Sunbrella
Solution-dyed acrylic canvas. Resists UV, mildew, stains. Marine grade. Selection matched to your project.
What is Sunbrella? A solution-dyed acrylic canvas
Sunbrella is a solution-dyed acrylic canvas, made by Glen Raven Inc. in the United States since 1961. The yarn is colored before it's woven, so the color lives in the fiber. That's what solution-dyed acrylic means.
The concrete properties: high UV resistance, saltwater resistance, fast drying, natural mildew resistance. The canvas breathes, unlike vinyl, which can trap moisture under a boat cover. The fiber holds its color under intense sun, summer after summer, without shifting or fading.
The difference between solution-dyed and dyed-after-weaving changes the real-world lifespan. A surface-dyed canvas fades under UV. A canvas dyed in the fiber holds its color for years. That's what justifies the higher price over a generic acrylic canvas.
Where Annie uses Sunbrella
Annie sews Sunbrella for pieces that take sun and water all season: outboard boat covers, sport boat tonneau covers and deck canvas. Owners on the St. Lawrence and on the lakes of the Laurentides and Lanaudière make up Annie's main marine clientele.
Annie also sews Sunbrella for deck canvas on sailboats. The custom boat canvas page covers full covers and tonneau covers. The custom boat cushions page covers deck cushions in durable canvas.
Sunbrella or another canvas: how Annie chooses the material
Sunbrella is one of several canvases Annie works with. Annie works with a network of Quebec suppliers and chooses the material based on the project: expected use, budget, desired lifespan, sun and salt exposure, and season of use.
The concrete alternatives Annie uses, depending on the need:
- Generic acrylic canvas. (not solution-dyed). Lower cost. Typical lifespan 4 to 7 years versus 8 to 12 years for a well-maintained Sunbrella. A good choice for a tight budget or a piece that will be replaced more often.
- Marine vinyl. Different from acrylic: waterproof, opaque, ideal for boat seats and the deck, but it doesn't breathe. See custom marine vinyl for the dedicated page.
- Coated polyester. For winter tarps and seasonal storage covers. Not for active use under intense sun.
- Marine leather. For seats and cabin-top cushions when the client wants a leather finish.
Annie's rule for choosing is simple: which material delivers the expected lifespan, at a price that fits the project, without pushing a brand just because it's the brand. Sunbrella earns its reputation for pieces that take full sun season after season. Another canvas does the job better in other cases. Annie evaluates this with you during the visit or the quote.
Sunbrella colors and grades
The Sunbrella palette covers three families: solid colors, tweeds, and stripes. Each family comes in several grades depending on the final use.
Solid colors are plain, single-tone colors. Marine clients order mostly navy blues and dark grays (Captain Navy, Pacific Blue, Charcoal Grey), forest greens (Forest Green), burgundy tones (Burgundy), plus neutral tones (Natural, Linen) for sailboats and yachts. Tweeds are multi-tone textured blends that hide wear marks and splashes better. Stripes are classic marine stripes, often ordered for sailboat covers.
On the grade side:
- Sunbrella Marine. Top marine grade. This is the grade Annie uses most for boat covers and tonneau covers.
- Sunbrella Plus. Water-repellent coated grade. For pieces that need extra waterproofing.
- Sunbrella Furniture. Outdoor furniture grade. Not marine.
- Sunbrella Awning. Awning grade. Not marine.
Annie orders the grade that matches the use. There's no default grade. Marine grade stays the first choice for boat work and car tops exposed to the open air all season.
Caring for a Sunbrella canvas
A Sunbrella canvas needs minimal upkeep: soapy water, gentle brushing, air drying. The solution-dye and the water-repellent finish don't hold up to harsh detergents or high pressure.
The simple protocol, done two or three times a season:
- Rinse the canvas with clean water to remove salt and sand.
- Mix warm water with mild soap (ordinary dish soap, no laundry detergent).
- Brush with a soft-bristle brush, without scrubbing hard.
- Rinse thoroughly.
- Let it air dry, laid flat or stretched out, never folded wet.
What to avoid, no exceptions:
- Undiluted bleach. Can damage the solution-dye and weaken the fibers.
- High pressure. (pressure washer). Can break the acrylic fibers and compromise the water-repellent finish.
- Folding it wet for storage. Encourages mildew and leaves marks that are hard to remove.
- Machine washing. The drum damages the stitching and the finish.
A well-maintained Sunbrella canvas lasts 8 to 12 years under intensive marine use in Quebec, wintered indoors or under a protective tarp. Quebec's short season (May to October for most boats) stretches the lifespan compared to continuous tropical use.
Use cases: Annie's Sunbrella projects
Here are the pieces Annie regularly sews in Sunbrella, with the dedicated pages if you want to see the work in detail:
- Custom boat cover. Full cover or tonneau cover, sewn to the pattern of your hull. See custom boat canvas.
- Custom boat cushions. For the deck, the bench seating, or the cabin, in saltwater-resistant canvas. See custom boat cushions.
Annie knows boats through the boating scene. How they're really used, how they take the sun and salt water, how they get hauled and stored for winter. The canvas choice follows that lived experience.
Common questions
- Is Sunbrella a good fit for my bowrider, outboard boat, or sport boat?
- Yes. That's exactly the primary use case. Sunbrella holds up to intense sun, salt water, and fast drying after a day on the water. Annie sews it regularly for bowriders, outboard boats, runabouts, ski boats, and wakeboard boats on the St. Lawrence and the lakes of the Laurentides and Lanaudière.
- What's the difference between Sunbrella and a generic acrylic canvas?
- Sunbrella is solution-dyed (color built into the fiber) and warranted for 5 to 10 years depending on the grade. A generic acrylic canvas typically lasts 4 to 7 years. Annie works with both, depending on the project's need and the budget. The brand follows the need.
- How long does a Sunbrella canvas last in Quebec?
- A well-maintained Sunbrella canvas lasts 8 to 12 years under intensive marine use in Quebec, wintered indoors or under a protective tarp. Quebec's short season stretches the lifespan compared to continuous tropical use.
- Which Sunbrella colors and grades does Annie use?
- Marine grade is used most for boat covers and tonneau covers. The full Sunbrella palette covers solid colors, tweeds, and stripes: all of them can be ordered on request, in the grade that matches the final use.
- Does Annie subcontract for marinas and boating clubs?
- Yes. Custom canvas subcontracting is accepted for marinas, ski clubs, wakeboard clubs, and restoration shops on the Rive-Nord, Laval, Saint-Laurent, Laurentides, and Lanaudière. One call, one quote, and the custom cover gets sewn in Sunbrella. 514-298-7735, French only.
Sport boat or sailboat, full cover or tonneau cover: Annie evaluates the canvas with you during the visit or the quote.
Send a photo of your project. Annie calls you back.
From the workshop notes
- Sunbrella fabric or marine vinyl: which goes where
Sunbrella fabric breathes, marine vinyl seals. What ten Quebec summers do to each, and which one belongs on your boat canvas and which on your seats.
- What a Quebec winter does to leather, vinyl and canvas
Your leather needs feeding before winter. Your boat canvas needs the exact opposite. Three materials, three treatments, one winter.
- Custom upholstery, or a replacement kit
Custom upholstery costs more and takes longer than a replacement kit. What the difference buys on a boat or a classic car, and when the kit is still the right call.