$11 DIY Cargo Cover
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Member
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 178
From: GA
$11 DIY Cargo Cover
Per Rottboy's request, here is the $11 DIY Cargo Cover that should be easily repeatable anywhere in the US.
Not wanting to shell out $200 for what was essentially a cloth-covered piece of fiberboard. I decided to get a $11 sheet of fiberboard and make my own damn cargo cover.
What it is:
-Cheap
-Effective
-Relatively Subtle
What it isn't:
-Factory
-Pretty
Step 1: Go to Michael's, walk past the section with regular foam core boards, and head straight to the custom framing department. Tell the nice lady at the counter that you need a huge sheet of black foam-core board. They have a 40"x60" sheet for $10 and change plus tax. This is large enough to give you a template cut and a final (bonus: this board is large enough to show a friend just how versatile your little hatchback is).
Step 2: cut a rectangle from the foam core that's about 45"x14" with a sharp new box-cutter and start whittling it down bit-by-bit to get it to fit in the cargo cover tray. This will take some time and your entire vocabulary of swear words.
Step 3: If you are as useless as I am, you will have some gaps that need filling where you cut too much away. tape some cardboard pieces in place to get a nice template.
Step 4: place your completed template on top of your fresh piece of board and cut a nice clean piece from your template.
Step 5: test fit and trim as necessary. Mine fit very snugly the first time - yay.
I put a flashlight below the cover so you can see that there are still some small gaps, but with my 40% tint and no light in this bay, it would not be possible to see anything through these gaps. Obviously the more patient you are, the cleaner your result will be. I am not a patient man.
The board is plenty rigid enough to hold its own weight, but not much more. It might not be for you, but this is functional enough to keep curious eyes off my precious cargo for now until the price on the OEM piece comes down.
Hope this helps.
-Blake
Not wanting to shell out $200 for what was essentially a cloth-covered piece of fiberboard. I decided to get a $11 sheet of fiberboard and make my own damn cargo cover.
What it is:
-Cheap
-Effective
-Relatively Subtle
What it isn't:
-Factory
-Pretty
Step 1: Go to Michael's, walk past the section with regular foam core boards, and head straight to the custom framing department. Tell the nice lady at the counter that you need a huge sheet of black foam-core board. They have a 40"x60" sheet for $10 and change plus tax. This is large enough to give you a template cut and a final (bonus: this board is large enough to show a friend just how versatile your little hatchback is).
Step 2: cut a rectangle from the foam core that's about 45"x14" with a sharp new box-cutter and start whittling it down bit-by-bit to get it to fit in the cargo cover tray. This will take some time and your entire vocabulary of swear words.
Step 3: If you are as useless as I am, you will have some gaps that need filling where you cut too much away. tape some cardboard pieces in place to get a nice template.
Step 4: place your completed template on top of your fresh piece of board and cut a nice clean piece from your template.
Step 5: test fit and trim as necessary. Mine fit very snugly the first time - yay.
I put a flashlight below the cover so you can see that there are still some small gaps, but with my 40% tint and no light in this bay, it would not be possible to see anything through these gaps. Obviously the more patient you are, the cleaner your result will be. I am not a patient man.
The board is plenty rigid enough to hold its own weight, but not much more. It might not be for you, but this is functional enough to keep curious eyes off my precious cargo for now until the price on the OEM piece comes down.
Hope this helps.
-Blake
Last edited by NotBlake; Oct 4, 2014 at 10:05 PM.
Thread Starter
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Member
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 178
From: GA
Thanks, I'm considering doubling up the thickness and wrapping it with some cheap black interior fabric and just being done with it.
Member
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 217
From: Concord, NH
I had built one for my 2010 using strapping. It cost a bit more than yours, but it was somewhat weight bearing- my old Wheaten Terrier would sit on-top of it back there on rides. I liked the strapping as I could do one piece at a time (I'm a perfectionist). I ran a piece under and opposite (following the direction of the car) to attach them to underneath. I even put hinges 2/3 of the way back so mine could open.
I tried to spray paint it black, but the paint looked poor on the wood, so I covered it with a towel (stapled to it). If I were to do it for my 2015, I'd buy a can of paint and a roller and brush and do it right.
I tried to spray paint it black, but the paint looked poor on the wood, so I covered it with a towel (stapled to it). If I were to do it for my 2015, I'd buy a can of paint and a roller and brush and do it right.
Thread Starter
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Member
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 178
From: GA
UPDATE: I'm happy to report that when viewing it from the outside or even from inside the passenger compartment, it's pretty impossible to tell that it doesn't belong there and you definitely can't see anything past it. You'd only really know it wasn't factory if you opened the hatch.
This will totally work until Honda come to their senses on the OEM cargo cover.
This will totally work until Honda come to their senses on the OEM cargo cover.
Member
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 321
From: Md
Ford C-Max
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Member
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 647
From: San Diego - Carlsbad, CA
Thanks for the tips and inspiration. I paid $15 with tax for the 40x60 sheet and made a cardboard template first, cut to shape with a minor amount of trimming, added some gaffers tape to the perimiter and installed.
I think it came out pretty nice and it wedges in nicely without any velcro. Just bend slightly in the middle up or down to remove and chuck out of the way for the larger costco runs.
I have enough left over to make another one in a few years if this one gets dinged up or damaged.
I think it came out pretty nice and it wedges in nicely without any velcro. Just bend slightly in the middle up or down to remove and chuck out of the way for the larger costco runs.
I have enough left over to make another one in a few years if this one gets dinged up or damaged.
Member
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 360
From: IL
This is great, I'll probably make one of these, too. Does anyone know if the OEM cover is retractable? The one we had in our Forester was great because of that feature. I would only even consider the Honda one if it was retractable. I've seen it for around $160 on one of the OEM accessory websites, but $15 is way better than $160. 
Thanks for the guide, I think it will match my front liners wonderfully.
Thanks for the guide, I think it will match my front liners wonderfully.
