rraisley

I previously posted in this thread about stuff rattling and sliding around in the glove boxes on my new RDX. Turns out this is the first (only) car I've owned which doesn't have padded or carpeted storage areas, which I think is a bit chintzy on a quality car. Anyhow, it bugged me enough that I just had to fix it, so this thread is a how-to on doing just that. I'll post my before and after pics first, so if you're really not /that/ interested, you don't have to read/scroll to the end to see the result.

Original Glove Box, with shelf for manual removed:


Original Console Compartment, with carpeted bottom, but plastic sides.


Completed Glove Box with all carpeting. Note I use a checkbox with register (not checks) to track my mileage and maintenance; the checkbook has Velcro tape on the back to stay in place.


Completed Center Console with carpeting. Glasses case at bottom right is held in place with Velcro tape.


I'll try posting this part first; I'm still learning how to post pictures, use Albums, etc.

Skidoor

Nice!!

rraisley

First off, Material. I bought some cargo area carpeting from Walmart that I just happened to see. It's black, about 45" x 54", about 1/8" thick low pile "carpeting", with a waterproof vinyl back. The label on the back says Drymate, but I don't find that exact product online, and forgot to save the label from the product. It was hanging amongst carpeted floor mats (individual), and IIRC cost $25. I felt at the time that it was priced a bit high, and I could probably find something cheaper/better on Amazon, but this was in my hands, and pretty much exactly what I was looking for, so I went with it. The carpet is held in place by double-sided tape. I used Duck Brand Double Sided Duct Tape, 1.41 in. x 12 yds. as it seemed to have enough strength. I didn't want something /too/ tacky and hard to remove like Gorilla tape. A thicker tape might have been easier to work with, but this worked fine.

I decided to carpet the glovebox shelf first, as it was certainly the easiest, and I could do it in my den.

I put the tape along the front and back of the shelf, as well as up the side.

Here's another view. Notice the carpeting is higher than the actual side of the shelf, as the corner of the shelf mount in the glovebox forms part of the rectangular area to hold the manuals. Just trim the carpet to fit. It's easily trimmed after mounting with sharp scissors or a razor knife, but it's best to get it the right size before taping in place, if possible.


This view of the bottom of the removable shelf shows the carpeting overhanging on what will be the left side, against the permanent part of the glovebox. It can't be cemented or taped to the opening, because the shelf must be removable to change the cabin air filter.

rraisley

The glove box carpeting ends up in 2 pieces (in addition to the shelf, above): one to cover the bottom and sides of the box, as well as the lower part of the back (still allowing access to the cabin air filter), and one for the front of the door, so items hitting it won't rattle (and also to allow me to Velcro items to the door).

While I didn't take photos of it, I made a template for the glovebox shelf out of manila folder material (or other thicker paper). I made templates for the rest as well, and consider it to be important. I tried using aluminum foil, which I read someone used on the forums for a similar use, but it didn't stay in place very well, and wouldn't hold its shape. Taking a single sheet of paper, shoving it in against a corner, with part of it angling up, I could crimp the paper, trim with scissors, and by trial and error end up with a single paper pattern for each side or panel. I I intended to make the carpet in as few a pieces and I could, but separate pieces of paper for each panel meant I could get the shape more accurate.

Doing this to the inside of the inside of the glove box resulted in this pattern:

Considering how the carpeting fit into corners with a slight radius, and considering its thickness, when I then traced the paper templates on the back of the carpeting (vinyl side - don't forget to reverse the template), I overlapped the pieces about 1/8" to allow for this.

Here are the resulting carpeting pieces: top - shelf, middle - glove box interior, bottom - glove box door:

I ended up not making a template for the door, as I felt it could overlap much of the area round the glove box without interfering. It can, because of the bumpers that stop the door. Also notice the cutout around the glove box light area; this must be large enough to allow the light to illuminate the box, as well as allow access to change the light. Again, pressing paper templates into position, then rubbing your finer around anything that needs to be cut out helps result in an accurate template and fit.

Next comes taping. I've found it's much easier to put all of the tape in place within the area to be carpeting, but leave the blue double-side tape layer in place, for final fitting and attach a panel at a time. Here's the glove box with tape in place:

As you can see by the ragged edge on the tape at the lower left rounded piece, one of the hardest things in this project was cutting the darn double-sided tape! It is fabric-reinforced, like duct (Duck) tape, and after the first cut, scissors or razors have glue on them. Maybe tape without cloth reinforcement would be better. ;-)

Notice the tape is being kept well away from the access panel for the cabin air filter. You don't want to limit access to this (or piss off your local Acura maintenance people).


I started installing the carpet on the left, as I felt it was most critical around light light and such. Push the carpet exactly where it needs to be, especially the corners, and when happy with the overall fit, remove the blue backing of the left part of the tape and place that panel in position, pressing down firmly all around:

Leave the blue tape layer in place until you're putting that portion in the final position; otherwise, you won't get it very tight.

Here I've attached the bottom, making sure the front is in the right position, and am attaching the back by holding the corner in position, removing the blue layer, and pressing the back firmly in place


This photo was actually taken before the back was attached, which is why it isn't very tight in the corner:


Continuing to the right side, removing the blue tape layer and positioning it in place:


The final glove box carpeting. Note left side carpeting cannot go higher if you're going to use the removable shelf. If you don't want to use it, the carpeting could go up higher. Also notice the carpeting is below the cabin air filter cover:


Nothing interferes on the right side, so carpeting can go to the top of the opening.


The completed glove box carpeting:

rraisley

As I stated above, I wanted the glove box door carpeted, both because I didn't want hard items hitting against it and making noise, and also because I wanted to Velcro my record-keeping checkbook register, and possibly glasses, etc. to the door, to be easily accessed when opened, and to always be in the same place. The actual size and shape of the door is a bit arbitrary: it can overlap the opening quite a bit, as long as it doesn't get into the opening on the left, the hinge on the right, or the bumpers that determine where the door stops. I made mine pretty much as wide as I could, and made the front edge match a contour in the plastic door inside.

I've taped the door area all around, as well as in the center due to my Velcro requirement. Here, the blue tape layer has been removed in the back. I felt it was most critical to get right for fitting:


After final trimming and attaching, the door looks like this. Just trim the carpet, make sure it closes without a problem, before removing the blue tape layer and permanently attaching it:


A view of the glove box inside and door carpeting:


A view of the glove box after the shelf is installed:

Carpet on the left side, in front of the shelf, could have been carpeted and probably would have looked better, but it's not easy for anything to touch that area, so I'm fine with it. Actually, I left this in, just in case someone else thought of that. Doing the carpet on the left in front of the shelf might make the shelf difficult or impossible to remove. Again, don't piss off the service people. Especially if they're you. Or your spouse. ;-)

Another view with the shelf:


A view with the owner's manual and a flashlight installed:

Now that I look at this, and think more about it, I probably should have allowed a loose flap of carpet behind the shelf, which would fold up to the back, above the shelf, to keep things like the flashlight from clunking into it. It might make it harder to install, so I'll let someone else look into that.

rraisley

Acura was kind enough to put carpeting in the bottom of this compartment, but my garage door opener (spare, in case Homelink doesn't work) and other stuff kept bouncing and sliding against the plastic sides. Thus, my reason to carpet.

A repeat pic of the standard compartment: notice the recessed area that has both a 12VDC connection for phone charging, etc. as well as a light, which have to be considered when carpeting:


As before, I started out by making heavy paper templates of each of the sides:


After overlapping the sides by 1/8" to allow for corner radius and carpet thickness, I ended up with the following carpet section to install:


I loose-fit the entire piece before starting to tape in place, to be sure fit is good. Be sure carpet doesn't go above black inside of compartment on side:


I started at the left rear corner, taping that side


I attached only the bottom tape first, while trying to keep everything in the right place:


I quickly realized that it would be very difficult to tape after part of the carpet was installed, so went and taped the rest before proceeding:


First wall (at bottom) and front wall (at bottom) are attached. Be sure opening around 12VDC and light is centered and the right size. You can pull carpet off and re-place if necessary; there's enough to hold it.


Continue on the other side, making sure corners are pushed tightly in place:


All bottom tape is attached now. I trimmed a bit too much in the joining corner, but oh well....

Go around and remove the top tape, a section at a time, making sure the carpeting is snug everywhere, especially in the corners:

The removable tray is shown in place here:


And finally, with an appropriate amount of junk in the compartment:

Coins are in a small plastic pouch (although they can still rattle a bit against each other - maybe I need to carpet them?). A glasses case is Velcro'd into position in the corner for driving glasses (sunglasses are in above compartment). A triple 12VDC-5VDC 3-outlet USB adapter provides charging for my Android phone and my wife's iPhone and iPad, kept neat with a Velcro strap.

I had fun doing this project, and while it took some time, it was satisfying making my RDX that much more perfect. Feel free to ask questions if you have them. I even considered making templates to print/download/mail, but it really is pretty easy to form and cut them as described above. If you end up doing this project, please post a pic (or other suggestions) for us all to see.

Comfy

That was an awesome DIY write up. Great job.

Gadgetjq

RR,

Is this what you used for the project? Walmart Cargo Carpet

SkylineEX-S

Great DIY post Rraisley!
Now I've got to find some of this carpet at Wal-Mart...

rraisley

No, the one I got wasn't rolled and was smaller. That might work, I just can't say. I'll try to stop by Walmart and see if they have any more (think I got the last one, at the time, which is one reason I went ahead and got it).

rraisley

(I couldn't find a way to edit my original post above - must be missing something - let me know if you know how)
So, I stopped at Walmart tonight and found the cargo liner aka carpeting that I used. It's located here:

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Auto-Driv...Liner/52597815