Time

A full day

Complexity

Beginner

Cost

Less than $20

Introduction

Reattach rubber or vinyl body side molding on your car before it comes loose. Auto trim on late model cars is notorious for peeling off.

Are you one of those people driving down the road with your rubber or vinyl side molding flapping in the wind? You can fix this problem once and for all, before your expensive molding strip ends up in the back of the highway cleanup crew’s truck.

First, pick up some adhesive remover and molding tape. Then you just need some denatured alcohol, a plastic putty knife and clean rags.

Tools Required

  • Rags

Materials Required

  • Adhesive remover
  • Double-stick molding tape

Project step-by-step (5)

Step 1

Clean old adhesive off the car

Saturate a cotton rag with adhesive remover and clean the old adhesive off the door. Do this in a well-ventilated area, preferably outside on the driveway.

Scrape the old adhesive with a plastic putty knife and continue applying remover and wiping until it’s all gone. Then clean the surface with denatured alcohol to remove residue. Don’t use abrasives. What you want is a smooth, blemish-free surface for the mounting tape.

a person scraping the old adhesive from a car window with a plastic putty knifeFamily Handyman

Step 2

Clean the molding

Thoroughly clean the back side of the body side molding by saturating it with adhesive remover and rubbing and scraping the old adhesive away. This can be a stubborn job, but take your time and stick with it. When the surface is free of adhesive, wipe it with a clean cloth dampened with denatured alcohol.

someone cleaning old adhesive from the back side of the car's body side moldingFamily Handyman

Step 3

Apply molding tape

Apply the double-stick molding tape to the areas that will contact the molding. Press the tape firmly along the length. For wide trim, use two strips as shown.

someone applying the double-stick molding tape on car doorFamily Handyman

Step 4

Expose the sticky surface

Peel the protective film off the tape to expose the sticky surface. Be careful not to touch it with your fingers or let any debris get on the tape.

someone peeling the protective film off the tape to expose the sticky surfaceFamily Handyman

Step 5

Apply the body side molding

Carefully position the body side molding, starting at one end, and then slowly push it onto the tape. The tape grabs firmly, so take your time.

Once the body-side molding is in place, push it firmly with a rag. Use a back-and-forth motion across the molding to bond the entire length.

a person applying/mounting the body side molding on carFamily Handyman