Boat seats are important parts of any boat, which should not be neglected under any circumstances.
Many different kinds of boat seat materials are available to ensure that they provide the optimum safety and performance.
Upholstery is the most obvious constituent element of boat seat materials, but other parts, such as the rigid framing structure, should not be overlooked either.
Not only will the regular upkeep of your seating ensure that its quality is maintained, it will also make sure that the looks of your boat or yacht are maintained.
Faded or bent seats, or seats showing a lot of wear and tear, are not only eyesores but they will also result in lowering the appeal and value of the boat.
And they will ultimately be more expensive due to higher care requirements.
Regarding the boat seat materials most commonly employed in the frame of seating, stainless steel or pressure-treated wood are the most common ones, with fiberglass being a close third.
Luxury boat seats on the other hand are often built entirely in prestigious teak wood.
If you are getting new seats for your boat and the material employed is steel, make sure that it's been coated with an anti-rust layer, or better still, it's stainless steel.
The boat seat frame is usually not apparent, so you'll have to check the manufacturer's specs.
As for the upholstery, please note that not all boat seats are entirely upholstered.
Some are, some are covered with foam-based material that is glued to the base, while others come in a hard-seating combination of wood and steel.
Hard seating that isn't padded is often fitted with cushions.
Whether the boat seats you are after are fitted with cushions or non-removable upholstery, please note that the available range of fabrics and colors is usually much bigger for indoors seats than for on-deck seats.
Boat seats that are intended for on-deck use must be proofed against environmental hazards such as light from the sun and wind.
Marine grade vinyl is often used for boat seat upholstery, although there are other possibilities.
On the more expensive boat seats, waterproofed and high strength nylon fabrics or even treated leather are sometimes used.
Although these tend to have a higher price tag, they also look better.
Boat seat materials need to be hard wearing and sturdy.
Most custom boat seat manufacturers will be more than happy to help a client to find the best material for his and his boats' needs.