LeatherRestoration:
GiveNewLifetoYour OldandWorn-Out Leathers
leatherrestorationkit, leatherrestoration cream,leather restorations
LeatherRestoration:
https://leatherhero.com.au/pages/can-thisleather-be-restored
GiveNewLifetoYourOldandWorn-OutLeathers
Leatherrestorationscanbetrulyamazing;seeminglywindingbacktheclockonyearsof soiling,accidents,fadingandwearInthisguide,we’llexploreseveralwaystorevamp leatherandachieveimpressiveresults.
Forpigmentedleatherssuchascarseatsandmonochromaticfurniture,apaint-based systemismostappropriateTorestoreanilineandsemi-anilineleathers,adye-based colouringsystemismostsuitable.
RefinishingPigmentedLeathers
Thereare2optionsforthisleathertype;
1)Repair&RecolourKit:Thisisafullrefinishingsystemthatletsyourepairsurface damagesuchasscratchesorcrackswithfillerandglue(ifneeded)thenrecoatyour leatherwithnewcoatingsThisprofessionalgradesystemmimicsthewayyour leatherwasfinishedinthetannery.Withthismethod,youcanchangethecolour, useonethatissimilarorthesame.Themainstepsoftherecolouringprocessare:
1.SurfacePrep
2Optional:RepairwithFillerand/orGlue
3Primer
4.Colour
5.Topcoat
Thisleatherrestorationkitisidealwhenyourleatherneedsrepairsaswellascolour.
2)ColourRestorationKit:Thisisasimple2-steprefreshersystemItincludessurface prepcleanerandawipeonsemi-opaquecolourant.Witheachadditionalcoatof colourant,coveragebuilds.Minorblemishesandmarksaresubtlyconcealed.Not suitableforchangingcolouroruseoverfilledrepairs,thiskitisidealforaquickand easysamecolourrefresh
RestoringAniline,Semi-aniline,andWaxedleathers
Thereare2optionsforrestoringthistypeofleather:
1)AnilineRestorationKit:Thismethodinvolves3mainsteps
1.Surfaceprep
2.Dyestain
3.ColourRestorationCream
4.Optional:Topcoat
Thisgroupofleathersarecolouredusingtransparent,penetratingdyes.Mostarethen dressedwithaclearcoat,lightcolourcoatingsorawaxoroilbasedfinish.Thesetreatments aredesignedtoenhancethenaturallookandfeelofleather
Bycombiningdyestainwithasemi-opaqueleatherrestorationcream,UVfadedcolouris boosted,blemishesareblendedandconcealed,andaprotectivecoatingisinstalledWith sheercoverage,thishybridsystemhelpstomaintainthenaturallookwhilstsubtlyresolving wearandtear.
2)DyeStainandTopcoat
ForanilineleathersthatareingreatconditionandjusthavesomeUVfading,theanswer maybetostainwithtransparent,penetratingdyeIt’sagoodideatocleantheleatherwith asuitablesurfaceprepsolutionbeforeapplyingthedye.Sealwithcleartopcoattoprevent dyetransferontoskinandclothing.Thismethoddoesn’tgivecoverageofimperfections. Instead,itisidealwhenatransparentresultispreferred.
Gettherightproducts
AlmosteveryoneisanovicewhenitcomestoleatherrestorationTakingthetimetolearn andunderstandwhatisneededtoresolveyourspecificsituationsetsyouupforsuccess. Theworkisnothardbutitisimportantthatyouhavetherightproductsonhandanduse theinformationresourcesprovidedbytheseller.
Togetstarted,jumponlineandenteryourfirstquestionorkeywordintoagoodleather restorationdatabaselikethisone.Forexample,ifyouwanttoknow:
ifyoucanchangethecolourofyourleather,enter‘changecolour’or
howyoucanfixcracks,scuffsorscratches,enter‘cracks’or
whichcleanerisbestforyourleather,enter‘cleaner’
Besuretoreadaboutthesuggestedproducts,checkouttheuserguidesandviewexamples ofothercustomerjobstogetanideaofwhatcanbeachieved.
TheProcess
Aspigmented(painted/coated)leatheristhemostcommonfinish,let’slookathowthe restorationprocessiscompleted.
Chooseyourkit:AgoodRepair&RecolourKitiscustomisableSelectthesize,colour,level ofshineofyourtopcoatandwhetheryouwantfillerandglueIfyourleatherhaslittleorno cracking,youwon’tneedfillerorglue.
SurfacePrepiscrucial:Thoroughsurfaceprepisessentialtogoodadhesionwhichis importanttogooddurability.Neglectingorcompromisingthisstageofthejobcould undermineyourresult.Soiling,waxes,oils,siliconeandemollientsmustberemoved.Use theprepsolutiongenerously,scrubvigorouslywithamediumbristlebrushorabrasivepad
andwipefirmlywithamicrofibrecloth.Itisokifthemanufacturertopcoatandsomecolour areremovedbutit’snotnecessary;anabsolutelysqueakycleansurfaceisnecessary!
Next,keythesurfacewithfinegritsandpaper;800gritisagreatplacetostartalthough600 maybeneededtosmoothareasofdelamination(oldflakingcoatings)
Besuretoremovethesandingdustandanygrit,pethairoranyotherparticlethatmight spoilthefinishedresult
Repairasneeded:Ifyourleatherdoesn’thaveanydamagethatneedstoberepaired,read onat‘PrimerforOptimalAdhesion’.Ifithasasmallcutortear,iscracked,scuffed, scratchedordelaminating,it’stimetodosomerepairs
Binder:Iftheoldcolourcoatingshavecracked,flakedandexposedfibrousleather (youseeloosehairlikefibres),thecuticleoftheleatherisbrokenApplying1ormore coatsofLeatherBinderwithasponge,canhelptosealandstrengthenthesurface. Binderisusuallysoldseparatelyasit’snotneededforeveryjob.
Glue:Torepairasmallcutortear,gluetheedgestogetherAsub-patchcanhelpto reinforcelargerorirregularholes.Insertandflattenthesub-patchbeneaththehole. Gluetheedgesoftheleathertothepatch.Allowplentyofcuringtime.Forcat scratches,usegluetobondloosetagsbackintoposition.
Filler:LeatherFillerisanadhesive,flexiblepastethatisusedtofill,smoothand texturiseimperfectionsinthesurface.Filleriswhiteincolourandcanbetintedwith around10%leatherpaintItisappliedinthinlayersApplywithapaletteknifeora spongewhenskimcoatingbroaderareasAlightcoatofPrimercanbeapplied beforeskimcoatingbroadareassuchasseatcushiontops.
Avoidthickridgesbyfeatheringandthinningouttheedgesofthetreatmentarea Alloweachlayertodrybeforeapplyingthenext.Itcanbesandedwhencured.To mimicfineleathergrain,applyafewlayersbyspongewithadabbingorstippling technique.Whencured,gentlysandanysharptipstorenderaleather-liketexture.
PrimerforOptimalAdhesion:Somekitsskipthisstep,yetitisfundamentaltolasting results.Primerpromotesoptimaladhesionbetweentheleatherandcolourcoats.Itisa clearcoatthatisappliedbyspongeinthincoatsUsemoderatepressuretopressitintothe surface.Forlowimpactzonessuchasthebacksandsides,applyonecoat.Forhighimpact zoneslikethefrontfaceofasofaorcarseat,apply1-2coatswithdryingbetweeneachcoat. Primerdriesquicklyandisself-leveling.Thingstoavoidincludepoolingaroundpipingand disturbingthecoatingasitdries
Betweenthecushions:Ifyourcushionsaresewnin,itisbesttoengagethehelpofa friendforthispartofthejob.Onepersonholdsthecushionsapartwhiletheother coatsanddriesoffwithahairdryerAllowthesurfacestocoolbeforelettingthem touch.Checkregularlytoensuretheynotstickingastheydry.Anothertechniqueis tousepropstoholdthecushionsapartwhileyoucoatanddrythem.Rulers,dowlor tonguedepressorscanbesuitable.
Testpatch:Shakethebottle.Pourasmallamountontoaspongeandapplyittoahidden areaofyourprojectAllowdryingandrepeatuntilyouhaveapplied3ormorecoatsThen apply2coatsofTopcoatwithdryingbetweeneachone.Nowisthetimetoassesswhether youarehappywiththecolourandshine.Bothcolourandtopcoatcanbeadjusted.Ifyou wanttomakeanyadjustments,youmayneedtoordersomeadditionalproducts.Online, asktheFAQstodiscoveryouroptions
Ifyouarehappy,proceedtothenextstep.
Applyingcolour:Finally,youareuptotheexcitingstageofyourjob.LeatherPaintcanbe appliedbyspongeorspraygun.Inthisguide,wewilldescribethehandapplication technique.
Applyasmallamountofcolourontothespongeandsqueezethespongesothatittakesin thecolour.Startingattheback,wipethecolouroverthesurface.Forthefirstcoatonlyuse moderatetofirmpressuretopushthecolourintothecrevices,creasesandgrainForthe secondandsubsequentcoats,uselightglidingpressureAimforthinevencoatsThecolour islowviscosityforgoodreason;that’swhatproducesasleek,grain-hugging,showroom finish.Thefirstcoupleofcoatswon’tgivecoverageandmayshowstrokes.Allowdrying betweeneachcoatThiscanbeanywherefromacoupleofminutesifusingaheat-sources suchashairdryertospeedthedryingprocessoranhouronawarm,drydayormoreona dampdayorwhenlotsofcoatshavebeenappliedinonesession.Continueapplyinguntil fullcoveragehasbeenachieved.
Coatingsdisturbance:Ifyoudothefollowing,itisunlikelythatyouwillexperience problemsasyoucoatyourleather:
Leteachcoatdrybeforeapplyingthenext
Ensuretheleatherhascooledbeforeapplyingthenextcoatifusingaheat source
Avoidcontactwithoils(touchingwithyourskin)orconditionersasthey inhibitadhesion.Completeyourprojectbeforereturningtonormaluse
Alloweachcoattodryundisturbed.Workingquickly,applyeachcoatthen stop.Ifyoucontinuetofinessethecoatasitdries,problemswillarise
Ensurethespongeisintactandfreeofcrustedproduct
Usealight,glidingtechniquetoavoiddraggingintothepreviouscoats
Avoidwipingwithwateroranyotherliquiduntilcured
Takeextracareforthefirst14dayswhilethecoatingsexpelmoistureand cure
Ifatanytime,onecoatdisturbsorremovesthepreviouscoats,stopandallow moredryingtime.
Althoughthiscircumstanceisveryuncommon,ifyoufindthere’sanareathatis oddlyresistanttocoating,itwillbedueto:
ananomalyonthemanufacturercoating
theareawasnotthoroughlypreppedorneededmoreattentionthanother areas
thereissomethingunknownonthesurfacethatispreventingadhesion
Theremedyistoletthecoatingsdry,givetheareaalightsand,thentryalight dabbingtechnique.Thiscandepositmorecolourandavoidsdragging.Continue dabbingoncolouruntiltheareaiscovered.Allowplentyofdryingtimebetween coats.Alternatively,gobackinwithextrasurfaceprep,sandingandprimerthentry coatingtheareaagain
Thefinishingtouch:Thelaststepistosealandprotectyourcolourwithacleartopcoatjust asthemanufacturerdid.Topcoatisasoft,rub-resistancecoating.Somesellersomittopcoat ormixasmallamountintothecolouranttoreducethepriceofthekit.Thiscanmean reduceddurabilityandafinishthatdoesn’tlookorfeelasgoodaspossibleorasexpected.It canbeappliedbyspraygunorsponge
DoatestareatoensurethatthecolourcoatingsaredryenoughIfnot,speeddryingwitha gentleheatsourceorallowextradryingtime
Shakethebottleandapply2coatsoftopcoatinthinlayerswithdryingbetweencoats
Aftercare:Allow1-2daysbeforeusingyourleather(orlongerifyoucan)Keepitdryand treatitwithextracarewhilstit’scuring(14days).Applyaleatherconditionerandprotector after10-14daysthencontinuewithanongoingcareregimeevery3monthsormore frequentlyifyourleatherisintensivelyusedAqualityLeatherCareKitthatisformulated forcoatedleatherisidealfortheroutinecareofyourleather.