Choosing The Right Fabric For Your Motorhome Furniture
Life on the road requires innovative solutions to problems that may arise as you travel. The longer you travel you realize the need for comfort and function in your motorcoach. When you choose the fabric and material that will be used on your furniture you need something suited to the active demands of busy lifestyles, family/friends and maybe even pets. That is why this week we are going to look at the benefits, use and care of Ultraleather fabric.
Why you should use Ultraleather in your motorhome
Have you ever wondered why your seats are flaking? Trina, our MOT upholstery designer, has some wonderful information on the topic. According to Trina most synthetic leather products used for RVs contain Polyurethane Laminates (PUL). These fabrics are made by laminating a thin film of polyurethane to a cloth backing either by solvent lamination which fuses the fabric and polyurethane film together or hot melt which glues the fabrics together. When polyurethane fabric fails, it delaminates from the backing. All polyurethanes are not equal. There are numerous resin types and blends that affect durability; resistance to heat, humidity and light. We have seen many instances in the RV market of fabric failing considerably short of the expected life. Owners have found this disheartening and costly. While tests are fine, until a product is on the market for the specified time there’s no way to know for sure how it will perform.
The recommended fabric for use in motorhomes and RVs is one with a proven track record - Genuine Ultraleather. It has a 14- year lifespan and has been around for 25 years. Trina from MOT says, “The reason we feel so strongly is that we have seen many coaches with 8 to 13 year old Ultraleather that wasn’t flaking. Yes, it costs more but like the saying goes, “you get what you pay for.”
Benefits and care of Ultraleather
The major benefit of using Ultraleather in your motorcoach is that it is designed for longevity. You won’t have to worry about spills or stains ruining your travels or time on the road. Ultraleather surfaces are made with a polyurethane molecular structure that acts as a foam barrier providing additional cushioning to your upholstered seating. Although the fabric offers extra cushion and softness, it exceeds the industry standards in wear and tear. In fact, test results show that Ultraleather exceeds heavy duty industry abrasion standards by more than 13 times and it is also scratch, nick, and blemish resistant. Durability is only one of many benefits and features. Ultraleather also handles extreme weather conditions well.
On hot summer days Ultraleather cools 50 percent faster than genuine leather and 20 percent faster than vinyl. In addition, in extremely cold temperatures, the fabric won’t stiffen and/or crack as in such cases with genuine leather or vinyl.
Trina put together excellent information concerning cleaning stains. The following types of stains will clean well using detergent, water, cleaner, and degreaser: Coffee, tea, red wine, cola, soft drinks, milk, ketchup, steak/soy sauce, mayo/butter, salad oil, chocolate, cosmetic makeup, lipstick, face cream, suntan oil/lotion, shoe polish, urine and machine oil.
We hope you enjoyed this article about selecting the right fabric for your motorcoach. If you are interested in reupholstering the furniture in your motorcoach or having any remodel work done please give our remodel department a call at 800-651-1112, ext. 305.
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