How much does it cost to reupholster boat seats?

On the Mississippi Gulf Coast a single seat or bench runs $200 to $550, a helm chair $450 to $1,200, and a full bowrider interior $2,000 to $6,000. Pontoon sets run $2,500 to $7,000. Foam condition and vinyl grade move the number more than the boat brand does.

Is it cheaper to reupholster boat seats or buy new ones?

Re-covering is usually cheaper than factory replacement seats for anything with a sound base and frame. A factory helm chair for a common runabout lists at $800 to $1,500 before shipping; a rebuild on your frame is $450 to $1,200 with better vinyl than the factory used. New seats win only when the base or frame is rotted or the model is discontinued.

Why is the price a range and not a number?

Because the foam underneath cannot be judged from a photo. We squeeze test every cushion at the dock visit. A seat with sound foam lands at the bottom of its range and a seat with waterlogged foam at the top. The range is the honest answer until someone has touched the boat.

Does boat insurance cover upholstery?

Usually only when a covered event caused the damage, like a storm, a fire or theft, and not for sun and age. After a named storm, most Gulf Coast policies do cover soaked interiors, and we write itemized estimates adjusters accept. Check your policy or ask your agent before you assume either way.

What does a winter discount actually save?

About ten percent off the published range from December through February, when the bench is open. On a $4,000 interior that is roughly $400, and the boat is ready before the spring rush.

Cost guide · Mississippi Gulf Coast · 2026

Boat upholstery cost on the Gulf Coast

Every job type we do, the range it lands in, and what pushes a boat to the top or bottom of that range. These are the numbers we quote from at Gulfport Boat Upholstery.

Call (228) 206-7732

The price table

Ranges cover labor and materials for a boat in Harrison, Hancock or Jackson County. Dock visits inside that area are included. Sales tax is not.

Job type	Typical range	What moves the price
Single seat or bench re-cover	$200 to $550	Foam condition, pleats and piping, vinyl grade
Helm or captain chair rebuild	$450 to $1,200	Swivel base, armrests, new foam, flip-up bolster
Bow cushion set (3 to 5 pieces)	$600 to $1,500	Snap layout, closed-cell versus open foam, sun pad
Leaning post or cooler cushion	$250 to $600	Size, wrap-around backrest, rod holder cutouts
Full bowrider or runabout interior	$2,000 to $6,000	Seat count, foam replacement, sundeck pad, engine hatch
Center console or bay boat soft goods	$1,200 to $3,500	Piece count, coaming bolsters, leaning post
Pontoon furniture set re-cover	$2,500 to $7,000	Piece count, rotocast base condition, vinyl grade
Foam replacement, per cushion	$50 to $150	Thickness, closed-cell upgrade, drainage mesh
Bimini top re-cover on your frame	$600 to $1,500	Bow count, Sunbrella versus economy acrylic, zippered boot
Full mooring or storage cover	$900 to $2,500	Length, fabric weight, support poles, tie-down count
T-top canvas replacement	$400 to $900	Frame size, tension straps, rod holder cutouts
Clear enclosure panel, per panel	$350 to $700	Strataglass versus economy vinyl, zipper count
Commercial wheelhouse or crew seat, each	$350 to $900	Commercial vinyl, seam welding, fleet quantity

What moves a job up or down the range

Foam. The single biggest swing. Sound foam means we re-cover and reuse it. Waterlogged or crumbled foam adds $50 to $150 per cushion and, on an old boat, often doubles the job. Open-cell foam on an uncovered Gulf boat is usually gone by year six.

Piece count. A bowrider with eight separate cushions costs more than a bay boat with three, whatever the length. Pontoons are the extreme case: a full furniture set can be fourteen pieces.

Vinyl grade. Economy marine vinyl is about a third cheaper than a premium grade with a higher UV rating and a heavier backing. On a covered boat the economy grade is fine. On a boat that sits uncovered at Jones Park or Point Cadet, the premium grade pays for itself by year five.

Detail work. Pleats, contrast piping, embroidered logos, flip-up bolsters and armrests all add sewing time. A plain bench is the bottom of the range. A pleated helm chair with piping and a flip bolster is the top.

Base and frame. Rotted marine plywood under a cushion or a cracked rotocast pontoon base has to be replaced before vinyl goes on. We tell you at the dock visit, and it is priced separately so you can see it.

Timing. December through February runs about ten percent under the table. Rush work inside two weeks during the season runs about fifteen percent over.

Typical seat vinyl life on the Mississippi Sound by material and cover. The difference between the top and bottom bar is why we ask where the boat lives before we quote the vinyl grade.

Repair, re-cover or replace

Restitch when the vinyl or canvas still has color and body but a seam has opened. Polyester thread rots in the sun long before good fabric does. Restitching a seam with PTFE thread is the cheapest fix on the list, usually $60 to $150 per piece.
Replace foam only when the seat is flat or smells but the vinyl passes a fold test without cracking. $50 to $150 per cushion.
Re-cover when the vinyl has cracked, chalked or split. New vinyl over the existing foam if it is sound, new foam if not. This is most of the table above.
Replace the seat only when the base or frame is gone, or the boat is a discontinued model where a rebuild would cost more than a factory unit. We will say so.

Insurance and storms

Sun and age are never covered. Storm damage usually is. After a named storm on the coast, a soaked interior with foam that will not dry is a legitimate claim on most hull policies, and we write itemized estimates in the format adjusters ask for, one line per piece with the vinyl grade and foam noted. Keep the boat's registration current with the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks because adjusters ask for it, and photograph the interior before you pull anything out.

Cost questions we get every week

How much does it cost to reupholster boat seats?: On the Mississippi Gulf Coast a single seat or bench runs $200 to $550, a helm chair $450 to $1,200, and a full bowrider interior $2,000 to $6,000. Pontoon sets run $2,500 to $7,000. Foam condition and vinyl grade move the number more than the boat brand does.
Is it cheaper to reupholster boat seats or buy new ones?: Re-covering is usually cheaper than factory replacement seats for anything with a sound base and frame. A factory helm chair for a common runabout lists at $800 to $1,500 before shipping; a rebuild on your frame is $450 to $1,200 with better vinyl than the factory used. New seats win only when the base or frame is rotted or the model is discontinued.
Why is the price a range and not a number?: Because the foam underneath cannot be judged from a photo. We squeeze test every cushion at the dock visit. A seat with sound foam lands at the bottom of its range and a seat with waterlogged foam at the top. The range is the honest answer until someone has touched the boat.
Does boat insurance cover upholstery?: Usually only when a covered event caused the damage, like a storm, a fire or theft, and not for sun and age. After a named storm, most Gulf Coast policies do cover soaked interiors, and we write itemized estimates adjusters accept. Check your policy or ask your agent before you assume either way.
What does a winter discount actually save?: About ten percent off the published range from December through February, when the bench is open. On a $4,000 interior that is roughly $400, and the boat is ready before the spring rush.

Get your number

Send the boat's location and what is worn. The range comes back the same day from this table.