Acrylic or cotton canvas

[Mrtoast]

Has anyone had experiences with either. I'm assuming acrylic is the number one choice. Although not sure why. I'm DIYing a cratch cover and need slightly wider canvas which I can only find in waterproof cotton canvas. Would it be a mistake to do it in this?

[KJT]

I think the vinyl (or acrylic?) is less susceptible to green algae growth. Our vinyl cratch and pram covers were still in remarkably good condition after eleven years. They were just an bit faded. However it seems to me, although I have no direct experience of the canvas type covers, they seem to suffer quite badly from algae growth after a while.

I am surprised you can only find the size you require only in canvas. Is it an unusually large cratch?

 

Ken

[David Mack]

For years we had cotton canvas cloths on Fulbourne, but despite annual waterproofong and rotproofing they never seemed to last more than about 3 years. We now have sheets made of Regentex, a composite material which has a grid of man made fibres, infilled with a man made fibre/cotton mix. The grid gives it much more strength against tearing, but the matrix is now decaying a bit and has become porous. Reproofing has not been very successful and we are looking at replacing the top cloths. The side cloths, which are largely protected from the weather, have fared better.

[by'eck]

Sunbrella was the popular choice in the yachting world for canopies, and is certainly UV resistant, but I found the longest lasting most abrasion resistant one I had made was in Top Gun material. It survived for many years in the Caribbean although did fade a little.

[Mrtoast]

Ah ok. Im ok with the green algae and cleaning it. The size I've found on eBay is 180cm x1m. Which is just a lot less stitching. Unless I'm missing a trick. Considering I've never made one before

[bigste]

In hot climates like the med cotton is the way to go as it is breathable and enables the interior to stay cooler. Acrylic is the opposite. Problem with cotton, being a natural fibre, it rots easily whereas acrylic doesn't. Also cotton is generally lighter hence why many caravan owners like it.

[TandC]

Cleaning the algae is a pain the wotsits - i spent a couple of hours covered in fungicidal wash and mould going at ours for the first time in 3 years with a yard broom and scrubbing brush. That's PVC coated canvas - get the smooth coated stuff, not fabric. It will save you hours and probably last longer as it's a job you deliberately put off once you've done it...

[abraxus]

Patio Magic is good for cleaning off the green algae. Spray a solution on with a garden spray on a dry day and just leave it. It will kill the green stuff and stop it from growing.