New Fabric for Settee - HELP?!

[schoonerdog]

So we put it off figuring our son would trash the settee anyhow as he went through the toddler years. Turned out to be quite true. Now the cushions are SO worn we have actual holes (which Zach thinks are places to store treasure, thus rendering the holes larger every day).

Currently the fabric is a leather (or faux leather) -- dull beige blah.

We thinking of making the switch to red. Wondering what a nice looking/ feeling fabric would be that will hold up to kid abuse. We live aboard full time so it gets the every day rub.

I have heard ultrasuede and Sunbrella are pretty popular -- was hoping for pros and cons on those + other ideas.

Thanks!

(Schoonerdog's wife, Cindy)

[Tempest245]

I used Sunbrella fabric 2 years ago, I'm pretty happy with it for looks and durabilty. You can view choices on their website. My fabric is not soft like ultrasuede.

The boat show">Annapolis boat show usually has several vendors that show up with alot of fabric books.
JSI from Florida is one, I think there a few shops in your area though. There's some really nice stuff out there.

[DeepFrz]

See also this thread. There may also be other threads worth reading. A search on fabric will find it.

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...s-22806-2.html

[Shoalcove]

We bought an end roll of synthetic olifin type upholstery fabric at a fabric store for less than $100 and did our cushions. It's got a subtle pattern that hides dirt a bit and stands up well to our two kids and the dog. Worked for us. Good luck!

[SeaKing]

Originally Posted by Tempest245

I used Sunbrella fabric 2 years ago, I'm pretty happy with it for looks and durabilty. You can view choices on their website. My fabric is not soft like ultrasuede.

they have upholstery grade now, in patterns and matching colors. It is softer than "bimini" sunbrella

[Evan]

We used some poly/cotton blend on our cushions on our last boat. On this boat we might go with fake Ultrasuede because it wears so well. I've sat on a lot of interior Sunbrella and since it's an acrylic it doesn't breathe very well. I'm not a big fan of it.

[MarkJ]

Hi Cindy,


Nicolle redid our linen in quite a bright red and wow it works well!
So be brave and go bold

Mark

[donradcliffe]

We tried the exterior sunbrella, and had a lot of problems keeping it clean--you need a pattern to hide the stains.

[Sandero]

I have some sort of velvet plush. Very comfy and elegant in the below decks cushions. The V costs about $200 to re do. It seems to hold up well. I don't care for the ultrasuede and the faux leather YUCK.

[albaris]

We are in the process of having our cushions redone as I type this.
We choose to go with Sunbrella's Yachting Collection, which is very nice. There are quite a few different patterns available and you can see them all on Sunbrellas website.
We purchased the fabric from Outdoortextiles.com and then contracted with a local upholstery shop to do the work.
The material runs in the $30-35 per yard area.
Check it out.

[Tempest245]

Originally Posted by SeaKing

they have upholstery grade now, in patterns and matching colors. It is softer than "bimini" sunbrella

Yes, I used the Upholstery grade fabric not the bimini grade. It is softer than bimini fabric, just not as soft as some of the ultra suedes and more cotton blends. The undersides are a different mildew resistant fabric.
All cushions have hidden ( non Metallic ) zippers for easy removal and cleaning.

[schoonerdog]

Originally Posted by Evan

We used some poly/cotton blend on our cushions on our last boat. On this boat we might go with fake Ultrasuede because it wears so well. I've sat on a lot of interior Sunbrella and since it's an acrylic it doesn't breathe very well. I'm not a big fan of it.

Alright Captain Bargain Hunter, let's find us some on-the-cheap ultra-suede-ish deal, eh?

[Hud3]

Cindy,

Our 2001 Island Packet has UltraLeather on the cushions. They look practically brand-new after a lot of use during the almost seven years we've owned the boat. The fabric is extremely durable and easy to clean. Of course, we haven't have a Zach clone hopping around on them. Ours are a color that they call "Brick". Kind of a deep burgundy red shade--the photo below doesn't do it justice. Sailrite sells the fabric.

[bobfnbw]

Our plan is ultraleather brisa solie.
It is uv resistant, mold resistant. It looks and feels great.
Its pricy but if you look around you can find a better deal.
For me, spending a few bucks more on this is well worth it.

[schoonerdog]

What about an ultrasuede knock-off? like THIS?
How can you tell if it's any good? I know nothing about fabric...