Quality leather is robust and durable. It can last for years and in some cases, decades. To keep it looking great and wearing well, light and regular care it essential. Now and then, when accidents happen or wear begins to show, it’s good to know that leather restoration (repairing and recolouring) is possible.
Let’s start with leather care. Working in combination, most leathers benefit from a 3 step regime including:
· Leather cleaning; removes surface soiling including the damaging effects of body oil and perspiration whilst maintaining a pleasing, hygienically clean aesthetic.
· Leather conditioning; penetrates into the structure where is helps to maintain softness and suppleness which helps to prevent drying and cracking.
· Leather protection; Anti-soiling and UV barrier that inhibits soiling, makes cleaning easier and helps to minimise drying and stains
If leather maintenance sounds like a lot of work, it’s not. The key to making light work of leather care is to stay on top of it by doing it regularly – it uses less product, less scrubbing and less effort.
Leather finishes vary so it’s important to find products that are formulated for your leather type. This helps to avoid unwanted effects such as too much shine, darkening, greasiness or a greasy look, ineffectiveness, a waxy residue, damage to coatings or damage to the structural health of your leather.
Leather care supports the health of your leather but it doesn’t fix scuffs or resolve indelible stains.
Now, let’s move on to leather restoration which includes everything from fixing little bingles and restoring colour after years of wear.
There’s a decision flow to follow in order to arrive at the right solution for your job. For example, the first step is to know what type of leather you will be working on. This refers to the finish applied to your leather when it was made. Your next question assesses the extent of the ‘damage’. Is it just a small scratch or have the years taken their toll in numerable ways?
What type of leather are you working on (leather finish)?
Your leather type determines what can be achieved and which type of colourant (leather paint or leather dye) is best suited for your job. There are 5 main finishes. They are used on most leathers whether in cars, on furnishings, apparel or accessories. They include:
· Pigmented; found in all leather trimmed cars, most furniture and lots of other leather items. The painted/coated finish is moderately spill and stain resistant. If your leather is white, beige, black, blue, red or green, chances are, it’s pigmented. Coatings can wear over time and in the absence of care, can delaminate (flake off), exposing the leather underneath the colour coatings. These leathers are generally quite repairable as they can be glued, filled and recoloured successfully in many cases.
Look for leather filler and glue as well as leather paint based colouring systems such as a Repair & Recolour Kit when working on this group.
· Aniline; most often a ‘natural’ looking shade of tan, from golden wheat colours through to firey warm tans and rich tobacco browns, this leather is dyed and uncoated. This finish is considered the most beautiful and authentic leather experience. It is also susceptible to permanent stains as there are no barrier coatings to prevent the absorption of spills and body oils. Semi-aniline leather is dyed and has light transparent pigments plus clear topcoats that lend more durability and stain resistance to the finish.
Look for surface prep, leather dye stain, clear topcoat and/or an Aniline Restoration Kit when restoring these leathers.
· Waxed and Oil pull-up; these leathers are also often finished in shades of tan. They are dyed then coated in a wax or oil coating that cracks and crazes during the upholstery process. The looks is classic, vintage and timeless.
Look for surface prep, leather dye stain, clear topcoat and/or an Aniline Restoration Kit when restoring these leathers.
· Nubuck and Suede; available in a range of colours, these leathers are dyed then buffed and have no coatings. They feel warm and velvety to touch.
Look for a specialist suede and fabric colourant to repair. Small tears can be glued but leather filler is not generally compatible with these types. Brushing can produce excellent results as it lifts the nap which minimises marks and restores the luxurious touch.
· Faux, Synthetic, Vinyl, PU, Vegan, Bonded, Bi-cast, Man-made; This group of ‘leathers’ have little to no real leather in their construction. They are used in cars, on furnishings and lots of handbags and footwear. Although there are many variations, they are essentially a plastic upper glued to a fabric backing. Quality varies from short-term and disposable to long wearing commercial grade materials. They are less repairable than leather.
Look for leather filler and glue as well as leather paint based colouring systems such as a Repair & Recolour Kit when working on this group.
Find lots of more detailed information about leather, dyes, paints and how and when to use them, here.
Is the damage just one small scratch or is there a universal patina of marks, scratches, flaking, or stains? Will you do spot repairs or recolour the entire surface?
If the damage is minor, a spot repair is ideal. For this, you will need a matching colour. If the leather is showing wear and tear across multiple areas or you want to change the colour or you can’t find a matching colour, treat all areas. The need for a colour match is eliminated and your job should come up looking very much refreshed and renewed.
Can you find a matching colour?
Find a supplier with a wide range of colours. If you can find a match, go for it. If not, you may need to look at mixing a few colours to achieve a match or use a custom colour mixing service. You provide a suitable sample of your colour which is then professionally matched. Often, it is easier to recolour the entire project with a new colour or one that is close but may not be an exact match.
How much product will you need?
As leather is porous and finishes vary, the amount of product needed can vary from job to job. If you are changing colour, more product may be needed than if you are refreshing the original colour. Look to your supplier for more information on coverage estimates.
How do you actually repair leather?
Now that you know what type you are working on, have the correct colourant type and a matching colour (for spot repairs or recolours) or a colour you are happy with (colour changes), how do you do it?
The term ‘repairs’ refers to any combination of gluing, stitching, filling, sanding and texturizing then colouring over the repair area. These methods are used to fix cut edges back together and to fill pits, troughs and gouges until the leather surface is corrected before being recoloured. Ideal for fixing cat scratches, delaminated seat cushions and minor cuts and tears, follow the detailed instructions provided by the supplier to achieve best results.
When your leather is in great condition (doesn’t need repairs) and you want to boost the colour or change the colour, it’s simply a matter of following the process mapped by the supplier based on the colourant type you are using.
When using leather paints, your process goes like this:
1) Clean and prep the surface using a professional grade surface prep solution. This step involves scrubbing with a medium bristle brush and wiping firmly with a microfibre cloth. It ensures all soiling, waxes, silicones, emollients and oils are removed from the surface. Next, sand the surface with 800 grit sandpaper to key the surface for optimal adhesion.
2) Prime with an adhesion promoting primer. Good adhesion contributes to good durability.
3) Colour with professional grade leather paint. Use a sponge or a spray gun. The reason painted leather doesn’t look painted is because quality colourants are low viscosity (thin). They are ultra refined coatings that hug the grain rendering colour without bulk. They are applied in multiple thin coats until coverage is achieved.
4) Topcoat is the last coating. This clear coat has high rub-resistance properties to protect the colour coatings. Available in a range of shine levels, it leaves a beautiful, professional look and feel to your leather.
Always follow the directions for use provided by the supplier to ensure a successful DIY result.
For dyed leathers, your process is as follows:
1) Clean as per step 1 outlined above. For anilines take care to avoid scratching from sanding. Test 800 paper and if the etching is too noticeable, go up to a 1200 or higher paper.
2) Apply the dye stain by spray gun or sponge. Reapply to build depth of colour and even penetration.
3) At this point, you can go straight to a clear topcoat or apply a few coats of Colour Restoration Cream. The Aniline Restoration Kit includes Colour Cream which is a semi-opaque colour coating that further blends and subtly conceals imperfections in your leather whilst leaving a protective coating. Topcoat can be applied by spray gun or sponge. It can be applied over Colour Cream for maximum durability. Colour Cream is applied by sponge.
I’m a novice, can I do this?
Repairing leather is like lots of other restoration and renovation processes. It’s a matter of using quality products and following the steps. Every job is different and results vary but it also true that novice DIYers routinely achieve impressive results… like these.