What material/s do you use for your covers?

Here at Bruce's Custom Covers, we perform extensive in-house weather testing on all of the fabrics we use. We have an industry standard Accelerated Weather Testing Machine called a Q-Panel. This machine can simulate UV sunlight exposure and condensation. We perform pull tests, abrasion tests and burn tests with our fabrics. We conduct tests to calculate insulating properties and r-values of our materials. We also conduct and design experiments to test water repellent qualities of our materials.

We hold a high standard for our suppliers and require that they always provide us with Material Specification Data Sheets (MSDS) that display independent test results and material performance. Over the years we have discovered that Sunbrella®, an acrylic solution dyed canvas material primarily used in the Marine Industry for boat covers, is the most suited, for the majority of climates, for protective aircraft covers. A Solution Dyed Polyester fabric also performs extremely well in very specific climates and situations.

Sunbrella® has a manufacturer's warranty for a minimum of 5 years, if used year-round, 100% of the time outdoors. Your cover life will depend on where you live and how you care for the cover (Click HERE or see FAQ below for Care Instructions). Tropical and humid climates like Florida and Brazil tend to be the harshest climates for any type of material. The Northeast of the United States tends to experience acid rain and extreme temperature fluctuations. Alaska and Canada experience strong winds, thawing and freezing, snow and icing conditions. Both Sunbrella® and Solution Dyed Polyester fabrics suit these climates as premium fabrics for aircraft cover protection.

The picture below displays Sunbrella® in action on a Cessna 195 at Oshkosh EAA Airventure, 2009, right after a typical Midwest rain storm: