vinyl question for te marine folk

[Mike]

that 2 year old set of seatthat went bad was the woorst on the seat back top were the cover rests the guy had a black top so he had black sunbrella seat cover made black get hot and perhaps helped dry out the seats.  that was a tarsraft pontoon btw a year ago i did a full cover for atracker pontoon yellow sunbrella and the cover rest on the top of the seat back as they do. he had the boat at the dealors for the sumer while he was gone for work he said they had it cover with the cover but ehat sounds like black mold developed wgere the cover touched the seat back vinyl  they replaced all thskins for him  so im thinking this is a problem. most normal boats the cover dosent touch the vvvinyl except for a few if theese new deck boats at the rear seat before that they never did  what do you all think

[ahkahn]

It is impossible for mold to develop directly a solution-dyed acrylic.  Now, for all of you guys out there who have seen it, mold will develop on whatever is on the surface, for example a chemical or some type of residue on the acrylic.  Acrylics are inherently mold-proof (think bathtub).  

Vinyl that has been properly treated will also repel mold.  But, same thing, it can grow on anything that is on the "surface" of the vinyl.  If it does, generally it should just wipe right off.

I hope that helps...

-Andrew

[JuneC]

Black acrylic, Sunbrella or other, gets so hot you can't touch it, in my experience.  I'm sure it contributed to the early death of the vinyl.  Mike, I've taken to lining black or dark colors with either vinyl with fuzzy backing (so the fuzzy part hits the seat) or with Odyssey Softouch - same thing, the white fuzz against the vinyl.  I don't have any evidence yet that it makes a huge difference, but time will tell.  I just line the bits that touch the seats, not the whole thing. 

Black mold will grow more easily in the "pores" of the vinyl that's been heat/sun damaged.  I've seen quite a bit lately that's not showing baking like the pics you had posted, but is pocked with little holes where black mold grows.  Next time I see one, I'll take a pic.  Tough to describe without photos. 

June

[DBR1957]

It is impossible for mold to develop directly a solution-dyed acrylic.  Now, for all of you guys out there who have seen it, mold will develop on whatever is on the surface, for example a chemical or some type of residue on the acrylic.  Acrylics are inherently mold-proof (think bathtub).  

Vinyl that has been properly treated will also repel mold.  But, same thing, it can grow on anything that is on the "surface" of the vinyl.  If it does, generally it should just wipe right off.

I hope that helps...

-Andrew

Without going into detail, I'm going to have to disagree with you here.

[ahkahn]

DBR,

This link is straight from Sunbrella.  Mold needs a food source to grow.  A synthetic source such as acrylic does not satisfy that need.  Dirt on or embedded in the surface does.  Improper finishing techniques on the fabric may leave a residue of some sort, which also may feed the mold.  So if you've ever seen it, one of those two reasons are probably why.

http://www.sunbrella.com/pdf/Mold101.pdf

I hope this helps.

-Andrew

[Mike]

The mold was on the seat. Inyl were the sunbrella rested on the seat  im sure even with beeathable sunbrella your going to have moisture trsped cor s time on the  vinyl  under the canvas. Also in the ither case it was black sunbrella and im sure hot. But that would be dry and there was ni mold but the seats were dried out and cracked i dout the seats were dirty when the cover went on the moldy seats.
The hot seats even with june liner im sure the black canvas would make the white liner hot and transfer.
Thus capt nave alsomwould be as. Ad  but the yellow didnt burd but held mold?
The real pro len is the boat makers making this problem