| Resurfacing a leather seat in your automobile with | | | | will go. Dry it with your hair dryer. This will give you a |
| today's leathers require a real technique and the right | | | | good sticky base for the dye to adhere to and make |
| leather dye to achieve a professional job. There are 2 | | | | your job last. |
| types of leather that I have seen and worked on in | | | | Dyeing the leather seat takes finesse and good gun |
| today's leather car seats. You have suede leather or | | | | control, the dye needs to be applied in thin coats drying |
| as some call it the soft leather and you have the | | | | between coats or the dye will not adhere properly. |
| finished leather which is mostly what you see. The | | | | One way you can tell if your applying the dye to thick |
| leather dyes you use are completely different too. | | | | is when you spray you water borne dye on the seat |
| Aniline dye is used with the soft stuff and a water | | | | and it "fish eyes". What this means is you will see little |
| borne urethane dye for the finished leathers, both | | | | bubble like places in the dye when you spray it on. So |
| mixed with premium tannery pigments. Resurfacing | | | | thin coats and dry between each coat. Start your |
| leather applies to the finished leather, when you dye | | | | dyeing process on the lean back furthest from you |
| suede the aniline dye is a penetrating dye, so heres the | | | | and work your way towards you, down, and out. This |
| right way to apply dyes to a finished leather seat. | | | | helps to keep from dragging your hoses and cords |
| The process of resurfacing leather takes certain steps | | | | over your freshly dyed seat. |
| to follow, which if not followed correctly, will cause the | | | | Paint gun choice is up to you, but I will say a small detail |
| dye to lift and peel from the seat. As I have always | | | | gun is choice. I have tried the airbrush, I have tried the |
| stressed in all my articles is the prepping process. The | | | | Prevals, and I've tried the siphon feed guns, and the |
| only way to make a dye job on a leather seat look, | | | | best gun in my eyes for dyeing a leather seat is a |
| feel, and last is to clean it thoroughly and prep the | | | | gravity feed touch-up gun. They are small enough to |
| surface for maximum adhesion of the dye. Let the | | | | maneuver around in the vehicle and hold just the right |
| leather dye do what it is designed to do, don't cover up | | | | amount of dye to finish the job. I use the Sharpe 7040 |
| dirt. | | | | HVLP a small very reliable gun, in fact I bought 2, one |
| The way to to do this is to clean the leather seat with | | | | for back up. It sprays a small enough pattern to control, |
| a scrub brush, a mild soap, and warm water to start. | | | | but not to small like an airbrush, and lays the dye nicely |
| Scrub the seat from top to bottom, paying close | | | | onto the seat. Paint gun choice to me is pretty crucial |
| attention to the creases and crevices in the seat, | | | | to making your job a success, so make the right |
| these are places for the dye to lift if dirt and goo is | | | | choice when you pick your paint gun for maximum |
| there. Wipe it down with a clean towel, again getting | | | | results. |
| down in the creases. | | | | Once the seat is dyed, top coat with your water borne |
| Now the prepping process goes on. In a spray bottle | | | | clear. I always like to add a little slip additive to the top |
| mix in 5ths water, rubbing alcohol, acetone, ammonia, | | | | coat to give it a soft feel. Don't forget to crosslink the |
| and TSP substitute. Spray the seat in sections starting | | | | topcoat, this will help to give you more chemical |
| at the lean back, and scrub the leather with a red | | | | resistance. This process helps to seal the dye and give |
| scotch brite pad to scuff the leather just enough for | | | | you a longer lasting leather resurfacing job. |
| the dye to adhere and to remove any more goo hiding | | | | After the topcoat is dry, apply your conditioner and |
| out on the leather wiping clean as you go with your | | | | stand back an drool over how nice that seat looks. |
| towel. This solution will also open the pours to leather | | | | Now you have the confidence to stand back and |
| and soften up the original dye for better adhesion | | | | know your dye will stay and your job was done right. I |
| promotion. | | | | have been dyeing leather seats for a long time and I |
| Once clean and scuffed apply a thin coat of grip base | | | | would love to hear your input on Leather Resurfacing. |
| or sticky primer to the seat with a damp Bounty paper | | | | There are so many different things you will run into |
| towel. Apply a thin coat to whole surface of the seat, | | | | when dyeing a leather seat, so drop me a question or |
| basically where your going to dye is where the primer | | | | 2. |