DIY Furniture Redying.

Leather Care, Leather Cleaning and Leather Dye

for Furniture, Marine, Tack, Motor Homes, Antiques

With Leatherique Products

"The Original and Simply the Best Since 1968"

DIY Furniture Redying.

Professional how to do it yourself leather Furniture restoration and preservation directions

How to dye leather, How to redye leather for a successful color change

Ever wonder how leather tanneries get those cow skins in all those different hues and finishes? Leather comes in only one natural finish, and with a little help and the right, water based products you can easily revitalize your leather furniture and save money over buying new, restore leather color, do leather color changes, and become more knowledgeable about your fine investment in leather furniture.

The first step to successful leather restoration is keeping the leather hides healthy. There are too many cheap commercial products on the market that are quick fixes and contain only petroleum distillates that weaken leather stitching and fibers causing splitting, silicones that harden leather, and waxes that only make leather shiny and trap dirt and contaminants on the leather furniture, causing it to feel slick, shiny, or without the beautiful “hand” or luxurious suppleness that fine leather furniture should have. We recommend your first step always be several applications of our leather Rejuvenator, a leather specific protein collagen complex that will actually nourish the hides, restore leather’s tensile strength, and keep the hides flexible and supple as you work.

Before you contemplate your leather redye and restoration, it is also important to know a little about the type of leather you are working with. Furniture leather prior to about 1992 was all a surface sprayed lacquer. Due to the EPA investigations into the toxic waste of leather tanneries back in the ‘80’s, they were all required to begin using more environmentally safe technology, including water-based dye. Our company originated the water based dye technology back in 1963 not for commercial gain, but to restore the interior of George Pavlisko Sr.’s 39 Bentley. After a meticulous ground up restoration, Anne Pavlisko commented that the car looked great except for the brown interior. She added that the interior would look better green to compliment the exterior of the car. So to please his wife, through trial and error, George Sr. perfected our water based leather dye technology.

Surface sprayed lacquer hides will require more attention to leather prepping, as the finish often becomes very fragile and oxidized. Newer leather hides after 1992 are finished with a water based product that is very compatible to the new Leatherique dye you will be using, so prepping is easier. You’ll need to break down about 1 mil of the surface. This is important so the new leather dye can bite into the leather and look natural. Nothing is more glaring and obnoxious than leather that looks like vinyl due to heavy build up of surface colorant and improper prepping. Once you have completed all the steps of first nourishing your leather hides, prepping, and then leather redye, you will have emulated the original process with which your hides were first tanned prior to installation in your fine leather furniture.

Because Leatherique products are all water based and non-toxic, you can do the redye in your home. We suggest placing a plastic drop cloth on your wall-to-wall carpeting and secure it well with painters tape. If you have hardwood floors or ceramic tile, remove any area rugs, and tape the drop cloth to the floor. Place your furniture on the plastic drop cloth, and work in a well-ventilated area. It is also a good idea to have an area prepared, such as a large table covered with plastic to work on any individual cushions from your leather furniture.

1. How to prepare your Leather surface for Redye

LEATHER RESTORATION/PREPPING YOUR LEATHER SURFACE

You will need our Restoration Kit which has prepping agent, fine grit sand paper, 400 to 600 grit for lacquer finish, and 600 to 1000 grit for water based finish, and a clean, empty bowl or container. Pour a few ounces of prepping agent into the bucket and use that to dip your wet or dry sand paper into. Also have plenty of paper towels to wipe dirt from the surface of the leather.

Using 400 grit for lacquer, or 600 grit for water based finish, lightly wet sand the leather furniture to smooth out any cracks and hangnails in the surface. Do no remove so much of the old Leather dye that you create suede. Seeing hints of the actual hide through the finish is sufficient. Wipe surface with soft rags or paper towels to remove as much of the faded or oxidized old Leather Dye as possible. Do not attempt to redye over damaged dye. Be sure all old dye is broken down, and all previous treatments such as silicone, wax or oil product residue is gone. Then resand with 600 grit for lacquer, or 1000 grit for water base to create a perfect flawless finish to apply your new dye.

How to fill cracks, cigarette burns and other imperfections on leather

If you are filling cracks with Leather crack filler, this is the time to do that step. Apply Leather crack filler only into cracks, not near grain. Allow to dry 20 minutes and refill as necessary. For holes in leather, a mechanical repair will be necessary. Insert a patch larger than the hole, (a piece of canvas or leather fuzzy sides together) carefully into the hole. With a toothpick, spread a small amount of craft or leather glue into hole and press to adhere. Fill remaining scar with layers of Leather crack filler. Resand Leather as necessary with 600 for a smooth, flawless finish. Allow project to sit overnight or about 6 hours to allow prepping agent and crack filler to dry.

How to repair Dog or Cat scratches on leather furniture

If you are repairing dog or cat scratches on your leather furniture, now is the time to do that. If the scratches were just on the surface as most of them are, the light wet sanding will smooth the scratch, and you can blend it in with your new dye. If the scratch was deep and began pulling out the leather fibers, we suggest using a “sweater lint remover to first smooth the pulled fibers. You can also use any type of electric shaver to smooth the fibers. Or if you are careful, you can use a disposable type razor to shave the fibers smooth. Then proceed with crack filler only in the scratched or damaged area, and then redye per the directions you have chosen.

How to correct sweat stains on headrests and arm rests

Another reason folks choose to redye is because the porous leather has absorbed sweat stains from hair, arms, dye transfer from indigo jeans, wool, juice, kool aid, or other food stains.

Even the most thorough cleaning cannot remove these stains because the porous nature of leather allows stains to be absorbed into the fibers of the leather. Clean these areas well with Rejuvenator to expel as much of the stain as possible. These stains will need to be prepped well, and allowed to dry thoroughly. Because the Leatherique dye is opaque, it will completely cover over the stained area to make it look like new.

2. LEATHER REDYE/LEATHER RESTORATION

LEATHER RECOLORING AND PROTECTING YOUR LEATHER SURFACE

After the Leather furniture surface is clean and prepped, simply brush or spray on your new Leatherique Leather dye.

You will need Leatherique Dye, top quality synthetic, very soft, acrylic type artist brushes, very small for piping and wider for larger areas, and a dirt free environment, preferably indoors. *Thin Leather dye if necessary to prevent heavy buildup of color. Temperature of 70 to 85 degrees, low humidity, no rain.

Pour all the Leatherique Leather dye into a suitable container so it can be stirred and mixed properly with a wide paint stirrer. (Tupperware type with lid) Some pigments are heavier than others and settle. Start with a small, inconspicuous area to get a feel for the product. * If it is too thick, stir in a small quantity of water to reach workable consistency. Your color has been matched to your swatch or oem color using the newest computer technology, and most long lasting high quality pigments available. It is normal that the color may appear more vibrant than the faded hue you have become accustomed to. Begin with the seams, piping and edges and allow them to dry. (Usually by the time you are done, they are dry) Then proceed with broader areas. Apply several very thin coats, brushing in all directions rather than back and forth. Do not stop in the middle of a panel. Consistency will be rewarded with a professional job. Allow each piece to dry thoroughly. Apply second coat as necessary. If doing a COLOR CHANGE, another coat will be necessary. Clean brushes and all equipment immediately with soap and hot water.

Brushing on your dye is easiest method and 95% of our customers use this method for professional results. It is easy enough to do in place in your room on a drop cloth, so you don’t have to lift or move heavy furniture. It is important to use a high quality soft artist brush. A “paint” type brush with long, thick bristles will create brush strokes. A paintbrush is designed to lay paint onto a vertical wall. They dye is a different formulation, and will lie down and self level with the artist brush. If you get any imperfections, after the dye is cured, you can polish it smooth with 1200 grit dry sand paper. We recommend having two brushes handy, a larger, broader ¾ to 1 inch brush to lay the dye on, and a smaller one, maybe 1/2 “ to clean up any drips in seams or piping.

2 A LEATHER CARE/LEATHER RESTORATION/ LEATHER REDYE WITH AIR TYPE SPRAY GUN

Pour all your Leatherique dye into your Tupperware container and stir well. Pour ¾ of your dye back into the bottle and seal. Begin thinning your dye about 10-25% with hot bottled water. Do not use tap water as the chemicals can discolor your finish. Leatherique dye can be thinned for spraying up to 50% with bottled water, or to your equipment specifications. Set your equipment for a fine, almost dry mist coat. Spray 2-3 fine, dry mist coats to cover. Check your seams, piping, and other areas where build up can occur and clean with soft artist brush if necessary. We do not recommend thinning all your dye at one time. Pour it all into the container, stir, pour ½ back, and thin only as much as you need. Clean your equipment with soap and hot water.

If you choose to spray your leather furniture, we suggest moving it to a garage, basement or covered patio where you can work without worry of overspray.

2B LEATHER REDYE/LEATHER RESTORATION/LEATHER RECOLORING

BLOTTING TECHNIQUE

There is a wonderful detailed article on our website by Mike Charness outlining his Connolly leather redye on his Ferrari. Mike Redyed his Ferrari about 15 years ago, and it is still winning shows. Mike chose the blotting technique for his leather dye application as his leather was not polished smooth as Connolly leather in Rolls Royce and Bentley is, but rather is more casual and was left in a highly grained state. Mike wanted to maintain the grain, so the blotting technique allowed him to work the dye into the leather and maintain all the grain. This is a wonderful technique, is very easy, and also provides wonderful results. It is great if you are restoring a “natural” or nappa leather as you can control the amount of dye you are applying to restore the nappa piece. Natural or Nappa leather is easily recognized by having minimal finish, and stains easily with a drop of water, perspiration, food, or dirty fingers. We’ve found that this is the type of furniture people most often become frustrated with, as it is impossible to clean, and you can often get great bargains on this nappa type of leather at used furniture venues. It is excellent quality leather. The owner must appreciate the “worn” and aged appearance of it in its original state to live with it and enjoy it.

3. Final step to beautifully restored and recolored leather hides

Allow project to remain untouched for 48 hours, as dye will be fragile. This curing time is important, as it allows the new dye to bond and conform to all the fibers and pores of the hide to become permanent rather than sit on top. Then with a very soft, lint free cloth, you may buff the Leather Surface to a natural luster. If you have any brush strokes or imperfections, they can be buffed out with fine 1000 grit dry sandpaper. For regular maintenance, wipe gently with a soft cloth and Prestine Clean to help extend the life and beauty of your leather.

Extra protection of your leather in high wear areas, or high use rooms

While leather furniture is luxurious, it is also very practical. The good quality leather furniture you buy for your family room can easily be maintained in excellent condition, so that you can pass it on to your children when they have their own families, or redo it for your own use. When selecting leather furniture for family rooms, avoid the “natural” looking leathers, and go with a surface dyed aniline dyed piece. The aniline dye is water based, and is more resistant to wear. It is also the most easy to redye when it becomes necessary.

Also avoid finishes like antiquing or multi-tone finishes, as these are difficult to duplicate, and require many steps. Most folks prefer to redye the variegated finishes to one final color.

If you are using leather in a high wear room, remember jeans, cords, chinos can be like 600 grit sand paper against a fine leather finish. Proper use of Rejuvenator and Prestine Clean will keep the hides supple and luxurious, and we suggest an application of Klear Kote to offer additional protection especially to the high wear panels like cushion bottoms. The Klear Kote can be applied after a redye, or on newer furniture to help maintain the finish.

Variegated color or antiqued leather furniture

This color is the most difficult to match, as the different layers of color will each give a different read under the color spectrometer. If your antique or variegated leather furniture is faded, worn, and you want to freshen the leather the same family, you can send your variegated swatch and we’ll match to the most dominant color. However because everyone judges and sees color differently, it is best for you to send a solid color swatch that is the correct hue you desire. You can obtain dozens of different cardboard paint chips from your local paint dept. in the hues you like, or fabric from the fabric store, and look at the colors in different lights, daylight to evening and night light, then send us the color you like best. We’ll match your custom dye to that individual color.

Important notes on color change of leather hides

Doing color change on furniture leather is very normal and is done regularly. We have many customers who are able to buy good used leather furniture at antique shops, yard sales, consignment shops, or from individuals. Often there is nothing wrong with the furniture except that it may no longer be the right color due to a change in decorating idea, and the old owner did not realize how simple it would be to just change the color of the leather. Sometimes these finds are just sun faded, or gently worn, and with the leather care advise we have presented, you too can feel confident buying used or new leather furniture, and knowing that you can always make it fit in your décor. Sometimes a color change is required to compliment décor. The color of the leather may be close, but not 100% correct. By sending us a color swatch of the exact shade you require, we can help you have a perfect designer sofa for a fraction of what custom hides would cost.

When doing a leather color change, prepping is the most important step. Because leather is surface dyed, you will be able to remove a good portion of the original finish without creating suede, and redye the leather the color of your choice. By prepping and breaking down the original finish, your redye will look natural and new, not heavy and artificial. If the color change is not too dramatic, or lighter to darker, you need only remove the old surface glaze. Always do your light wet sanding with prepping agent and be careful not to damage the actual hide.

You are not alone as you are working on your project. We are available for technical assistance by phone or email.

Please call toll free 877-395-3366 or email to lrpltd@bellsouth.net.