Alternative Material Coverings

April 22nd, 2021

Alternative Material Coverings Can Provide Benefits AND Save BIG Money!

What Is Alternative Material Covering?

Alternative material covering is when a wood-veneered cabin component like a bulkhead or table is covered with a different material like leather, Ultraleather or patterned fabrics instead of re-applying a veneer.

Why Would I Want To Consider Alternative Material Covering?

We all know that the expense of re-veneering an aircraft cabin component due to damage, can be quite an issue. In addition to the monetary expense, there is no guarantee the original veneer log is still available. This poses an issue, because the original source would provide the best match to the other existing veneered components. Using a non-matching material could potentially ruin an otherwise exceptional cabin environment

When To Consider Alternative Material Covering?

If the rest of the woodwork throughout your cabin is in good condition and a full re-veneer doesn’t make sense, you might consider an alternative material covering. This provides an outstanding solution to keeping your cabin looking its best until it is time to consider your next complete re-veneer or cabin refurbishment. This option provides a much more cost-effective method of correcting damage, wear or adding to the design of the interior.

What Are The Best Alternative Materials To Use?

This ultimately depends on what fits the customer’s needs best. For example, leathers/Ultraleather and fabrics are all very versatile materials. However, considerations like sound dampening vary between materials. While both fabrics and leathers provide some dampening, it does vary between material. Fabric might provide improved sound dampening over leather, but it may not provide the durability and ease of cleaning that leathers can provide. Additionally, textures and color options are determined by the selected materials. Fabric may offer more in the way of texture, but leathers can be embossed or have other effects applied to it. There are many options depending on customer needs and preferences.

Typically, depending on the veneer species, cost savings could be almost half! For example, West Star always recommends recovering the door if you are recovering the bulkheads in veneer. This ensures the grains match. In this example, the cost for this re-veneer could be approximately $45,000. In this same situation, if alternative material covering is utilized and the door is in good condition, the door would not have to be re-veneered. Neither example estimate includes access, but cost savings would be anywhere from $17,000 to $30,000, depending on the use of plated accents and the material cost for the alternative.

Use Our Expertise!

Here at West Star Aviation we want to help you customize your interior while also being conscious of budgetary and time constraints. If your aircraft is not ready for a full re-veneer, but you have a need for a repair on a cabin monument, component or bulkhead, we encourage you to give us a call. We are always happy to discuss your needs and provide solutions that will exceed your expectations.