Acrylic Coated Tablecloths

It's all in the coating

The woven base fabric is first coated on the top surface with an acrylic based compound. The acrylic compound is warmed in a hopper then spread as a thin layer of coating on the fabric surface. The amount of coating applied to the surface is carefully controlled to produce an even thickness.

After the acrylic coating stage, the fabric is then immersed in a hot bath of 'water repellent' solution which completely covers every fibre of the fabric. One particular type of stain repellent solution is called 'Teflon' - this is an industry brand name. When liquids are spilled on the fabric surface, the liquid will sit in a pool rather than absorb into the fabric.

What is the difference in quality between suppliers? The key aspect of Acrylic Coated Tablecloths is to do with the coating and stain proofing. Two layers of Acrylic coating is better than one thick coat. Also, the stain proofing treatment plays a big part. Genuine DuPont Teflon is a superior finish to a generic stain proofing treatment; Teflon will simply last longer.

Like any form of coated textile, the longer a stain is left on the surface, the deeper the stain will penetrate into the coating. The sooner you wipe off the stain the better, particularly with heavily pigmented food and drink. Citrus based cleaning agents are helpful in lifting stains out of coated fabrics.