Leather Restoration: A Step-By-Step Process

Like any other material, leather is prone to damage over time, even with proper care. This is why restoring your couch is a necessary step in ensuring you have lasting furniture. You can restore leather in two different ways using these: Leather colourant kit and Leather recolouring balm. 

A colourant kit is a great option for heavily cracked leather or when the cracks are in a darker shade. On the other hand, a recolouring balm is an option when the cracks are of a lighter shade. In this article, we will look at a step-by-step leather restoration process using the leather colourant kit.

What you will need

1. Leather binder

2. Leather colourant

3. Solution to fill the cracks

4. Leather cleaner

5. Microfibre or soft cloth

6. Sponge

7. Spray gun or airbrush

Step 1: Prep work

Before you start the leather restoration process, it is important that you prepare the surface; this means removing any oils, waxes, or silicones on the sofa from previous conditioning or repairs. If your couch is dirty, you should clean it first before removing any wax or starting the restoration work. Make sure when stripping the leather of the oils and cleaning it, you are covering all edges and sides of the couch.

Step 2: Strengthening the leather

The next thing you need to do is strengthen the leather. You can do this using a leather binder. Apply the solution using a sponge, letting each coat dry before applying the next. You need 3-5 coats in total to ensure all the worn leather fibres are held together. Be sure to remove any excess binder before it dries. 

Step 3: Filling the cracks

Once the leather is strengthened, the next step is to fill the cracks using an appropriate product. Apply the product using a palette knife or spatula, spread it evenly across all the cracks. With the knife, smooth over the filled area to remove any excess solution and leave it to dry for about 30 minutes. Once dried, smooth the area down with fine sandpaper.

Step 4: Applying leather colourant

Now, pick up the leather colourant and shake the bottle for about 3 minutes. Once well-mixed, pour some onto a sponge and apply the solution gently onto the surface. Use gentle pressure to work in the layer into cracks, creases, and hard-to-reach areas to avoid foaming. Leave this base coat to dry before the next step. 

Step 5: Spraying the next coat

Let the first coat of the colourant dry thoroughly for about 30 minutes. Then, proceed to spray the next coat with a spray gun or airbrush. Set up the gun or brush and stand at a distance before spraying the leather. You can do a test run on paper to get a nicer finish in the end. Once ready, spray the colourant in thin layers and let it dry. Repeat until the base colour is covered. 

Step 6: Finishing touches

Finally, it is time to apply the leather finish, which we removed in the first step. You need to use an airbrush for this step, so make sure you clean it thoroughly after step 5. Apply the solution in thin layers and let it dry before the next coat. 

Conclusion

Leather restoration becomes necessary when you have a heavily cracked or faded couch that you don’t want to throw away. The process is fairly straightforward, and you can do it without much difficulty with the right tools and techniques. The key is in preparing the surface properly and waiting until a coat dries before the next one