Reupholstering the Saloon

[Red Sky]

Hi everyone, I’m looking into reupholstering the saloon and I’m looking for feedback on fabrics. Sunbrella, faux leather or ultra suede. Durability, clean-ability and comfort specifically. The good & the bad, give it to me. Thanks.

[Paul L]

Here's a thread with some evaluations
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...her-84799.html

[Red Sky]

Got the estimate for Ultra suede...$7000+[emoji33]

[travellerw]

Bought a cut off piece of ultra-suede from e-bay. Was enough to do my entire salon. Cost about $200 including shipping to St. Thomas.

Its been a year now and really like it. It cleans easy and is comfortable. However, since we are full time live aboards (2 adults and 5 kids), it gets abused. A couple of the cushions are starting to show wear at the edges already. However, one of us sit on those cushions everyday for usually 5 hours.

[BigNut]

We found ultrasuede hard to slide along, as in down a table. The colour was awful, so we are currently upgrading with Sunbrella upholstery material. SWMBO is a good seamstress, so we are DIY. (Or, at least DIHerself!)

[JPA Cate]

Sunbrella lasts quite well as a cushion cover, however, do not go for piping on it. Sunbrella is woven from very short fibers of acrylic, and if used for piping, chafes badly. Sunbrella make quite a wide variety of upholstery materials, many colors and patterns. Ime, it is washable, however, oil borne stains are difficult to impossible to remove. The white sunbrella is really prone to mildew, whereas our dark red, medium gray, and the bright blue, when we had that, do not.

This boat has leather, and it has held up well. However, it IS sticky where it is hot and humid. Should you select leather, I would also have slip covers for the seat cushions, to put on in the hot weather. They can be stowed under the lids of the lockers under the seats--You'll figure out a way to do that. Our leather supplier told us to not use the cleaning stuff people will try to sell you, that it comes with a coating from the tannery, which protects it, and the cleaning products remove. Just use a slightly damp cloth.

We have friends who had ultra suede, and loved it, found it easy to clean.

Ann

[BigNut]

Originally Posted by JPA Cate

Sunbrella ... is washable, however, oil borne stains are difficult to impossible to remove.

Here is what SWMBO doess to remove oil stains in our Sunbrella:

1. Sprinkle cornstarch over, covering whole stain.
2. Let sit for about an hour.
3. SCRAPE the cornstarch off with a straight edge, like a metal ruler.
4. Vacuum up loose cornstarch.
5. Repeat as needed, until oil stain gone. (Usually at least twice)
6. Wash, only after stain is gone

Perhaps you know this, but thought worthwhile to throw it out there.

Steve

[JPA Cate]

Originally Posted by BigNut

Here is what SWMBO doess to remove oil stains in our Sunbrella:

1. Sprinkle cornstarch over, covering whole stain.
2. Let sit for about an hour.
3. SCRAPE the cornstarch off with a straight edge, like a metal ruler.
4. Vacuum up loose cornstarch.
5. Repeat as needed, until oil stain gone. (Usually at least twice)
6. Wash, only after stain is gone

Perhaps you know this, but thought worthwhile to throw it out there.

Steve

Thank you very much for that. I never thought of that, never tried it, but it seems like it would work very well for fresh stains. Thanks again.

Ann

[SVMusic]

Originally Posted by BigNut

Here is what SWMBO doess to remove oil stains in our Sunbrella:

1. Sprinkle cornstarch over, covering whole stain.
2. Let sit for about an hour.
3. SCRAPE the cornstarch off with a straight edge, like a metal ruler.
4. Vacuum up loose cornstarch.
5. Repeat as needed, until oil stain gone. (Usually at least twice)
6. Wash, only after stain is gone

Perhaps you know this, but thought worthwhile to throw it out there.

Steve

this is great advice! it works!
Cara

[Bentwings]

If you haven’t got an industrial walking foot sewing machine it will be tough going. Especially if you are new at sewing.

I bought a well used Consew 226 R for $600 years ago. While I got it specifically to do my streetrod upholstery I do other projects too.

Like sew my finger. Probably the most painful injury I’ve ever had. LOL ...not.

As an experiment it will sew 1/4” plywood. It make a tremendous racket but will punch the needle through at a very rapid pace.

These machines generally come with clutch motor that run a a fixed speed of about 2000 stitches per minute. Way to fast for control needed for upholstery work. You can get a nice servo motor that is a bolt on for about $200 that allows variable speed. As powerfull as it is it won’t sew some ropes together. I have done bullet resistant Kevlar and Nomex fabrics however.

I’m not a pro sewer but I learn as needed. These machines will punch through a stack of vinyl 5/8 inthick without breathing hard.

The walking foot insures a smooth even stitching. I have a piping foot, a standard foot and a zipper foot. They are easily changed.

Byron

[foggysail]

Originally Posted by Bentwings

If you haven’t got an industrial walking foot sewing machine it will be tough going. Especially if you are new at sewing.

I bought a well used Consew 226 R for $600 years ago. While I got it specifically to do my streetrod upholstery I do other projects too.

Like sew my finger. Probably the most painful injury I’ve ever had. LOL ...not.

As an experiment it will sew 1/4” plywood. It make a tremendous racket but will punch the needle through at a very rapid pace.

These machines generally come with clutch motor that run a a fixed speed of about 2000 stitches per minute. Way to fast for control needed for upholstery work. You can get a nice servo motor that is a bolt on for about $200 that allows variable speed. As powerfull as it is it won’t sew some ropes together. I have done bullet resistant Kevlar and Nomex fabrics however.

I’m not a pro sewer but I learn as needed. These machines will punch through a stack of vinyl 5/8 inthick without breathing hard.

The walking foot insures a smooth even stitching. I have a piping foot, a standard foot and a zipper foot. They are easily changed.

Byron

I have a Juki 5041S that came equipped with a 2000 stitch/minute that I changed to a servo. The servo did make sewing pleasurable compared to the choice of the full speed ahead or stop clutch motor.

Things were fine for over a couple of years after which the servo failed. I just didn’t want to replace it so I reinstalled the original “full speed ahead or stop” motor that came with the machine. This time however I changed the wiring on a the motor to the 220 volt condition even though I connect it to a 110 outlet. That made a hugh difference in being able to control the sewing speed. Oh one other thing I did was change the pulley on both the motor and the machine to further slow the sewing speed.

At this time I have no desire to go back to a servo. JMHO...

[Cheechako]

Leather or vinyl: Sticky, but wont absorb sand etc into the fabric.
Sunbrella: A bit utilitarian, but works well. I covered our berth cushions with it instead of the expensive fabric used on seats.
Any good upholstery fabric that is not Cotton will work. Cotton absorbs moisture. We spent some time at the Design Center looking at fabrics. These colors a bit dated over 20 years later!

[Bentwings]

That’s interesting. I know these servo motors are really a cheapo way to get motor control compared to industrial motors. But they are made for a cheap market. You could just replace the thing for each upholstery job you do considering the prices charged at the upholstery shops.

Your machine is fine for the work. I’m sure you know that.

For what I saved doing just one relatively simple job I can toss the whole machine in the Lake for fish habitat. LOL

I’ve made almost enough dog leashes to pay for my whole thing.

[ProteusRising]

When we bought our boat this last winter, the previous owner had just spent nearly $10k on ultra-suede. We're not impressed with it's comfort or durability nearly 9 months in. And all the damn buttons on the upholstery catch on your legs as you're sliding in. I'm following this thread to see what would be better when a reupholster job becomes necessary, or if slip covers might be an option.