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If you're looking to reupholster parts of your boat, like its seating, then you need to choose the right kind of fabric for the job. Specialised marine-grade fabrics are a safe option. Even if your seats are enclosed inside your cabin, they have to be resilient enough to cope with life on a boat.

What makes marine upholstery fabrics special and why should you use them?

What Are Marine-Grade Fabrics?

Marine upholstery fabrics are made to fit in with sea and water conditions. These fabrics are strong and sturdy; they also use specialised manufacturing processes and coatings to help them cope in their environment.

So, for example, marine fabric might come with built-in weather protection. From a water perspective, you can buy fabrics that are waterproof and stain-resistant. Some also have antifungal and antibacterial coatings. These features keep the upholstery dry and free from water-related problems like mould.

Sunshine can also be a problem for fabrics that spend most of their time outdoors. So, many marine products have UV protective coatings added to them as well.

What Are the Benefits of Using Marine-Grade Fabrics?

Regular fabrics can't withstand a marine environment for long. Even if your upholstery is inside, factors like salt in the air, constant exposure to sunlight and water contact from people using the seats when they haven't dried off can cause damage.

For example, if a regular fabric comes into contact with damp, salty air a lot, then the fabric may start to lose some if its strength. It might become brittle. Salt water can leave salt stains on it that are hard to clean off.

Plus, if the fabric is cycling between being wet, damp and dry, then it might start to turn mouldy. You won't want to sit on the seats; the damage might also spread underneath the fabric.

If things get really bad, then you won't just have to replace your covering fabric; you might need to put in new cushions on your seats, benches and loungers.

Marine-grade products last longer and have fewer problems in these conditions. Their built-in protective features don't just look after the fabric itself; they also protect the seats underneath.

So, if you use marine upholstery, you get a better-looking solution for longer both in your covers and the seats themselves. You'll have a longer wait before you need to replace your upholstery again.

To find out more about marine upholstery and the best options for your project, talk to a boat trimmings company.