The Upholstery Forum

Sorry if this has been posted I tried to search and didn’t see what I was after. New to the forum and still learning my way around. So the question is. I’ve wanted to make custom door panels for awhile now and I see a lot of people making crazy multi layered doors. What’s the best way to attached these layers to make one door panel? Hope that makes sense? Is there one large piece of substrate the overall shape of the door panel, then the smaller layers are material/foam covered wood and these are placed on the large piece and screwed from the back to hold them? I didn’t one years ago at wyotech while learning upholstery and thought to myself there has to be an easier and better way to do this. Long story to describe what I did, but it was under the guidance of a good instructor so figured it was right but not the easiest way to skin a cat.

@Cody,

I await an answer to this too. I would go with the main panel to start then individual panels. For me right now its determining the right material to make a panel out of since the Diamonds are large and the material will be heavy.

@Cody @BigRig

I follow some really awesome trimmers on Instagram and a lot of them are using CNC machines and 1/4 and 1/8 MDS board for those panels.

@kl4bidn

How do they attach all the different layers to make one door panel? I wish there was a good trimmer close to me that would share their secrets but as far as I know there isn’t.

@Cody screws and glue.

@Cody,

Just keep plugging and soon people will want your secrets

Hey @Cody! Welcome to the forum! Happy to have you here!

Unfortunately there is no easy answer to your question. Complex door panels are just simply a lot of work. They take a lot of time , planing and creativity. The pictures you see on line can me really extreme examples of what is possible but don't let anyone tell you that its not time consuming. You can easily spend 2+ weeks on a pair of complex 3d door panels. Or even more.
Yes there is usually one large piece of substrate the overall shape of the door panel and then the layered pieces attached to that piece.
People use a variety of way to attack the multiple pieces together. Staples from the back side, Screws, t-nuts and bolts, glue, Ive even seen magnets used to hold panels together and make them removable. There is no right or wrong way. Just what works best for you.

You'll see a lot of people using MDF wood. I personaly don't like to use this because of the weight and I like to use materials that are current to the vehicle like ABS or other plastics, aluminum, metal, etc