Applying vinyl to your subwoofer box:
Vinyl comes in hundreds of different colors and textures — you can achieve literally any look you want. Good vinyl varies in price from $15/yard to $35/yard or more. It can be more expensive than carpet, but definitely worth the price, especially if you're covering an odd-sized or curved box, or want to match your upholstery or dash as closely as possible. You can buy vinyl at upholstery shops, or through online dealers like www.selectproducts.com.

To apply vinyl, you'll need the same basic tools as for carpet — adhesive, a staple gun, and a utility knife — plus a heat gun. Vinyl should be heated during application, so it can be stretched tight enough to eliminate wrinkles on curved surfaces. Heating and stretching vinyl takes practice, so buy some extra material and take a couple of test runs before you start on your project. Take your time with the application — make sure not to get the vinyl too hot, or it may bubble up or overstretch. With some practice, you're sure to come up with the techniques that work best for you.

Warren recommends that you use thick, high-quality vinyl that stretches in as many directions as possible. He also notes that "every single thing shows up with vinyl", so before you start to cover it, make certain that your box is extremely smooth — no bumps or lines (especially if you're applying the vinyl directly to the box's surface, with no padding in between). Use plastic body filler (Bondo®) to fill any holes, and take the time to sand everything smooth. The finished product will reflect the time and effort you put in.

Vinyl makes this sub/amp rack combo blend in seamlessly into the interior of this PT Cruiser.

Warren used vinyl on APC's project PT Cruiser, and you can see here how well it formed to the contours of the box, and to the raised Crutchfield logo he made of Dynamat (more on logos later in this article!).

A great way to change up the look with a vinyl-covered box is by padding it. Foam padding comes in thicknesses from 1/8" to 1" or more, so you can get just the look you're going for. Just like applying the vinyl itself, applying padding can take a little practice. Here's a tip from Warren — when applying padding, cut each piece so it's just shy of the box's edges. When you stretch the vinyl over top, the foam will compress to the edges for a smooth, professional look. Using the same glueing technique as for carpet, first adhere the foam to the box, and then the adhere vinyl to the foam.