HI AllI'm looking for ways to flatten, and keep flattened, the interiorhardboard-and-vinyl panels on my recently-acquired '64 MorrisTraveller.At some stage in the past the old girl's let in rainwater, and some ofthe interior panels have buckled. The particularly bad areas are alongthe top of the doors, just under the window seal - where the panel isstanding a one to two cm away from the door in some places.Rather than replace the whole lot (I think they're probably original)- I was wondering about ways of removing the panels and clamping themflat, to permanantly remove the 'wavyness'...Should I be thinking about 'steaming' the panel, or maybe even usingsome of that 'wood hardener' to stiffen the panel once it's clamped..?Anybody done this - or is it a waste of time ??Many thanksAdrian

Would it be possible to steam them so theyr'e soft, then contact-adhesive them to a sheet of plywood behind to give them stiffness, doing it all in a vacuum press?Owain

How to flatten hardboard..?

Jun 19, 2007 22 Replies

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Stuart Noble 19 years ago

The "fibre board" I've seen around is is used for notice boards etc. Takes a drawing pin easily but too soft for much else. Oil tempered hardboard stays flat but is quite a lot dearer than the standard stuff

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Cicero 19 years ago

================================== This is a different type of fibre board. It's not like the thick (1/2") notice board stuff. Nor is it hardboard. It looks and works a bit like the material used for those old cheap fibre suitcases - it might actually be the same thing.

You'll see it in the dash and door panels of old Minis and in the boot linings of cheap old cars.

Cic.

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Alan Holmes 19 years ago

Don't use a clamp, put some soft cushion material on the thing and place heavy weights on it.

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