Last updated October 2026
Boat and caravan squabs take more punishment than any furniture in the house. They sit in sun, salt air and damp, get sat on in wet togs and are often packed away for months at a time. Around Whangarei, with boats moored at the Town Basin, Marsden Cove and Tutukaka and plenty of caravans and motorhomes heading up the coast each summer, recovering squabs is one of the most common upholstery jobs there is. This guide covers when to recover rather than replace, the materials that suit marine and caravan use, and how to make new squabs last.
★View the Best Antique Restoration in Whangarei→What counts as a squab
A squab is a firm seat or back cushion, usually foam wrapped in a fitted cover with a zip or a fixed base. On a boat that means cockpit seating, saloon settees, berth cushions and helm seats. In a caravan or motorhome it is the dinette seating that converts to a bed, the bunks and any fixed lounge seating. At home the same construction is used for window seats and outdoor furniture cushions.
Because they are custom shapes rather than standard sizes, squabs are almost always made to measure or recovered rather than bought off the shelf.
Recover or replace the foam?
The cover is the part you see, but the foam decides whether a squab is comfortable. When a squab is opened up, the upholsterer will usually find one of three things:
- Foam still firm and dry. Only the cover needs replacing, which is the simplest and cheapest option.
- Foam flattened or crumbling. It has lost its support and needs replacing. Old foam that leaves yellow dust on your hands has broken down.
- Foam that smells musty or has dark spots. Water has been getting in and mould has grown inside. Recovering over it traps the problem, so the foam should be replaced.
For boats and outdoor seating, the foam type matters as much as the fabric. Open-cell, quick-drying foam (sometimes called reticulated or dry-fast foam) lets water drain straight through instead of soaking in like a sponge, so cushions dry quickly after rain or spray. Standard upholstery foam is fine inside a caravan or motorhome, but on an open boat it holds water.
Choosing marine and caravan fabrics
Marine vinyl
- Best for
- Cockpit and deck seating, swim platforms
- Why
- Waterproof, wipes clean and resists UV. Choose a marine grade rather than a household vinyl, which cracks in the sun.
Solution-dyed acrylic canvas
- Best for
- Outdoor cushions and covers
- Why
- Breathable, quick-drying and holds its colour in strong sun.
Upholstery fabric
- Best for
- Caravan and motorhome interiors, boat saloons
- Why
- Softer and warmer to sit on, with far more colour and pattern choice.
Outdoor fabrics with mildew treatment
- Best for
- Squabs that may get damp
- Why
- Help resist mildew if a cushion stays wet for a while.
Thread and zips matter too. Strong sun breaks down ordinary polyester thread, which is why older squabs often split along the seams while the fabric still looks fine. Ask about UV-resistant thread and sturdy, corrosion-resistant zips for anything that lives outdoors.
Caravans and motorhomes
Caravan and motorhome squabs face different problems from boat seating. They are inside, so UV is less of an issue, but they get condensation, are often stored closed up over winter and do double duty as seating and beds. A few points to raise with an upholsterer:
- Dinette beds need foam firm enough to sleep on, not just sit on.
- Matching panels. If the walls or curtains are staying, take a photo or a cutting so the new fabric works with them.
- Weight. In a smaller caravan, lighter foam and fabrics can make a small difference to the towing weight.
- Storage. A breathable fabric and a gap for airflow under the cushions reduce the musty smell many vans get over winter.
Measuring and templates
Boat squabs especially are rarely rectangles. They are cut to curved hull lines, angled backrests and odd-shaped corners. The usual approach is to bring the old squabs in so they can be used as patterns, or to have a template made on board if the old ones have been thrown out. For caravans, measuring each cushion and photographing how they fit together saves guesswork.
Allow time in the off-season. Recovering squabs ahead of summer, rather than the week before Christmas, avoids the rush when every boat and caravan in Northland wants the same thing done.
Looking after squabs once they are done
- Rinse off salt. A wipe with fresh water after a day on the water stops salt crystals drying into the fabric and stitching.
- Store them dry. Stand cushions on edge or prop them up so air can get underneath, and never put them away wet.
- Cover them up. A boat cover or bimini cuts UV exposure dramatically, and so does storing cushions below deck between trips.
- Clean gently. Mild soap and water suits most marine vinyl. Harsh cleaners and solvents strip the protective coating and make the vinyl harden and crack.
- Check the zips. A little zip lubricant once a season keeps them moving, especially on boats.
Where Whangarei Upholstery fits
Whangarei Upholstery, run by Goldie and Trish from 23 Lockheed Place in Onerahi, recovers squabs for boats and caravans of any shape or size, and works on motorhome upholstery too. Alongside recovering, they make seat and back cushions that have been damaged, repair cushions and replace zips, and can supply fabrics and cushion inserts for outside use that help repel mildew if they get damp. They use sturdy zips and long-lasting material, carry a range of fabrics and can colour match or suggest ideas for a boat or van interior. They also supply foam, and make custom window seat cushions for homes. Quotes are free, pick-up and delivery can be arranged, and the workshop is open weekdays and Saturday mornings. Call Goldie on 027 412 7246 or Trish on 027 249 0646.
