General Information About Dash Covers*
Dash
Covers are a popular accessory in the sunbelt states to combat the
damaging effects of the sun, reduce dangerous sun glare and enhance a
vehicle's interior. A proper fitting Custom Dash Cover will soften the
plastic look of a vehicle's interior and provide protection to the
driver and vehicle dashboard.
Custom Rear Deck
Covers, a related accessory, covers the rear deck area of a vehicle
behind the rear seats. Generally, Custom Rear Deck Covers are not
available for trucks, SUVs, vans and hatchback cars. Custom Rear Deck
Covers are available in the same materials and fabrics as Custom Dash
Covers.
A new variation on the Custom Dash Cover is the Molded
Dash Cover. This is a thermo-formed carpet Dash Cover. It is molded to
the exact shape of the dashboard, resulting in a perfect fitting cover
with no stitching - this is the "ultimate" Custom Dash Cover.
What's Important in a Custom Dash Cover?
A
Custom Dash Cover is a very conspicuous accessory - it is clearly
visible to the driver and front passenger. Therefore, fit and
appearance are the most important qualities of a Custom Dash Cover. The
fit is a result of the Custom Dash Cover's pattern design, construction
and materials.
Pattern Design
Modern
vehicle dashboards are complex, with subtle curved shapes, trays,
cupholders, sensors, airbag cutouts, and other considerations. Addressing the
curves, sensors and cutouts results in a significant amount of time
designing the pattern and later cutting and sewing the Custom Dash
Cover in production. Not all Custom Dash Cover
patterns are created equal. Some manufacturers take a great deal of pride in their product and take as much time (and money) as needed to ensure the best fit possible. This results in a nicer product, but also usually costs more. Other manufactures do not work to the same level of detail but can offer a more economical solution. All of the dash covers we sell accomodate your vehicle's sensors, cupholders and safety equipment such as air bags.
Material
The two most popular materials on the market are Poly-Carpet
and Velour. Since then, manufacturers have added fabrics such as molded carpet, "Designer Velour" and imitation suede leather. Additional enhancements such as Lit Neon Edging and floral prints are also available.
Poly-Carpet
Poly-Carpet, also called needle punch carpet, is a tough yet attractive polyester non-tufted low pile carpet which usually has a
non-transferable lifetime warranty and provides the maximum protection for the dashboard
and cuts the most glare.
Velour
Luxurious and elegant, Velour is a perfect choice for luxury vehicles.
It is available in several colors to compliment the interior of most
vehicles. Velour is also a popular material used in making custom seat covers. This enables the consumer to purchase a matching dash cover and seat cover combination.
Molded Carpet
Very similar to Poly-Carpet, with a thermo-formable backing. Once
molded into shape, the material will hold that shape for life. Molded
Carpet is usually guaranteed for as long as you own your vehicle.
Designer Velour
The same basic material as regular Velour, but with exciting Designer
Prints - including Hawaiian Prints in black, red and blue, Flames,
PinUp Girls, Cheetah, Leopard, and Zebra.
Construction
Custom Dash Covers and Rear Deck Covers are most commonly constructed using either a "blind" stitch or a
"zigzag" stitch. Each stitching style has advantages and disadvantages.
For Custom Dash Covers the optimal stitch style is the zigzag
stitch. The zigzag stitch takes more time and is more
expensive, but produces superior results. The stitch
acts as a hinge, allowing the cover to contour to the surface of the
dashboard. A zigzag stitch also allows small pieces to be sewn
together, because there is no margin.
A blind stitch is more economical to use. Blind stitches can cause in slight curling at the stitch line. This can cause the dash cover to lift off the
dashboard because material is underneath the stitch. And blind stitching prevents
small pieces from being sewn together - due to the necessary margins.
Customization
Most dash cover manufacturers will customize your cover with a logo, monogram or both.
Monogramming options vary by manufacturer. Some offer a choice of font and some offer choices in font hieght. The number of characters available also vary. Manufacturers also offer a variety of logos which can be embroidered into the dash cover. Some manufacturers have obtained exclusive rights to use company logos. So if you want a specific logo but don't see it offered with one manufacturer's products, try looking around or call us.
*Portions of this web page were used with permission from Coverking and Global Accessories.
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