How to Install Foam Backed Headliner

Headliners or hull liners are great for smoothing out imperfections on the hull in your boat’s cabin and are also great for creating a bright, clean look in areas that can sometimes be dark. In the aft cabin of our Powerboat Makeover Series, we removed the old headliner that was dated and falling down and replaced it with a combination of carpet style and foam backed headliner. This featured video will show you how to install foam backed headliner.

In today's video, we're working on the aft cabin of our Powerboat Makeover Series, a 1982 Regal 245 XL Ambassador. Brian, a manager at Sailrite^® and the boat’s owner, chose to use a foam backed headliner for this part of the boat's interior makeover.

Brian decided on this option for a couple of reasons. He knew he wanted a vinyl in this small cabin because vinyl is very easy to clean and maintain. Vinyl is also much more comfortable to sleep next to than carpet. He could have used a plain vinyl fabric, but because the fiberglass in his boat is rather bumpy and uneven, he chose the vinyl with a foam backing to help disguise those inconsistencies.

In the video, we demonstrate how to install foam backed headliner using 3M™ General Trim Adhesive. There is also bonus footage showing the importance of letting this spray adhesive get tacky before installing your headliner and a short piece about upholstering and adding trim pieces.

If you’re ready to replace the headliner in your boat, check out our full line of headliner fabrics in our Headliner category on our website. We carry all the top brands of vinyl fabrics perfect for boat headliner and hull liner material, including Morbern^® and Naugahyde^®.