What To Look For In Marine Upholstery Supplies

By Debra Cooley


For many people owning a boat is a dream come true, as many yearn to spend as much time on the water as possible. Over time things start to look a bit tired and worn out. Or maybe you just fancy a change of style and colour. Whatever the reason you need to be careful when selecting which fabrics and trims you decide to use. It really does pay to spend a bit of time over selecting your marine upholstery supplies.

There are many areas where boats are used and found. Almost all such areas will be sunny, and the surrounding water seems to magnify the sun's strength. In turn this added strength will cause fabrics to fade. Which gives a graphic indication about why care should be taken when looking for suppliers.

So not only should these fabrics hold their colour, but they should also be impervious to moisture. There will be plenty of salt spray about as your boat makes way through the sea. There will be spray from the tops of waves and even your own bow wave. Should any of this spray land on any of the fabric surfaces it will start to dry. This will leave salt crystals behind, and these crystals can damage normal fabrics.

This salt rich environment can also play havoc with the fittings used to secure things in place. You might think that you would be able to get the necessary parts at your local hardware store, or maybe even the craft store. It is true that you can, but there will not be the same protective finishes. Consequently, with these items being lower grade, they will corrode faster and also be more prone to failure.

As you would expect it will be the external areas that will receive the most wear due to the environment, yet the interior will also require attention. Even though they will not come under the direct effects of the environment, they will also suffer wear and damage. When you enter your cabin after being topside, the moisture on your clothes can be transferred to the cabin's furnishings.

Many people seem to think that there would not be much on a boat that could need replacing. When the boat is not in use there are often covers that are fitted. These could be fitted over the cockpit area and also over the fore deck. Even with the boat tied up alongside these covers will be subjected to strong sunshine and salt laden spray.

Whenever the boat is in use the covers get stowed away, and this exposes the seat covers and cushions to the elements. The number of cushions and covers will largely depend on the size of the vessel. Some will even have what is known as a foredeck cushion. This can be subjected to plenty of salt water as people relax here after they have been swimming.

So marine upholstery supplies need to be waterproof. They need to be of a high specification to withstand the corrosive environment. They shouldn't fade in direct sunlight. All good reasons to exercise extra care when it comes time for refurbishment.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment