Salt water and salt air can be harsh on any material, even on the specific fabrics designed to withstand harsh conditions. For this reason, furniture on boats needs to be maintained and occasionally refinished in order to survive the elements. The following article will explore how to reupholster a boat bench seat.

Boat seats are generally made of three parts: the wood frame, the interior (springs, padding, etc…) and the upholstery. If the upholstery is starting to go, and you decide you need to replace the upholstery then it is time to strip the seating.

After the upholstery has been removed from the bench boat seat, it is time to examine the interior and frame. If these seem to be intact, then it is ok to go ahead with the reupholstering plan. If the interior padding, springs, or wooden frame seem warped or compromised in any way, it may be time to consider replacing the boat bench seat rather than simply reupholstering it.

If merely reupholstering the boat bench seat, use the old material as a template for the new material. This is a pretty involved job and it is not advisable to attempt this without prior upholstering experience. If unsure, it is best to license this task out to a trained professional.

Using quality material and doing a quality job will significantly increase the life span of bench boat seats. Salt water can be very corrosive, so if everything is not sealed properly, the seating could be destroyed in less than a season. There are very few places, if any, where it is ok to cut costs on a boat. Seating is not one of these places. Any cut corners will result in more money lost down the line. It is usually best to do the job properly and thoroughly the first time.