pontoon seats

[jojo]

Hi Guys,
I'm working on some pontoon seats, and sewing them up as original, with a piece of stretcher canvas sewn into the seam where the welt is. Here is a pic of the loose cover:


The foam is in two pieces:



When I stapled the stretcher down, it looked like the welt was buried too far down, and you couldn't really get the full effect of the stripes. (Sorry I didn't get a pic of the stapled cover; I was so dissatisfied with the results I pulled the staples out immediately.

My question is:
Do I really need the stretcher? And if I don't, should I glue the two pieces of foam together?   :-\Thanks in advance!

[Peppy]

Yes you need a stretcher. No don't glue it. Thats me anyway. Draw a line on the stretcher parallel with the welt the depth you want to staple it. Staple it there. I usually mark it about 1/4" less than the thickness of the foam. (the thinner foam) I make my stretchers out of something with very little ply or give. Sunbrella works. If it's to stretchy I find it hard to make that welt lay smooth and you get speed wobbles in it.

[jojo]

Thanks Peppy!
One more question, if you don't mind. I sewed the stretcher into all of the seat backs, but forgot to sew it into the seats  :o, which are the same design, except that there is no welt running across the seat part. I have a 1/2" seam allowance. Is there a way to sew it into the seam allowance, or do I have to take them apart?  ???
Thanks again!

[BigJohn]

JoJo:
    I've installed it using my zipper foot on several occasions as I'm prone to forgetfulness. I use scrap vinyl for the stretcher.
                                   Big John

[Peppy]

It happens... Just sew it to the seam allowance. Trickier now but it'll work.
You can do it!

[Mike8560]

I'll sew it on after thenseam is sewn. Don't find it tricky.
First I staple the pull or streacher down I only  pull it to the point that the seam isn't pulled down into the creavice. I lime to see the piping eve. With rhe top of the foam.

[jojo]

Thanks guys. It's nice to know I'm not the only one who's ever done this! ;D

[BigJohn]

JoJo:
     Let us know how the seats work out, they look like a carbon copy of some I did.
                                       Big John