Saturday, August 24, 2013

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.

Even when it comes to the fixtures and fittings used to attach these bits and pieces this salty environment can cause havoc. You cannot get the required grade of materials at your local hardware or craft store. You can get things that will suffice, but you will end up replacing them on a more regular basis. They protective coatings will not be to such a high specification, as a result corrosion will soon set in on inferior pieces.

As you would expect it is the external areas that will have the most wear and tear, although the interior will also need attention. Despite being protected from the elements over time they will show their age, although not as much or as quickly. They will even end up getting salt deposits from the clothes that you wear when topside brushing against the internal furnishings.

It often surprises people when they realise just how much can be changed when a boat is given a makeover. Even when the boat is tied up in a marina, or boatyard, covers are often fitted to at least the cockpit area. In such places the boat, and the covers, will still be subject to the salt spray and the bright sun light

Even when your boat is in use and the covers have been stowed there are various seats and cushions to consider. How many will depend largely on the size of your boat. You might even have a fore deck cushion. Your passengers go swimming and when they decide that they want to catch some more sun they recline on the fore deck cushion.

So now it should be obvious why such care needs to be taken with marine upholstery supplies. They have to meet stringent requirements to attain their high specification. They need to survive in all weather conditions, both good and bad. Just something else to consider when it comes time to carry out repairs.




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