DIY a Cover for Your Boat Sun Pad Cushions

SKU: X-HT-300681
$0.00

Details

Details

Is there anything better than relaxing on your boat's sun pad on a beautiful day? These special bow cushions are open to the air, so they receive a lot of sunlight. That's great for sunbathing, but the constant UV rays can take a toll on the cushions over time. Shield your sun pad from the elements with a custom cover! This simple project will allow you to leave your sun pad cushions on your boat when you're not using them — and save you time and money on DIYing replacement cushions down the road.

Our sun pad cushions aren't flat from top to bottom. The headrest is thicker than the rest of the cushion and raised at an angle. To accommodate the shaped headrest, we created pleats (or darts) and gaps (or slits) in our pattern. The pleats and gaps helped us make curves and corners by removing excess fabric, allowing us to fit the cover to the unique shape of our cushions. In the project video below, we'll show you how to make a cushion cover using these techniques.

A closer look at how the pleats and gaps in our cover fit to the shaped headrest.

We added reinforcement panels to our boat cushion cover to support the shaped sections, as well as binding to give the project a neat, polished appearance. That meant that we had to sew through four to six layers of marine-grade canvas and binding at certain times. Can your sewing machine handle a tough assembly like that? The Sailrite® Ultrafeed® LSZ can! This compact powerhouse punches through thick, dense assemblies without losing power or torque. If you sew marine projects often, you need the LSZ. Click here to check it out.

Making covers is one of the best ways to make sure your marine upholstery withstands the test of time and UV exposure. Ready to sew a cushion cover for your boat's sun pad? Follow along with our step-by-step video below to get started.

Now that you've made a sun pad cover, are you inspired to make covers for the other items on your boat? You're in luck. You have free access to a huge collection of marine cover how-to videos at Sailrite.com. There's a project to protect everything on your boat from bow to stern. Click here to find your next marine cover project.

Chapters List:

  • Intro — 0:00 min.
  • Creating Pattern — 0:43 min.
  • Installing Fasteners on Boat — 9:49 min.
  • Sewing Fabric Panels Together — 15:25 min.
  • Adding a Flange & Creating Darts — 19:45 min.
  • Cutting Fabric to Size — 23:45 min.
  • Sewing Darts — 28:37 min.
  • Cutting & Basting Facing — 32:10 min.
  • Sewing Facing & Binding — 38:54 min.
  • Installing Fasteners in Cover — 53:30 min.
  • Materials & Tools List — 57:30 min.

Materials List:

  • Filament Strapping Tape 3/4" (#5643)
  • Seamstick 3/8" Basting Tape for Canvas (36 yds.) (#122064)
  • Dura-Skrim® Patterning Material 74" (#103134)
  • Loxx® Pull It Up Fastener Cloth-to-Surface Set 1/2" Screw (Nickel-Plated Brass) (#121362)
  • Trimmable Butyl Tape 1" (30 Feet) (#103689)
  • YKK® SNAD® Fastener Adhesive-Backed Domed Stud White 40mm (#103354)
  • 3M™ Tape Primer 94 Adhesive Promoter Ampule (#120671)
  • Sunbrella® Marine Grade Charcoal Grey 46" Fabric (#4644-0000)
  • Tex 90 Cadet Grey UV Bonded Polyester Thread 4 oz. (1,350 yds.) (#106388)
  • Sunbrella® Acrylic Bias Binding Tape Charcoal Grey (#120245)
  • DOT® Snap Fastener Button 11/64" (Nickel-Plated Brass) (#333777)
  • DOT® Snap Fastener Normal Action Socket (Nickel-Plated Brass) (#333050)

Tools List:

  • Professional Stainless Steel 10" Scissors (#123615)
  • Grease Marking Pencil Yellow (#111002)
  • Magnetic Sewing Guide (#102983)
  • Sailrite® Ultrafeed® LSZ Walking Foot Sewing Machine (110V) (#311602)
  • Sailrite® Ultrafeed® Industrial Sewing Table (#120934)
  • Sailrite® Canvas Patterning Ruler (#107040)
  • Spring Clamp (#50211)
  • Clear Acrylic Ruler 6" x 24" (#102400)
  • Multiuse Pins 1-1/2" (250 pack) (#102985)
  • Sailrite® Tempered Cutting Glass (#121915)
  • Sailrite® Edge Cordless Hotknife 18V Package (#122177)
  • Wonder Clips Red (10 pack) (#121900)
  • Soapstone Fabric Marking Pencil White (#102766)
  • Sewing Gauge Ruler 6" (#102995)
  • Sailrite® 1" Swing-Away Binder (#100103)
  • Sailrite® Drill Hole Cutter Set (#121825)
  • Permanent Marker, Tape Measure, Countersink Drill Bit, Drill Bit, Ratchet & Sockets, Rubbing Alcohol, Rag, Cardboard, Packing Tape, Vice Grips, Drill