Acrylic vs. Vinyl Replacement Fabric

[Kevin245]

I am looking to replace the fabric on my old Carefree awning. Does anyone here know the pros/cons of acrylic vs. vinyl fabrics. Also does anyone have experience with RVAwningsonline.com?


Thanks,

Kevin

[Ganglin]

You may want to read this article.

What is Acrylic Fabric?

And look at this

FABRICS & VINYLS - sunbrella

[Silverhobby]

Acrylic fabric is a bit more loose weave and it "breathes". It is cooler to be under on a hot day than vinyl is. Just my opinion.

[lewster]

Acrylic will outlast vinyl by a long shot.

Vinyl is after all....plastic....... while the acrylic is woven fabric. Much more forgiving and durable.

I don't do any replacement vinyl....only Sunbrella acrylics. The cost difference is really minimal, it's much easier to handle, and looks great when compared to any vinyl.............YMMV!

[Jim Clark]

The link below is a good place to buy Sunbrella, they also sell a knock off of sunbrella which is just as good. I use yards and yards on my sailboat.

Upholstery Supply & Marine Fabric Superstore

[Kristi Foster]

Hi,
Sunbrella acrylic is mildew,fade,rot,rain,UV, and tear resitant plus breathable. The colors are just as vivid underneath as they are on top. It does have a tendancy to fray, so all the seams will need to be covered or enclosed. The marine 9.25 ounce is the type for awnings. It is 46" or 60" wide and stiffer than the 54" which is for furniture. I use it on a regular basis to make Vintage Look Awnings. I hope this information is helpful. KF

[lewster]

Originally Posted by Kristi Foste

Hi,................'snip'..........
. It does have a tendancy to fray, so all the seams will need to be covered or enclosed................'snip'............... KF

Kristi,

You should use a hot knife when cutting acrylic fabrics. This seals the edges and prevents fray from happening. The major awning manufacturers are now using ultrasonic cutting machines that cut and seal the edges (similar process) at the same time.

[Kristi Foster]

Hi,
I have seen the cutters that you are speaking of, they are awsome but quite pricey. Since making awnings is just a hobby for me, I have learned to deal with the fraying by enclosing the seams and covering or binding the raw edges. It works for me. KF

[daveinet]

Originally Posted by lewster

Kristi,

You should use a hot knife when cutting acrylic fabrics. This seals the edges and prevents fray from happening. The major awning manufacturers are now using ultrasonic cutting machines that cut and seal the edges (similar process) at the same time.

The reason they go with Ultrasonics is because the Ultrasonic knifes do not gum up like a heated knife does. Also, because the knife is vibrating, it tends to self sharpen till you loose enough metal that it looses tuning. 5K will get you a knew machine, but I seen ones go on Ebay for a couple hundred bucks. You'd have to buy the knife and possibly the hand probe separately.

[Kristi Foster]

The Engel Hotknife is a great tool for cutting synthetic fabrics, webbing, rope—things that would ravel when cut with scissors. The controlled heat melts synthetics to provide a sealed edge or end. And it is fast and safe. Trigger operated it heats up in 6 or 8 seconds and provides a light to illuminate the area being cut. A cool, comfortable hand grip and a rapid cool down assure safety in use. Blade Sold Separately

Two cutting blades are available for the Engel (neither are included when purchasing the tool - you must buy one or both separately). The 100R Blade is recommended for cutting lengths of fabric and line. The HSO Blade is designed for more precise cutting—sharp corners and detail work. Also available is a Cutting Foot that can be used with the 100R Blade to eliminate the need for a special cutting surface.
Built to last for years the Engel Professional Hot Knife draws 70 watts.
For a cleaner cut when using a hot knife, cut on a hard surface—glass, mirror, Formica.
To see the Professional Hot Knife in action watch the videos below: If you do not see graphics and video, your web browser is not equipped to show Java rich media. Please visit http://www.clipstream.com/help/visitorhelp.shtml to learn how to enable your client for rich media.

[Kevin245]

Originally Posted by Kevin245

I am looking to replace the fabric on my old Carefree awning. Does anyone here know the pros/cons of acrylic vs. vinyl fabrics. Also does anyone have experience with RVAwningsonline.com?


Thanks,

Kevin

I ended up ordering two Acrylic awnings (one for me, one for Dad). Anyway the folks at rvawningsonline were great to deal with. They contacted me twice concerning my order and the units were received within two weeks of the order date.

Installed the first one Thursday with no problems. The alumagaurd looks great on it too.