How to make a shelf in a car with your own hands

I’ll share my version of an acoustic shelf and my experience of placing a subwoofer for a 22-year-old Camry...

When the question arose - to make a shelf (since I simply didn’t have my own, like most of the interior when I bought the car), I started thinking - where to place the sub? There were two subwoofers in stock and both were cabinet ones, but I really didn’t want to spoil the bounty of the trunk of my Kamryukha with this large wooden chest... And the quality of the subwoofer in the sedan - riding in the trunk - did not impress me at all (from experience in the driving cars)

I decided to pull the sub out of its nest and install it in the rear parcel shelf. In this version, it will play on the volume of the trunk, since I have not yet begun to assemble the body to the shelf. I noticed that on many Korean cars the sub is installed this way! I’ll try this option for now - if it doesn’t suit me, I’ll strain all my Kulibin brains and make a box. I didn’t make the box, not so much out of laziness, but because of space. The width - which the rear parcel shelf allowed to be cut - will force the box to be of the required volume, quite narrow, and therefore - almost or even to the very bottom of the luggage compartment - and I really wouldn’t want this.

Why didn’t you place the sub in the trunk in the fender well? Yes, firstly: he will start playing in the trunk, and not in the cabin, and therefore he cannot avoid what he so wanted to avoid; and secondly: the width of the trunk allows me to carry a snowboard across it, and for me this is extremely valuable, since I drive it three to four times a week.

In general, not finding other options, I settled on making a shelf out of plywood, which would kill two birds with one stone - the first, of course, is installing the sound, the second, I’ll make a shelf, since I simply don’t have one.

I took a piece of plywood of the required size (with a small margin)

After lengthy measurements, I cut it according to the preliminary shape.

Acoustic shelf in the trunk

The VAZ 2109 acoustic shelf can be easily and easily made on your own. This will be discussed in our article. An acoustic shelf on a VAZ 2109 is installed for a number of reasons, the main one of which is to create a clear and pure sound from the speaker system.

Advantages of an acoustic shelf

VAZ 2109 acoustic shelf

Today you can purchase an acoustic shelf in specialized stores. Its cost is not that high, although it is still recommended to do it yourself. In any case, whether the shelf is purchased or made with your own hands, it will provide advantages:

The acoustic shelf creates improved sound from the speakers.
Thanks to the shelf, rattling is significantly reduced and other unnecessary sounds are eliminated.
This shelf harmonizes perfectly with the interior of a car such as a VAZ 2109.
After installing the shelf in place of the standard rear panel, there is a unique opportunity to use the entire useful volume of the trunk to play music. In other words, in this case the luggage compartment plays the role of a kind of acoustic box.
The acoustic shelf protects from external attacks. Therefore, such an installation is called hidden. If everyone saw that you have expensive speakers in your car, the likelihood of theft would increase several times.
The shelf allows you to install speakers of any size. If you make a shelf yourself, this will give you even more possibilities.

Instructions for installing an acoustic shelf on a VAZ 2108-2114

Very easy installation, no additional modifications required. The acoustic shelf is designed to improve the sound quality of the acoustic system as a whole, as well as to eliminate unpleasant creaks, rattles and overtones when the car is moving. Instead of plastic sidewalls, wooden ones are installed, and speakers are attached to them. The main advantage of this design is that when the shelf is removed to transport large items, the speakers remain in the car. All necessary accessories are included.

In the trunk, remove the inner plastic lining and plastic sides, after first removing the seat belts.

Screw the seat belts back into place.
We install in place: the plastic lining is transverse (the bar at the trunk lock) and the plastic upholstery of the rear door pillars.
Install the wooden sidewall so that it goes under the seal near the glass, lifting it, and so that the inclined plane of the sidewall (with a triangle) lies between the transverse cladding and the seal.

Try on and mark the contours of the bracket with a pencil so that the long side of the bracket is on the shelf (between the beveled plane and the place for the speakers), and the short side is pressed against the body. Screw the bracket to the shelf with 3.5X25 self-tapping screws along the marks.

Try on and mark the contours of the corner with a pencil, placing the corner so that it is on a wooden rectangular spacer and pressed against the seat belt bracket, next to the standard place where the plastic side panel is attached. Screw the corner to the shelf with 3.5X25 self-tapping screws along the marks.

We mark places for drilling through the corners (on the seat belt bracket).
Drill the holes with a 3.6 mm drill bit.
Install the speakers so that the contact connectors are directed towards the front of the machine, onto 3.5X25 screws - 8 pcs.
Place the side panel in place, pressing it firmly under the glass seal. Secure the bracket with galvanized 4.2X16 self-tapping screws, and the small corner into the drilled holes with two 4.2X20 galvanized self-tapping screws.
Secure the inclined plane of the sidewall (with a triangle) with a 3.5X50 self-tapping screw, wrapping it into the lower edge of the inclined plane, transversely through the lining into the body iron.
Install the other side panel in the same way.
Install the alarm switch into the triangle hole on the beveled plane of the sidewall. By connecting the alarm wires to the limit switch (the limit switch must have a long thread).
Connect the wires to the speakers.
Install the trunk lining in its original places.
Cover the gap (created next to the semi-circular lug of the inclined plane) with fabric by removing several staples from the underside of the side panel.
Place the lid with the flat side facing the back of the seat.

What can a shelf be made from?

MDF shelf drawing

A common material for an acoustic shelf is MDF or multi-layer plywood. Be sure to cover the surface of these materials with carpet or other acoustic material to ensure compliance with the overall design of the interior. As for the area for installing speakers, they must be made so firmly that they completely eliminate rattling and vibration.

Making a shelf with your own hands

Acoustic shelf for VAZ 2109

So, if we decide to make a shelf with our own hands, then go ahead. A ready-made acoustic shelf costs about 1,000 rubles in a store. Why waste extra money if you can make everything yourself, spending some of your time and receiving inexpressible pleasure from the process. A homemade shelf has advantages over a purchased one, and it’s simply impossible not to notice.

Start

To make a shelf for a VAZ 2109, you will need to prepare.

Materials

Plywood or MDF.
Macroflex.
Glue (one can is enough).
Several meters of carpet.
Self-tapping screws.
Polyurethane foam.
Sanding paper.
Standard rear shelf made of plastic.
Small nails (furniture).
A simple pencil.
Tape measure or simple ruler.
Screwdriver.
Drill with drills.
Brush.
Construction stapler.

Tools

Note. As mentioned above, the ready-made standard shelf of the VAZ 2109 is used as a model. Therefore, it will need to be removed. A simple screwdriver, a little patience and time - the shelf is dismantled.

We place this very shelf, cleaned of dirt and dust, on a flat table.
We lay a sheet of chipboard on top.
Take a pencil and carefully trace the edges intended for the seat belts.
Draw ovals for the speakers with a pencil.

How to mark an acoustic shelf

Main stage of work

Acoustic shelf for VAZ 2109

This includes the manufacture of acoustic podiums, the construction of a box for seat belts, pasting and much more.

Podiums

We also make the base of the podiums from chipboard.
We work with a jigsaw.
To give the structure additional rigidity, you need supports made of bars measuring 20x40 mm. There should be several pieces of bars and they are inserted between the ovals using screws.

Note. The podiums, as mentioned above, are made on a separate piece of chipboard.

We place the podiums on a standard shelf and trace them with a pencil.
We also mark with a pencil the places of the round holes intended for air intake from the trunk.
Between the bars of the podium, voids appear that need to be filled with sealant. As for the holes inside the product itself, they are covered with cardboard. This will prevent the foam from falling out during the drying process.
Fill with polyurethane foam.

Making and installing an acoustic shelf in a Lada Priora with your own hands

The content of the article:

1. Making an acoustic shelf in a Lada Priora with your own hands

2. Major installation of an acoustic shelf in Lada Priora

Making an acoustic shelf in a Lada Priora with your own hands

The process has begun...

1. We drew out parts of the sidewalls, and exactly 3 parts - Upper, lower and rib (from the heel side). Then everything was cut out, fastened, tried on, and adjusted.

2. Installed fasteners from metal hangers in the right places using self-tapping screws.

3. We carried out the first fitting and installation of the side panels into the car.

4. Tomorrow, or rather today, it is planned to make the shelf and then cover it with carpet.

The sidewalls were made of 3 parts - the upper part on which the carpet is glued, the lower part - what is it for? and so that after the side panel is seated in its normal place, it sits normally on the seat belt unit. And the 3rd part - let's call it the “hump” - this part is installed from the rear of the side panel so that the gap between the shelf and the seat is not visible and for the normal passage of the seat belt from the luggage compartment into the car interior.

After all the parts of the side panels were cut out, they were fastened with self-tapping screws, and the “hump” was screwed to the main part of the side panel using metal hangers.

We tried on the first side panel - it fit like a original, there were small gaps in some places - just under the carpet)

Then they cut out the second one and repeated the steps.

We tried to fit the speakers into the side panels, as usual - from above, it turned out that we were a little wrong with the size of the holes for the speakers, but it was not scary, we just covered the holes with a secret mesh and covered them with carpet on top, and seated the column from below. How they covered it with carpet - glue was purchased for installation, and a construction stapler was also borrowed. The upper part of the side panel was coated with glue and a carpet was applied, then with a little effort the edges were tightened and stapled from below.

The result was amazing sidewalls, just like straight from the factory.

Then, using the same metal hangers, we secured them into the standard holes. To be honest, I was initially skeptical about these hangers - how would such parts hold heavy wafers made of chipboard and plywood. But my fears were in vain, the sides were firmly attached.

Then the shelf itself.

Since the sides were made according to the stock dimensions, they decided to make the shelf accordingly, i.e. We measured the dimensions using the stock shelf.

Measured and cut. At first we were a little wrong with the width, but thank God we didn’t cut it too much) we trimmed it a little more on the sides - the result is that it fits like a native one.

They sawed it in half, installed a piano hinge at the junction of the two parts - a shelf with a folding canopy)

They covered it with carpet using the same technology - glue and staples.

Installed in the intended place. At this point, at 8 pm, the two-day work was completed.

According to rough estimates, carpet, glue, hinge, screws, hangers cost about 500-600 rubles.

Without a jigsaw and a screwdriver, it’s better not to get involved in this at all.

2. Major installation of an acoustic shelf in Lada Priora

I haven’t read many posts about installing acoustic shelves in a hatchback - unfortunately, they are all attached directly to the body, on the corners, etc... I bought a shelf in the vs auto store https://vs-avto.ru/akusticheskie-polki-podiumy-i- koroba/akusticheskie-polki/vaz-2172hechbek-s-bokovinami/. I would like to say that the store is not bad and the shelf is very good. I ordered it for 6*9 speakers, they were installed on the bottom without any questions, and they stayed that way until today. Today I decided to open them - put them on top, install the complete grill, and then difficulties arose - they rest against the rear pillar trim. I had to cut it down with a jigsaw and move the speaker closer to the seats with its twist. It will also be necessary to carefully file down the middle - removable part of the shelf.

Well, now let’s move on to installing the shelf. It’s better to do it together, with a friend we steamed for as much as 5 hours. But everything turned out just fine.

1. We attach a metal plate to the shelf in this place

2. In the car body at the bottom of the rear pillar trim there is a square technological hole. We push an M5 bolt from inside the wing, always with a wide washer. Here it is better to use a long bolt, about 60-70 mm, in order to hold the bolt itself from turning with one hand, and use the other to turn the nut with the socket head. It turns out like this.

3. We move on to attaching the shelf from the front. To do this, we drill an additional hole to match the size of the bolt in the rear seat clamp mount. The square hole is there initially. We will use that too.

And here is the result:

Rear Mount

Front mount

The shelf holds quite firmly, but you shouldn’t sit and lie on it, of course. The seat mounting pins must be moved forward slightly using metal washers.

https://www.drive2.ru/l/7508226/

https://www.drive2.ru/l/4062246863888691584/, https://www.drive2.ru/l/288230376153210910/

Connecting a subwoofer to the standard radio of the Lada Priora

We got around to connecting the subwoofer. Which my sister gave me. I won't say it was easy. Difficulties with the manager

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Shelf reupholstery

Upholstery material

Reupholstering the acoustic shelf on a VAZ 2109 can be the most problematic part of the job. That is why we devoted a separate chapter to it in our publication. Every owner of a VAZ 2109 dreams of making the interior of their “nine” more comfortable and attractive. An acoustic shelf is not only an element that serves a practical purpose, but also a separate component of the entire interior. For this reason, she needs to be able to give a style that is beautiful and consistent with the overall design. The material most often used is carpet. On the other hand, if the interior itself is covered with leather or a substitute, or maybe Alcantara, covering the shelf with the same material will come in very handy.

Carpet reupholstery

Re-upholstering the shelf with carpet

Experts recommend paying special attention to working with carpet. The following points need to be taken into account:

This material does not stick together. In other words, it will be impossible to glue two pieces of this material together.
Carpet can take on any shape if you sprinkle a little water on it, and then dry it with a hairdryer after shaping it.
Carpet is best glued to chipboard or plywood using an aerosol compound.
The carpet will adhere firmly if the layer of glue is thin and evenly laid on the surface.

So let's get started:

We apply glue to the shelf (you can use not only an aerosol composition, but also Armenian glue Nairit, which also holds very well).

Note. Nairit holds firmly, but takes a long time to dry. It is recommended not to lay the carpet right away, but to wait until the glue dries a little and its adhesive functions increase.

Now you can lay the carpet and smooth the material from the center to the edges. This is done so that irregularities, if they appear, are removed to the edges.

Advice. It is recommended to work with gloves. This will make your work easier and your hands will remain clean. In addition, if you do not have the skill to do this kind of work, it is recommended to pull the shelf in parts: first one half, then the next.

We leave it to dry for a certain time (usually a day). To prevent the material from suddenly peeling off in some places during the drying process, some kind of weight is placed on top. This could be a bag of sand or just bricks.

Finished rear acoustic shelf

That's all. If the instructions are complicated and doubts arise, then it is better to entrust the work to specialists. On the other hand, you can learn everything with your own hands, so it’s worth the risk. During the work process, it is highly recommended to watch the video and study photo materials. Thus, the price for purchasing and installing an acoustic shelf in a VAZ 2109 will be significantly reduced, because you will only need to spend money on consumables.