Alcantara is a material for interior car trim. It is very similar to suede, but the pile is a little shorter. The material is not very new, it has been used for about 40 years, but it has proven itself well in the market. It is characterized by high strength, wear resistance and long service life. The fabric is fireproof and has a wide range of colors. This material was developed in Italy in 1980. At the moment, the price of the fabric is from 3000 rubles* per linear meter.
Features of self-adhesive Alcantara, pros and cons of the material
Self-adhesive Alcantara is made from thin polyester fiber, and liquid polyurethane is also applied to it. During production, the inner surface of the self-adhesive is treated with abrasive paper, after which the pile of the material rises slightly, making it soft and pleasant to the touch. Despite this, self-adhesive Alcantara for cars is still inferior in silkiness to classic suede. It has a much longer pile and is not very dense, like Alcantara on an adhesive base.
Please note! At the moment, Alcantara is enjoying great success not only among manufacturers of expensive cars, but also among ordinary owners who want to tidy up their car.
This is not surprising, because self-adhesive suede is very easy to care for. The fabric does not fade in the sun, it is easy to clean, does not heat up in the sun, and retains heat in winter. The fabric is quite resistant to physical impact, which extends its service life. The material, which includes thin fibers, is used to cut out parts for re-upholstering the interior of a car.
But still, suede on glue cannot be called the most reliable. It is durable because of polyester, pleasant to the touch because of the presence of polyurethane in the composition. Many experts say that Alcantara is the longest-lasting and most high-tech material. Also, self-adhesive Alcantara is completely environmentally friendly. It has passed many tests, which is confirmed.
The only drawback of this fabric is its high price. But it is justified and fully pays for itself, because, having bought and pasted it over the car interior, you can forget about problems with the upholstery for a couple of years for sure. Another drawback will be the fact that you need to adhere to certain rules when cleaning the car.
When washing, it is not advisable to spin the fabric at more than 600 rpm, otherwise it will deform. This is certainly not the biggest drawback, but if you forget to set the correct spin once, the fabric will immediately deteriorate.
Self-adhesive film and Alcantara fabric: similarities and differences
At the moment, there are two materials that are similar in appearance, but very different in production method and properties. We are talking about a comparison of self-adhesive Alcantara and film with velvet spraying. Self-adhesive Alcantara film was carefully described above - it is artificial Alcantara or suede.
The base for the Alcantara film is traditional vinyl. A velvet coating is applied on top of it, which makes the film similar to Alcantara. This material has its pros and cons. The positive aspects include the low price, and it also stretches well.
There are also a number of disadvantages. The pile on the surface of the film wears off quite quickly, leaving just smooth vinyl, and lasts much less than artificial suede. Of course, if possible, it is better to pay more and get quality material.
How to cover the ceiling or door panel in a car
Tools required:
- glue "Metal-88";
- hair dryer;
- film.
How to glue self-adhesive Alcantara?
Black Alcantara is suitable for the car ceiling. First, you need to remove the ceiling trim and lay it out on a large table in good lighting. If possible, the work should be done in the warm season. First, you should tear off the old coating from the ceiling and apply glue with a large brush to the surface under the new material, generously coating all areas. Then you need to wait half an hour.
Important! The smell of glue is very strong, so those who cannot stand it should start working after about three hours, when the glue has completely evaporated.
The film should be pasted from the center to the edge. It is advisable to do all the work at least together, as it only seems easy at first glance. If you do the pasting yourself, the ceiling will constantly slide along the surface, and the fabric will be difficult to stick, so you need a person to hold it. You need to be very careful, as the material is sticky, that is, it can stick to itself, it must always be kept taut.
In total, the gluing process takes half an hour, if done by several hands. You can choose absolutely any color of the film, but brown Alcantara or white Alcantara will look very good.
The subtleties of caring for Alcantara
Car enthusiasts who already have Alcantara suede glued to their cars wonder how to care for it. You will need a coarse brush and soap solution. The fabric needs to be cleaned approximately once every 2 weeks.
It is very easy to do: first, vacuum the material or remove dust with a dry brush, and then wipe with a slightly damp cloth. It is advisable to use a coarse brush for cleaning.
How to remove stains from finished products
There are situations when soap solution does not help, but here too you can find a way out: stains are easily removed if you strictly follow the recommendations of professionals.
- Removing alcohol stains from fabric is possible using the same soap solution and methyl alcohol (20%).
- The same solution can be used to clean beer stains, but you need to remember that the percentage of methyl alcohol should not be more than 3%;
- more severe stains, such as grape juice, should be removed using vinegar, water and a soap solution;
- 10% ammonia will help remove stains from tea, coffee or dairy products;
- 5% ammonia will remove stains from candy, chocolate or blood;
- if the material has oil-based paint, it must be treated with pure turpentine;
- If there are stains from gel pens, you need to clean them as soon as possible with wet paper and methyl alcohol (10%). And always after cleaning, the material needs to be wiped with a soap solution.
Many car enthusiasts note that the Alcantara fabric, although expensive, will serve for a long time. Moreover, it looks great in the car interior. It is recommended to reupholster all interior parts at once, as the fabric will look very contrasting against the background of the old upholstery.
It is important not to come across a fake, many manufacturers try to make an analogue of the fabric, for example, in Korea they produce something similar, but the prices are several times lower. It is tempting, but the quality will be very low. You need to choose only Italian-made material, not a Korean analogue.
*Prices are valid as of June 2019.
