A sagging headliner can turn your vehicle into an aesthetic nightmare. With the proper headliner adhesive, you can easily re-glue your headliner in place so it looks and hangs like new. This buying guide will help you find the best headliner adhesives available and make the DIY fix a one-time only repair.
Best Overall3M Headliner & Fabric Adhesive
Check Latest PriceSummaryThis adhesive is specifically designed to hold headliners and fabric. It dries in 60 minutes. Comes in a 18.1-ounce can.
ProsTear Mender Instant Fabric and Leather Adhesive
Check Latest PriceSummaryThis adhesive comes in bottles sized from 2 to 32 ounces. It creates an instant durable bond that’s flexible.
ProsPermatex 27828 Body Shop Heavy Duty Headliner and Carpet Adhesive
Check Latest PriceSummaryThis 16.75-ounce can of adhesive will work to bond plastics, carpet, rubber, fabrics, and foam. It’s resistant to temperatures up to 170 degrees.
ProsMost headliner adhesive is applied with an aerosol can. These cans range anywhere from 12 to 18 ounces and are equipped with even-spray nozzles that distribute the product over a wide area. Spray or aerosol adhesives are typically easier to use than contact adhesive because the nozzle takes care of providing an even layer, which helps ensure a cleaner, finished look. Some spray adhesives, however, may not work well when sprayed in the upside-down position.
Contact adhesives are also called roll-on adhesives. They typically use a roller or brush to coat the automotive material as you would if you were painting. It’s harder to get an even coating with a contact adhesive as you have to be more consistent with your layering to achieve a desirable finish. At the same time, you can be more heavy-handed in areas that need more adhesive and less with those that don’t. You might also hear contact adhesive referred to as contact cement.
Founded in 1902 and headquartered in Minnesota, 3M is well known as a superior brand in the automotive industry. Its HI-Strength 90 Contact Adhesive can be a powerful solution for heavyweight or thick car headliners.
Headquartered in Germany, Loctite was founded in 1956. Continuing to set the bar high with its above-average products, Loctite also offers its take on a High Performance Spray Adhesive. Search for and consider Loctite products the next time you’re working on your vehicle.
Based out of Cincinnati, Ohio, Gorilla has been in the adhesive business for more than 20 years. If you’re looking for a tight bond as you work on your car, make sure you’ve got the Gorilla Super Glue Gel on hand.
Working on your vehicle’s headliner can be a pain in you know what. Fighting with an adhesive product should be the least of your problems. The best headliner adhesives will make it easy to not only spray or roll on the product but also to maneuver the materials into place and reposition them as needed before setting. An even spray pattern or even a roll-on application makes a huge difference as well.
This one’s a bit of a catch-22, but the best headliner adhesive products will allow you to reposition the materials as needed and then dry quickly. That way you can get on with your day and avoid the hours-long wait time that prevents you from using your vehicle during the drying period.
Repairing or replacing your headliner shouldn’t be something you have to do every time you get an oil change. You should only have to complete the job once, or at worst twice, in a car’s lifetime. The best headliner adhesives will do the job right the first time, so you won’t have to repeat the job. That also means they should be high-strength and bond the headliner materials once and for all.
You may buy headliner adhesive specifically to use on your vehicle, but the best car adhesives should also be useful in a variety of other situations. Whether you use the adhesive in or on other parts of your vehicle or in the garage, house, or shop, the best headliner adhesives earn their keep and solve a variety of problems.
This strong adhesive from 3M is specifically designed to hold headliners and fabric. It can bond to the heavier-weight fabrics that are used in automotive interiors and foam-lined fabrics that are commonly used for headliners. It dries in 60 minutes. Each can is 18.1 ounces.
What’s nice about this glue is that it’s versatile, so it can bond to fabric, plastic, foam, and metal. It also comes out of the can in an even and controlled stream for uniform application. You can use this glue throughout your car, including the headliner, carpets, and any other fabric-lined area.
Unfortunately, this adhesive may not work to fix your sagging headliner. The directions state that it’s not meant to be used on inverted surfaces. It also won’t bond the headliner fabric that has already separated from its foam backing. The glue can also dry and become tacky very fast, which can make it challenging to get any wrinkles or imperfections out.
This bottle of instant fabric and leather adhesive comes in a wide range of sizes. You can choose from a bottle as small as 2 ounces or as large as 32 ounces. You can also buy a single bottle or packs of 12 or 24. The glue dries to a durable and flexible hold that’s usable in three minutes and washable in 15 minutes.
What’s nice about this adhesive is that it’s durable. It’s water-, weather-, and UV-resistant. It’s also versatile in that you can use it on a wide variety of materials, including fabric and leather. Use it either indoors or outdoors on household items.
The downside of the glue is that it can dry in the bottle. Then when you go to use it, it’s a useless solid lump. If it doesn’t dry out, the glue is very watery and runny, which makes achieving an exact placement of the glue challenging.
This 16.75-ounce can of headliner glue is designed to provide you with a heavy-duty adhesive. It bonds to foam, fabrics, plastics, carpet, and rubber. Once cured, it’s resistant to extreme weather conditions and is water-resistant.
This adhesive stands out for its heavy-duty ability to withstand high temperatures. It can stay securely in place in temperatures up to 170 degrees. This is important for vehicles that are in warm climates where the interior of the vehicle can get very hot. Having this adhesive around is useful because you can use it on more than just the headliner. It’ll work on door panels, trunk linings, and even boat upholstery cloth and carpets.
The downside of this adhesive is the can. You may find that the spray nozzle clogs easily. This can cause the spray to turn from a mist to a heavy spray and apply a thick layer of glue. The glue can also become soft and gooey in hot temperatures.
The Loctite 2235316 General Performance 100 Spray Adhesive comes in a 13.5-ounce can. This product can be used on your vehicle's headliner but has numerous other uses. It's great for arts and crafts as well as automotive repair projects. You can use it on fabric, foam, cork, cardboard, and certain plastic, metal, glass, and wood.
This translucent formula dries clear and quickly. It takes about 10 minutes to bond two materials together. You can use it for either temporary or permanent projects. It's tacky and sticks to almost anything; it effectively holds down fabric that has a lot of pressure on it. You can also remove it fairly easily, depending on the surface area.
However, it can cause a lot of mist, so it is a good idea to use it in a ventilated space. Also, if you don't clean the nozzle after using the adhesive, gunk can build up on the tip and it will no longer spray.
The Polymat 797 Hi Temp Spray Adhesive comes in a 20-ounce can and is an industrial-grade headliner and fabric glue. It can withstand temperatures up to 160 degrees Fahrenheit and is water-resistant, so it can also be used in marine settings. The formula can be used on headliners, vinyl tops, hood silencer pads, and more.
This adhesive is great for bonding carpeting, foam, paper, cardboard, etc. to metal, wood, and hardboard. It is tacky and dries quickly. Users report that it works really well and doesn't take very long to set.
Like other products on this list, it's a good idea to use it in a ventilated area. Also, the tip sprays in a stream instead of a fan pattern, which can cause the application to be uneven.
A: Removing old adhesive can be a lengthy and often frustrating process. Once you have the headliner off the vehicle, we recommend using a clothing steam cleaner to separate the layers. This same process can be done within the vehicle, but you should take extra care to avoid areas where you don’t want to remove the adhesive.
A: Read the instructions on the product as the manufacturer will typically include directions on set times. However, you should allow at least a day of warm temperatures to give the adhesive enough time to bond properly.
A: Most headliner adhesives are low in odor, but look for the low VOC content products if this is a characteristic you’re concerned about. If the odor is something you know will affect you, consider wearing a mask during application.
A: Most professional body shops should have the ability to replace headliners. Each will have their own price and repair times. Though we encourage you to try repairing your own headliner before choosing the professional route, we understand it can be a large job for someone with little experience.
A: Amazon typically stocks headliners for a variety of vehicles, new and old. If your vehicle is relatively new, your local dealership should be able to order and install a replacement headliner. Search custom upholstery shops in your area as well to see if they replace headliners.
We chose the 3M Super 77 Spray Adhesive as our top pick. The combination of brand reputation and product ability makes this one a sure pick for any skill level.
Consider the Tear Mender Instant Fabric and Leather Adhesive if you’re watching your budget. This versatile product dries clear for a superior finish.
