Upholstery - Faux Suede

[Randyonr3]

we're picking out fabric for the saloon and thinking of faux suede.. has anyone had experance with this fabric in a marine enviornment?

[model 10]

Looks like a cheap bordello when it's worn?

[Island Time O25]

Originally Posted by Guy

Looks like a cheap bordello when it's worn?

Well, tough economic times call for tough solutions.

BTW my friends-liveaboards have upholstered their main salon with faux suede. My feelings are mixed. On one hand they say it is easy to wash. On the other it is easily marred, especially by red wine, which I observed their guests tend to spill often enough. It has been 3 or 4 years and it still looks reasonably OK. Not great but considering that they are on a tight budget I guess it's the best they could do at this point.

Their other cabins they've done with, I don't know the technical name, more sturdy cotton fabric, may be brocade? And it looks great. But then again it does not get all the wine imbibing traffic.

[colemj]

If you are specifically referring to UltraSuede, then that is a very good material in the marine environment, wears well and red wine won't effect it at all. It is very expensive, though.

If you are referring to cheaper products, I would be careful.

Mark

[HappyMdRSailor]

Originally Posted by colemj

If you are specifically referring to UltraSuede, then that is a very good material in the marine environment, wears well and red wine won't effect it at all. It is very expensive, though.

If you are referring to cheaper products, I would be careful.

Mark

+1 on recommendation....

This is the stuff to get if you want that look... Wears fairly well... Looks fantastic... $$$ though...

[Randyonr3]

Originally Posted by Island Time O25

Well, tough economic times call for tough solutions.
.

If you are refering to it being cheap.. we must be thinking of two different types of fabric.
The upholstery fabric I've been looking at is $49.00 per yard and I'm figuring 15 yards, and thats with doing the bottom of the seat cushions and the backs of the back cushions in sunbrella..
For the seating area only, we,re hoping to spend less than $1000 with new foam included..

[Randyonr3]

Thanks guys, were thinking of going with an "Almond" color to brighten up the interior. with all the wood, I think it could use a lighter color..
Its just the wife and I but we're on the boat, traveling full time so was wondering about the wearability in a marine environment

[accomplice]

+1 for ultrasuede. Our 5 kids are messy and rough on everything. That stuff stands up well and is remarkably easy to clean.

[HappyMdRSailor]

Originally Posted by Randyonr3

If you are refering to it being cheap.. we must be thinking of two different types of fabric.
The upholstery fabric I've been looking at is $49.00 per yard and I'm figuring 15 yards, and thats with doing the bottom of the seat cushions and the backs of the back cushions in sunbrella..
For the seating area only, we,re hoping to spend less than $1000 with new foam included..

That's about right with the price (per/yd)... You'll be very happy with it for sure...

[Arthur Garfield]

How is this faux suede with sweating.sweat stains ? Also within salt water enviroment,UV ?

[Seaworthy Lass]

If it is ultrasuede you are referring to, it is brilliant. Luxurious to touch and sit on, non slippery, stain resistant, extremely hard wearing, easy to wash. The only drawback is the price. I would choose it over leather.

The first lot on our boat had 15 years of use (about 10 of these full time, including a circumnavigation by the previous owners) and was mid blue. No sign of any fading looking at the exposed areas compared to those with no exposure. I chose a lighter colour this time (platinum) and after six months of use have been extremely happy with it.

[svHyLyte]

Randy--

Friends of ours installed the stuff on the IP 465, in an "egg shell white" color. They liked it to begin with but within a few months...not so much. The last time we were aboard their boat they were using large bath towels as covers on the seats in the salon and planning on new, Sunbrella covers. Also, in re: cushions, you might find that using mesh on the undersides is superior to other materials for air circulation/drying et al.

svHyLyte

PS: What happened to the trip to Hawaii?

[BeaMewesed]

Ultra suede is amazing. I christened my friends new Beneauteau with coca cola, up in a jiff. Other parties had 6 years with no signs of use. Note: Tina and Jackie do pick up after themselves.

[Seaworthy Lass]

One tip with covers is to have them made removable (any buttons can be cut off and easily re-secured later using a long upholstery needle). No matter how stain resistant, fabric will in time become grubby and possibly salt impregnated. Ultrasuede washes and dries easily.

Velcro is better than zips that may in time corrode in a salt environment.

[cpa]

On my last boat I had dark blue Ultrasuede and it was amazing. I lived aboard for 8 years and it stayed in great shape. Not a single stain, except for a tiny speck of 5200 that never came off.

In the new boat I used cream colored Brisa in the main salon and on the nav. station seat. It seems nice and we will see how well it wears, but I liked the Ultrasuede a little more. I asked my cushion person about upgrading from Brisa to Ultrasuede and it was way too expensive for my budget.