Exactly what type of upholstery fabric?

[NW Cat Owner]

Holy Cow - lots of different types, even within the Sunbrella line, which is what many have recommended. Right now I'm at a site and wondering exactly which categories I'm supposed to be clicking on.

I'm at the Sailrite site and I clicked on: Boat Interior and Sunbrella.

Is this the type I want? Will this type of fabric still be soft to the tushy? I don't want stuff like vinyl or anything scratchy. I saw one fabric listed somewhere that said it was coated in something or other (forget what it was now) to protect it. Do I want coated material?

I've read that I need to look for "marine grade" but after that I'm kind of clueless (it needs to be fade and moisture resistant). I want the fabric to hold up but I also want it to be comfortable to sit on.

Thanks much folks!

[dfandrews]

Originally Posted by NW Cat Owner

..... Will this type of fabric still be soft to the tushy? I don't want stuff like vinyl or anything scratchy. ....!

Laura,
Here is a description of the different Sunbrella fabrics:
Sunbrella Brand Fabrics - Sailrite.com

We chose "upholstery" because of the same reason, we didn't want scratchy. And we chose Sunbrella because:
All of the Sunbrella fabrics have UV resistance. They've built a reputation for providing durable, quality fabrics for the marine, commercial, and awning industries.
One of my duties at the fire dept. where I work is to review fabric choices in certain business applications (mostly restaurants). At least 80% of what I see is Sunbrella. That speaks volumes to me.

[GRINGOandTICA]

Sailrite was very easy to deal with. You can order samples from them.

[NW Cat Owner]

Yeah, Sailrite is the site I was at earlier. Good to get a good recommendation on the Sunbrella fabric.

Okay, at their site, I clicked on the Upholstery, but that's where I started to get confused. My next option that I clicked on was:

Marine Fabric - okay, so far so good. But, after that I have:

Cushions - indoor
cushions - marine interior
upholstery - indoor
upholstery - outdoor
and more

That's where I get lost as I want to make sure I get the correct fabric that will get cushy to my tushy and yet hold up over time to moisture, sun, spills, etc. I'd hate to fall in love (and then order) the entirely incorrect fabric.

Thanks again

Thanks!

[NW Cat Owner]

Originally Posted by GRINGOandTICA

Sailrite was very easy to deal with. You can order samples from them.

I saw that! There's some stores near us that sell by the yard, so I thought I'd pop in and check them out in person, after I narrow down my countertop options.

[rbryan4]

We just chose from the marine fabric (exterior upholstery) line. Wanted a fabric that could stand up to UV and stains. Worked out well. There is very little difference in the feel of the interior and exterior fabric, although the exterior is perhaps a little more coarse. Both feel good under your tush but exterior fabrics hold up better.