Seat cover installation

[bmc5733946]

I purchased a custom seat cover from overseas (Poland). I am not an upholsterer so I have questions. Should I plan to glue the new cover to the foam? I can see that the existing cover is glued and stapled to the underside of the seat pan and will plan to replicate that. What glue to use? The bike is a 2006 Breva 750 ie.

Thanks for any info!

Brian

[bigbikerrick]

I like to use weldwood contact cement, in the container with a little brush in the cap. I also use a staple gun with 1/4" staples. I dont normally glue the cover to the foam. I use  plastic from a trash bag to make a waterproof cover, that I lightly glue to the foam, using a spray adhesive. I blow drier will help heat the cover, to help it form to the seat.
Rick.

[DoubleGuzzi]

I use spray repositionable contact adhesive - a "game changer" for fitting seat covers. Followed by an electric stable gun that has a longer reach than some of them and good range of adjustment pressure.

[Clifton]

Brian, I have reupholstered a number of seats using Seat Concepts kits. Here's their step by step instructions.

https://www.seatconcepts.com/seat-installation-tips

[n3303j]

Stainless Steel Staples please.
Boat guys use them regularly.
Available in popular sizes.

[Oca Grassa]

I generally don’t use adhesive either. On some seats I use it only where the rider sits to keep the vinyl from moving while I staple it.

I use a pneumatic Bostich stapler & usually 1/4 crown upholstery staples. Done a bunch of seats both for my own bikes and friends projects too.

Here’s a pic of my last seat…and one that needed both adhesive (3M head liner spray adhesive) and a heat gun to make the vinyl more pliable (done in winter):




It’s off of an EX500. The foam wasn’t the greatest either but I wasn’t asked to fix any of the foam deterioration before recovering.

The vinyl is just some off cut stuff that being sold cheap at the fabric store my wife goes to.

[kingoffleece]

Leather will stretch.
We never used plastic under the seat.  Way too many complaints about swampass.
Traps water and leads to mold and rot.  I know-it never happened to anyone, ever.  I made a lot of money on those guys.
We used a spray tack glue.  When a guy makes it for himself, if it wrinkles, it's no big deal.  When a seat maker has that issue, it's all over the internet about how crappy they are, customer service sucks, craftsmanship is horrible.

We used spray tack.

[bigbikerrick]

Can you please post a photo of the finished product?
Thanks
Rick.

[Clifton]

Leather will stretch.
We never used plastic under the seat.  Way too many complaints about swampass.
Traps water and leads to mold and rot.  I know-it never happened to anyone, ever.  I made a lot of money on those guys.
We used a spray tack glue......

I always added plastic between the foam and seat cover to prevent any slight amount of water that could get through the holes caused by stitching. I also applied 2 coats of tent seam sealer to the seams on the underside of the cover to hopefully prevent it in the first place. This is how I did all the Seat Concepts seats. The covers were vinyl and never had any water or moisture problem. TBH I never felt any of the leather Corbin seats I had "breathed" any better than any vinyl seat? Sure vinyl doesn't and plain leather can somewhat breathe. I attributed this to the fact that the seat leather had been well waterproofed plus Corbin applied an adhesive barrier between the leather and the foam.
 

[bmc5733946]

I was not able to do the installation myself. My hands could not stretch the material well enough. I am 74 now so I gave myself a break and took it to a pro who charged me $150.00 which I consider a great price. He said that to replicate the cover I brought to him and install it would be between $400.00 and $600.00. I have that much in another seat that I bought from Portugal. Made to my specifications but I don't like it as much as this one. Click the image for embiggening.

This is the recover over stock foam from Poland.




This is the custom seat from Portugal




Brian

[blackcat]

Brian, the new cover looks great!

[bmc5733946]

Yeah, I think so, too!!
Thanks, bc!

Brian