【Heat Prevention】Can you make it yourself!? Challenge to create a front windshield sunshade with materials gathered from Daiso

The car sunshade is essential for coping with the summer heat. Since commercially available sunshades can sometimes let in a bit of light through gaps, I decided to DIY a sunshade tailored to my beloved car.

Creating a sunshade with materials bought at Daiso

The items I prepared are as follows. Basically, I gathered everything at Daiso, but I purchased the eyelets and the punch at a craft store. That craft store, it's disappearing rapidly now, isn't it? I tried visiting about three places, relying on my memory, thinking "It should be in that building," but all were closed. I should have properly checked Google Maps before going.

＜Materials＞
・Aluminum sheet 160×90cm (220 yen)
・Suction cup diameter 4cm (110 yen)
・Eyelet outer diameter 12mm, inner diameter 7mm (440 yen)
・Eyelet punch (495 yen)
・Garbage bag 45L (110 yen)
・Round rubber φ0.9mm×10m (110 yen)

＜Tools to be used＞
・Scissors
・Marker
・Spray bottle
・Hammer
・Cellophane tape

Since tools like scissors for cutting and a hammer for eyelets are needed, you need to buy them if you don’t have them at home.

1. Mold the front windshield and cut out the aluminum sheet.

First, thoroughly spray the windshield with water, and then stick the cut and spread garbage bag tightly onto the sides and bottom. Due to a shortage of naphtha, white garbage bags were not available, so I reluctantly used a black garbage bag, but it was adequate as long as I was careful with the pen color I used afterward.

Since turning on the air conditioning makes it easy to peel off, make sure to turn it off while working. Once attached, draw a line along the edge of the glass with a pen.

Peel off the mold made from the garbage bag and cut the aluminum sheet according to the mold. I thought there might be some discrepancies, so I cut it a bit larger. Although I wondered if a cutter would be easier to use, the front windshield size is large, so scissors are recommended.

Oops… It tore while I was cutting the rearview mirror section. That’s due to using a thin aluminum sheet. Since this area is where light easily penetrates, it’s a bit shocking. I need to cut carefully and slowly.

2. Create holes for the suction cups with eyelets

Next is the hole drilling work to attach the suction cup. After making a small hole with scissors, insert the grommet, and fix it by striking with a hammer. I worked on a cushion mat, but… nothing changed.

When I checked the instructions again, it seemed that striking on a hard surface was the key. So, I tried again on a concrete surface. As a result, the grommet was attached beautifully, much better than before. It seems that the hardness of the base was the point of success.

3. Once the suction cup is attached and fixed, it’s complete.

After that, I passed a rubber band through the suction cup to secure it. I was worried it might come off, but if you tie it double, it won’t budge at all, and the stability is perfect.

I attached my homemade sunshade to my beloved car.

I tried installing it on the front windshield. I'll make minor adjustments where the size doesn't fit at this timing. It seems that cutting it slightly larger paid off, as it is firmly covered along the edges, preventing light from coming in.

Hmm. There is indeed light leakage from the part that has torn. If I secure the cut-out part above the rearview mirror with Velcro or something, it seems that the fit will improve even more. There is still room for improvement here.

From the outside, it fit so well that it's hard to believe it was homemade. The cost was around 1500 yen, and the entire front windshield is well covered, so I am very satisfied with the finish. Making this homemade sunshade took just under an hour. However, the author was not familiar with how to use the eyelets, and ended up accidentally tearing the sheet, which led to a series of hectic moments. I think I can finish it more quickly next time.

And above all, the affection that arises from having made it myself through hard work is special.

Handmade sunshade is stored with a rope hook

One minor concern while using the sunshade is where to place it while driving. I want to keep it in a location where I can grab it easily as soon as I park, but I need to avoid having it in the way while driving. So, I bought Daiso's "hanging rope hook" (110 yen).

The "hanging rope hook" can be attached to the headrest, allowing it to be hung while folded. Being here means you don't have to place it at your feet or in the back seat, making it easy to grab right away! It saves space and keeps the car interior organized. Of course, you can install it wherever you like, so you can enjoy a comfortable drive with family or a partner.

Search grommet set on Amazon