Best fabrics for seating and kitchen tops

[anglooff]

I am debating buying sunbrilla (upholstry weight) for sofas and seats. Located in the tropics so lots of swimming and wet swimsuits. Has anyone used them and has comments or is there alternatives people would recommend.

Finally the kitchen is being upgraded. Which top surface/laminate would you recommend. It will get a lot of work so must be hard working.

I am located in Venezuela so an international name/type would be more likely to be available.

thanks in anticipation

Alan

[mikereed100]

Alan,

Hard to beat Formica for kitchen tops.

Mike

[anglooff]

Its true that Formica has come leaps and bounds over the years... However I was hoping that someone would have replied.. This !!!!!!!! material is brilliant, doesnt scratch, hard wearing, looks good, easy to clean. Somehow my earlier memories of formica have prejudiced me.

By the way, what material do you cover your sofas/seats with? Does it work....If so is it comfortable. Again from a long time ago, the many boats I crewed with, few seemed to get the balance right. Either they were like sitting... or worse sleeping on tarpaulin or were initially comforable or constantly damp.

I sailed North European waters and it was a constant problem. Two to three decades later the technological improvements have been massive.

Actually i know that it was a pretty mundane subject, however I really believed that as everyone would have both a kitchen and seats, either they would have a reply, this works for me or stay away from this.

Thanks for your reply....Perhaps mine will instigate a better response within the Forum.

As they say in your part of the world... have a nice day!

[gosstyla]

Granicoat as some good characteristics; very light, realitively easy to form into irregular shapes, realitively strong/hard.

Disadvantanges: best professionally installed; need to carefully select color/pattern some look much better than others.

[Pblais]

We used a woven sunbrella pattern on the last boat therre are some pictures in my gallery. The woven patterns look great and are all the same solution dyed thread used for the outdoor canvas. They look quite rich and don't cost an arm and a leg. They use them on high end patio furniture alot too. be careful with stripe patterns as you get a lot of waste.

[Evan]

On our last boat we used a cotton upholstery fabric we liked. It breathes, and with zippered covers we would throw them in a washing machine when they got too soiled (mostly from sweaty bodies). No salty swim suits allowed on the cushions! A nice solution but this time we will use a poly / cottom blend for more durability.

[Sandero]

Laminates... Formica types are fine, but they do scratch and wear.

Solid surface like Corian can be sanded and the scratches removed. They're expensive but quite long lasting and look great.

Granite might be a bit heavy but again you can't beat it for durability.

Stainless steel laminated over wood core?

I would avoid tiles which introduce joints where muck can live.

We selected a velvet fabric which is very soft and attractive and water repellent. I use sunbrella outside, but prefer something with a better "hand" for upholstery. I would avoid patterns like floral prints or geometrics. Stick with something easy on the eyes. Make sure it is scotch guarded.

jef
sv shiva

[bottleinamessage]

When I re-did the galley counters in Far Niente, I used granite tiles
(12 x12). They were 3/8" thick, so the fiddles remain in place and functional. I made templates of the tiles that needed to be cut and a local tile shop cut them for me for $100. I scuffed up the formica and used 4200 to set them. I didn't grout the joints, but used a colored caulking as I expected some "boat flex". It's been 3 or 4 years since I installed them and it's great. You can see the finished galley on our blog.

[bottleinamessage]

I selected ultra suede for the cushions in the salon. I'm not thrilled. After a few years of, what I would consider, light use, the material is beginning to "pill" badly. Haven't decided yet what to use when they're recovered.



Travels of SV Far Niente

[Harriet]

Our salon cushions are upholstered in ultraleather and we love it. It is extremely comfortable, easy to clean (just don't get ink stains on them - they do not come off). And remarkably, it is no hotter or stickier than regular fabric. FWIW, it is available in Trinidad, so I am guessing you can probably get it in VZ as well.

As for counter tops, we have a solid surface material called Swanstone. It is lighter weight than Corian (important for our catamaran), and it can be sanded/buffed.

[mikereed100]

I still have to stick up for formica. The only problems I have had with it over 20 years are that it bubbles if you set fire to it, dulls if you get carbuerator cleaner on it and scratches if cut limes on it. I have stopped setting fire to the galley, clean the carbuerator in the cockpit and use a cutting board and now it looks great!

When I reupholstered I chose the fabric color based on what I was most likely to spill on it and so ended up with "burgundy" (carbuerator cleaner is clear). This strategy has served me well over the years as repeated applications of red wine go unnoticed. The fabric was just something I got at the upholstery shop which has also held up very well.

Mike

[anglooff]

Thank you all for your impute. Some very interesting suggestions.Some i have never heard off, but if available would seem perfect. I feel that on my sofas that sunbrilla lightweight woven, will probably work well and I can get some good deals on ebay and have someone bring it here.

The kitchen top, I shall go with a combination formica/ tiles as a place to put hot pots and try to work in chopping board. They all are available here.

Many thanks

Alan

[Dave-Fethiye]

FWIW - I have granite worktops on my boat. They are very hard wearing and all the paint that I managed to spill on it came off easily. The thickness is half inch so its not too heavy.

[Wildrice]

I had my seat cushion covered in 1968 doge charger fabric at a auto upholstry shop, also new bimini and two queen bunk cushion's for the two cabins in sunbrellia fabric. total cost $1125.00 u.s. This also included new foam in the salon

[Pericles]

angloof,

Here is the Formica site. Their laminates have come a very long way now.

Formica Limited

Pericles