Can I Dye my Gray Canvas Green?

[reiner]

We got flat gray sail covers and other bits one the boat still in good nick. Our new Dodger and Bimini are Green. I would love to match the sail covers and the boom tent with the rest of the canvas.
I wonder if anybody here has dyed any canvas successfully.
Even if it is not a 100% match it would still look better.

Cheers
Reiner

[WMarineCanvas]

Although I haven't specifically tried to do this myself I do work with Sunbrella and other marine canvas everyday and I would strongly urge against trying to dye your covers a different color.

You might be able to get the canvas to absorb enough green dye although I doubt it would be more than a shadow of green over the existing grey color but acrylic yarns do not just suck up moisture very easily or at all. Most likely you will have a splotchy green-grey that will then become a disaster in the first rain even if you try to launder it a few times first. Then you end up with a deck covered in green dye, and the fiberglass will suck that stuff up surprisingly well!

If these covers are, as you said, in good shape I would imagine that the "flat grey" is much preferred to the end result of trying to dye them. If the covers are aging a bit then maybe get a quote for new covers and if you're comfortable with the replacement cost then try the dye and let it sit somewhere to test it while you spray it with a hose or let the rain get to it a time or two.

Just my opinion.

[reiner]

Originally Posted by WMarineCanvas

Although I haven't specifically tried to do this myself I do work with Sunbrella and other marine canvas everyday and I would strongly urge against trying to dye your covers a different color.

You might be able to get the canvas to absorb enough green dye although I doubt it would be more than a shadow of green over the existing grey color but acrylic yarns do not just suck up moisture very easily or at all. Most likely you will have a splotchy green-grey that will then become a disaster in the first rain even if you try to launder it a few times first. Then you end up with a deck covered in green dye, and the fiberglass will suck that stuff up surprisingly well!

If these covers are, as you said, in good shape I would imagine that the "flat grey" is much preferred to the end result of trying to dye them. If the covers are aging a bit then maybe get a quote for new covers and if you're comfortable with the replacement cost then try the dye and let it sit somewhere to test it while you spray it with a hose or let the rain get to it a time or two.

Just my opinion.

Thank you for your comeback. I had a feeling that it cold be a problem.
We will put up with the grey for a while and then get new covers made.
Cheers
Reiner