Dashboard / Facia warped how to flatten?

[Nkp90]

Afternoon all,

just after some advice on how to repair the following, its a dash for an old mini and where its been so hot this year the facia has warped and come away,

just wondering how i can flatten it and reaffix the panelling without cracking it and best glue to reaffix it back,

thanks

 

[Spectric]

Araldite was what I used years ago for things like this but there is probably something better around today. Take a look at the Frost website and they may have something aimed at your problem.

 

[Nkp90]

any idea how id go about straightening out the veneer?

its pretty much solid as it is and will end up cracking if i try to bend or push it back into place?

 

[MARK.B.]

If it was heat that caused it to warp then maybe heat may be answer to getting it flat again, possibly a gentle heat from something like a hair dryer set on low could warm it up enough to allow it to flatten out with a weighted board set on top . Hopefully someone else will be along with a way that will 100% work , if not it may be worth a shot.

 

[Fergie 307]

Steam is your friend. Use one of the home steamer gadgets, or you might even be able to use a steam iron, this will soften it, just be careful not to overdo it, and don't apply steam directly to the finished surface. Once you have softened it a bit then lay it on a flat surface and put something like a book on top to apply some weight to ease it back down as it dries. You might need to do it more than once. You need to take it slowly to avoid the finish cracking. Once fully dried and flat again you can use a thin pallete knife or similar to spread glue into it, then weight on top whilst the glue sets. I too would recommend the old type slow set araldite.

 

[Fergie 307]

Looking at your picture again it looks like it has let go across most of the panel. If you can actually get the top layer right off it will make life much easier. You can then use a steam iron gently on the back of the veneered piece and then weigh it down to flatten it. Once dry it will be a simple matter to glue it back on. Otherwise the danger is that you may repair the bottom only for it to later let go at the top. Araldite is the go to for me for dash repairs, the sort of glues used in furniture making often creep in the extreme temperatures you can get in a car interior, causing the veneer to either lift, or move relative to the substrate.

 

[Droogs]

Make yourself up some of this - 3 parts water, 2 parts yellow glue, 1 part vegetable glycerin and give it a good mix then spray it on the veneer to soak in and leave overnight then just iron flat and place between 2 sheets of blank newsprint (chipshop paper) and squeeze under boards with clamps or weight until the paper is dry. Check the paper every hour for the first 6 hours then every 3 hours until dry.

this will give you flat and a more flexible /easy to handle veneer


hth