Understanding Car Door Moulding

When something offers both a practical purpose while also being decorative then it seems too good to be true but in the case of the Door Moulding, it is true. The door mouldings on a car are used for protection against scratches and scrapes but are also a decorative feature.

These parts are expandable and can be made of many different types of materials like plastic, aluminium and steel. Chrome finished mouldings can accent the look of the car and are widely used in many vehicles.

The Door Mouldings stretch the length of the door and are placed where the door protrudes outwards the most as this section or area of the door would be most prone to scratches and scrapes.

The door mouldings are primarily distinguished by their location of application on the door. They are:

1. Body Side Moulding: These go on the sheet metal across the widest section of the door as that area would be most prone to damage.
2. Door Edge Mouldings: These run along the edge of the door to provide protection from striking against other doors or obstacles.
3. Door Pillar Post or Car Door Trim: These are mounted on the B-pillars of the door for added protection and visual interest.
4. Door Sill Protector: These are affixed on the door sills to provide a decorative and protective feature.

The main purpose of a moulding is to prevent direct scratches from other vehicles and traffic while on the road or in a parking lot trying to squeeze into a tight space. They prevent the object from touching the paint on the door and can be very useful in daily use vehicles. All this is done while also offering a distinctive look that can be made to match that of the car’s other accessories.

These are usually made of plastic or rubber as they are an expandable trim piece on the car and with sustained usage can get deteriorated and weathered due to the elements and daily abuse. Some have chrome plating for added styling that will scrape off after long and can decrease the overall look of the car while reducing protection.

After long the door mouldings on the car will show signs of deterioration and lose its strength and can fall off the door due to the glue being dried up. They also crack on impacts. These are mainly used for protection purposes and hence replacing them would not only increase protection but also enhance the overall styling of the vehicle.

To avoid scratching the precious paintwork on the car while removing the Door Mouldings and to refit it, make sure to use the following tools:

• Gloves
• Screwdriver
• Plastic Scraper
• Heat Gun

If you know which car parts brand suits the best for your Door Mouldings, then it would save a lot of your decision making time. What we believe is that picking a particular brand would always be helpful in reducing the clutter, and at the same time would make it easier for the customers to find what they are actually looking for. That’s why we have listed out some top brands for Door Mouldings below as follows:-

For a custom look that also adds structural protection to the vehicle consider buying other mouldings and related parts such as:

• Fender Moulding
• Car Door Shell
• Grille Moulding
• Front Bumper Moulding
• Rear Bumper Moulding
• Tailgate Mouldings

Protective mouldings on every part of the vehicle are sacrificial elements that serve to protect the bodywork and paint of the vehicle from scratches, dings and dents and hence require no maintenance but replacement after prolonged use. They can be found in many different materials like ABS plastic, polished stainless steel, or chrome-plated and the price may vary accordingly.

Changing the door moulding requires a little persistence and the right tools. Follow along these steps for an easy removal process:

• Use a plastic scraper and insert it between the door and the moulding and gently scrape off the moulding from the tape underneath. This will require a little persistence but should come right off. Alternatively, you can use a heat gun or a hairdryer to heat the surface of the moulding which will warm up the glue and help reduce the effort required to remove the moulding.
• Once the moulding is off and if the tape is still adhered to the surface of the vehicle, use a plastic scraper to remove all the gunk before installing the new moulding.
• To apply the new moulding, use 3M double-sided tape and stick the moulding in line with the tape. Apply a little pressure to make sure the adhesion is strong.