A headliner often is a

composite material A composite material (also called a composition material or shortened to composite, which is the common name) is a material which is produced from two or more constituent materials. These constituent materials have notably dissimilar chemical or ...

that is adhered to the inside roof of automobiles or yachts. It typically consists of a face fabric with

nonwoven Nonwoven fabric is a fabric-like material made from staple fibre (short) and long fibres (continuous long), bonded together by chemical, mechanical, heat or solvent treatment. The term is used in the textile manufacturing industry to denote fabri ...

or foam backing. Headliners consist of multilayered composite materials that bring together multiple functionalities, including the requested look, feel, stiffness, and sound reduction needed in cars. Automotive headliners are optimised with respect to head impact counter measuresHeholt, Susan. Daimler Chrysler, USP 7014259 (B2) or to integrate additional LED lighting film behind the fabric. Most headliners consist of a tricot knit fabric that is napped to provide a soft touch and uniform appearance. The fabric is adhered to melted

polyurethane Polyurethane (; often abbreviated PUR and PU) refers to a class of polymers composed of organic units joined by carbamate (urethane) links. In contrast to other common polymers such as polyethylene and polystyrene, polyurethane is produced from ...

foam. This fabric-foam composite is glued to the interior fiberglass roof of the automobile. There are more complex knit products used as a face fabric, as well as less expensive non-woven products. Recent headliner developments include environmentally friendly products made of recyclable backing-adhesive and face fabrics. In yachts, foam-backed vinyl is often used.

Replacements

When a headliner fails, it sags or falls from the roof. One can use upholstery twist pins (a flat-headed corkscrew-like pin) to effect a temporary repair, but repairs usually involve tacking or replacing the entire headliner. Heat, humidity, and time rapidly degrade the bond that the polyurethane foam has with the face fabric. As the foam oxidizes and yellows, the fabric-foam bond fails. This failure is more common in cars produced in the 1970s. Replacing the entire headliner fabric is usually necessary as the oxidized foam can prove nearly impossible to remove from the sagging fabric.

References

External links

* Automotive accessories {{Automotive-part-stub