some other way but even with spray contact you have to watch because a lot of pressure/vacuum in the assembly and stretching of the fabric, the adhesive comes through.

[Mel Fulks]

Mark ,thanks. I was just going to give that warning.

[andrew whicker]

I'm also worried about the pocket area... grrrr. I really really want a textured fabric look in the flat space. I think you guys are visually it correctly from the way you are giving me ideas.

I've also been looking into grasses, etc. I'm sure they have their challenges too.

[andrew whicker]

Another thought is to go with a really nice tile. that would be easier logistically.... much harsher. Looking for something that makes the doors pop, colorful (I'm thinking blue) and has texture.

[andrew whicker]

https://sahco.com/products/600657?colorway=0011

Something like this could be really neat. I'm still looking for the one that jumps out at me. And I'm ordering a lot of samples... we'll see when they arrive if I still want to go thru with my idea.

[Mel Fulks]

Andrew , I agree it's a good look. But I see two problems with it . Looks similar to speaker cloth ,and it's gonna catch
dust. I suggest looking at moire .It's smooth and has a little shimmer. Colors are bright solids.

[Mark Bolton]

Do you want the fabric to run completely in that cross mortise?

[andrew whicker]

The cross is raised and the middle is see thru. Just a hole. I want some airflow for the equipment that will be inside

[andrew whicker]

I'm not sure what you mean by this. You mean kind of like the beer bottle cap tables where the bottle caps are under a layer of epoxy?

[Vinito Caleb]

One thing to consider that most of us "dudes" don't think of...
Unless it's just easier or fits the design better to have fabric under & behind a frame or otherwise hides the edges, you can open up some additional options by doing a little sewing. Sure that is historically considered 50's housewife hobby, but to me it's just another skill I have in my stack that I am happy to just do myself. I don't make clothes or anything, but it's handy to be able to make your own custom tool wraps (like for lathe chisels or wrenches, etc.), tool bags or upholstery.
I'm not very good at it... some folks are wizards, but I'm OK with what I can pull off.
But the really cool thing is since doing pretty much anything with your own hands is going extinct anyway, you can pick up an old classic sewing machine for a song these days. The old Singer 201 or 301 for straight stitches (95% of what us guys would need) can be had in decent shape for $50 pretty common. Certainly $100 or less. The Singer 201 (also the similar 15-91) are solid older classics and if you don't buy it broken, they won't ever. They are smooth running little tanks. If you want to add zigzag, which can also be occasionally useful, you can get a Singer 401, which can also do a bunch of frilly decorative crap you won't ever use, but it does zigzag (and straight of course) well. The 401 is about as new as I personally would want. Sewing machines started to get kinda crappy build quality after that (early 60's?). Also worth looking at old Husqvarna, Necchi and Pfaff, but the Singers seem to be available any day of the week. The Husqvarna's have a cool low gear feature which is nice for a bit heavier stuff and of course it slows the cycle down, which is kinda where I'm more comfortable anyway. I'm never in a burning rush.
These machines aren't quite up to heavy upholstery work, but they will sew medium heavy upholstery fabrics & stuff like some canvas or the like.
At any rate, you could pretty easily hem the border of something and not have to hide the edge necessarily, if the design permits. It never hurts adding a new skill to your arsenal... for cheap $$ too. I have an old Husqvarna for lighter stuff and a Juki 563 for heavy upholstery and the like, and I've got about $250 or so total in the both of them... (plus restoration labor on the Juki)
$.02

[Mark Bolton]

Maybe skip the fabric running into the pocket and have someone CNC you out a few little aluminum bezels or something or even make them out of wood, cast resin, etc.. An outer frame/border would cover the outer edge with a simple rabbet or spline detail and the bezel piece could cover the entire interior of he pocket?

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