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  4. What are the dark lines that are on my roof?

What are the dark lines that are on my roof?

Quick answer: They’re usually “tramlines” — marks where the hood folds, caused by wear. Compressed fibres stay damp, wick dirt, and grow algae, so those areas dry darker. A deep clean (multiple passes), full rinse, and fresh weather-proofing will reduce them. If the pattern is a sharp zig-zag, that’s likely pressure-washer scarring and may be permanent.

Wear marks on a cabriolet roof.
These dark lines are caused by dirt and grit wearing on the fibres of the fabric.

The dark lateral lines on your roof are wear marks. They show up dark because the fibres of the fabric a roughed up and have a different texture to the rest of the hood. Because the colour difference is caused by texture, there is little can be done to fix it. Even recolouring won't fix the problem.

They are caused by gritty dust getting into the fabric, which causes abrasion every time you fold and unfold the roof.

They can sometimes be reduced by using a lint-shaver, however this only reduces them slightly, it won't completely get rid of them.

The good news is that if the hood is cleaned and re-waterproofed, it will darken up the rest of the hood, so there is less contrast, making them a lot less noticeable. Cleaning will also prevent further wear, which if left unchecked will eventually wear through causing holes.

Written by . Last updated 08/09/2025 16:03