Acoustic shelf for Kalina hatchback and how to make it

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.

What are the advantages of a homemade shelf in a hatchback compared to a purchased one?

1. A homemade rear shelf will fit perfectly into the dimensions of the trunk,
2. It is possible to choose the wiring diagram for the speaker system yourself, in which the sound of all musical compositions without exception will cause frantic joy,

Attention! If you decide to make a shelf manually, then it is best to choose natural wood for the body, which will be treated with a special moisture-resistant compound. This will significantly increase the durability of the structure

Unlike purchased models, independent samples will not cause various rattling noises, which can be observed in 75% of cases of installing standard shelves in the trunk or sidewall. Using your dimensions and stencil, you can significantly increase the internal space inside the car, which will have a better effect on the sound of music in Priora.

What do you need to know before making an acoustic shelf for a Priora hatchback?

1. For upholstery, experts advise using materials made from artificial and natural leather. This will give the shelf a solid look, and a high-quality finish will completely hide the new speakers from your fellow travelers.
2. By choosing the right size and shape of the shelf, you can achieve maximum effect in sound and bass, even when purchasing budget speakers for Priora,
3. When creating a layout for the rear parcel shelf, you must first calculate its dimensions according to the diameter and dimensions of the purchased speakers. Otherwise, at the installation stage you will have to redo the assembled circuit again.

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.

Product description:

Very easy installation, no additional modifications required. The shelf is designed to improve the sound quality of the speaker 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. Acoustic shelves in gray and black are more expensive than graphite, since imported carpet is used for their covering!

• Base material: plywood/MDF
• Upholstery material: carpet
• Upholstery color: graphite, gray or black
• Speaker holes: 6×9″, 13cm or 16cm

Please indicate the size of the holes for the speakers when placing your order in the “Comments on the order” field.

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.

What are the advantages of a homemade shelf in a hatchback compared to a purchased one?

Those who decided to equip not only the rear shelf, but also the sides of the car, highlight the following advantages of making all the components themselves:

1. A homemade rear shelf will fit perfectly into the dimensions of the trunk,
2. It is possible to choose the wiring diagram for the speaker system yourself, in which the sound of all musical compositions without exception will cause frantic joy,
3. You can choose the body and upholstery material that will be used to create the shelf
4. Unlike purchased models, independent samples will not cause various rattling noises, which can be observed in 75% of cases when standard shelves are installed in the trunk or sidewall,
5. Using your dimensions and a stencil, you can significantly increase the internal space inside the car, which will have a better effect on the sound of music in the Priora.

What do you need to know before making an acoustic shelf for a Priora hatchback?

1. For upholstery, experts advise using materials made from artificial and natural leather. This will give the shelf a solid look, and a high-quality finish will completely hide the new speakers from your fellow travelers.
2. By choosing the right size and shape of the shelf, you can achieve maximum effect in sound and bass, even when purchasing budget speakers for Priora,
3. When creating a layout for the rear parcel shelf, you must first calculate its dimensions according to the diameter and dimensions of the purchased speakers. Otherwise, at the installation stage you will have to redo the assembled circuit again.

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.

Refinement of the station wagon shelf

Acoustic shelf lada priora

You can start modifying the standard factory shelf if you don’t want to change it. On a station wagon, the factory shelf does not have a straight surface for mounting speakers. What is the point of revision? Ensure a flat surface, that's right. The material in this case will also be plywood, the thickness of which is 20 mm. As for the width, 35 cm is what you need.

Let's get started:

• We cut off that part of the factory shelf where the speakers will be inserted with a sharp knife;
• We cut out the outline of the factory shelf from plywood;
• We glue the additional option to the back of the factory shelf using epoxy.

• Acrylic-based putty (for wood) will help hide all seams and irregularities, and sandpaper will clean the surfaces until they are smooth;
• At the end, we tighten the entire resulting shelf with carpet and, just in case, weigh it down with vibration material.

Acoustic shelf without sidewalls for Lada Kalina hatchback

Order goods by phone

To avoid bank commissions or cash on delivery fees, pay for your order with a bank card, using Yandex.Money, QIWI wallet or WebMoney. Your savings will be from 3% to 5%. Acoustic shelves are necessary to improve the sound quality of the car's acoustic system and to eliminate various creaks and rattles that occur when the car is moving. Instead of plastic sidewalls, wooden ones are installed and then the speakers themselves are attached to them. The installation of the speakers is hidden, in other words, the speakers are mounted from below, so the speaker system installed in your car is not visible.

A big plus of the presented design is the elementary installation. Designed for 6x9″ (15 x 23 cm) oval speakers

It is made of plywood and covered with carpet. Included : shelf + supports Color : Graphite Manufacturer : Tolyatti

Applicability: VAZ 1119 – Lada Kalina hatchback

Acoustic shelf with sides for 1.6 thousand rubles

Among the advantages of such a shelf are simple installation, without the use of additional modifications and binders. So, instead of the usual plastic sides, this shelf uses wooden ones. The speakers, in turn, are fixed on them. But the main advantage of such a shelf is that when it is removed, and this can happen often if the owner periodically transports large cargo in the trunk, the speakers (see How to choose speakers for a car radio on your own) will remain in place.