| I've run across this a lot in my travels, a customer asks | | | | cloth can be a pain, usually tape just really doesn't stick |
| "Can you dye my cloth seats?" My answer to them is, | | | | that well and I was a little worried, but this material held |
| "No, I can't really dye your seats. What I can do is paint | | | | tape very well, thank God. Not really sure what it was, |
| your seats." | | | | surely some sort of synthetic. If ever you run into a |
| Dyeing and painting cloth are two very different things. | | | | problem with your tape not sticking to cloth, I've found |
| Dyeing cloth consists of immersing the entire fabric in a | | | | if you heat the tape a little with a hair dryer while |
| dye solution, soaking it through and through for a period | | | | applying it, it will stick better. The tape from 3M and |
| of time, then rinsing the excess dye away. Rinsing | | | | from Scotch Tape, work the best I think. Anyways I |
| removes any excess dye left so not to transfer onto | | | | taped off the entire areas using a 1.5" tape. This took |
| something that you don't want dyed like your clothes. | | | | about an hour, paying close attention not to tape over |
| Dyeing cloth is a more permanent way to change a | | | | the green or exposing any of the silver. I used my |
| color. The dyes actually penetrate the fibers of the | | | | blocking card for the rest. Papering it off too is just a |
| fabric. | | | | waste to me, I can use a blocking card most of the |
| Painting cloth consists of spraying a solution of colored | | | | time and tape and get the same effect. Less material |
| pigments and a binder of some sort onto the cloth. | | | | cost.... |
| This process is usually used to rejuvenate an existing | | | | Now mixing up your paint solution. I used my water |
| color or slightly change a color. When trying to change | | | | based vinyl paints to do this. Vinyl paints are dye |
| a color you usually will have to go darker not lighter. If | | | | pigments mixed with resins, or your binder. Water |
| you have a dark gray and want to go light gray, won't | | | | based works best for cloth, solvents seem to leave |
| work. Painting cloth can be tricky, but can yield some | | | | the cloth stiff and hard looking where water based |
| really nice jobs. Painting cloth can be a semi-permanent | | | | paints are more flexible leaving the cloth feeling and |
| way to change the color of fabric. Usually the paint will | | | | looking more natural. And I see your questions flying, |
| eventually wear off on high traffic areas. The paint | | | | "Water Based?" "Will it wash off on my clothes?" |
| lays on top of the fibers. Designs can also be done by | | | | Water based means the pigments and resins are |
| the paint method, usually with an airbrush. | | | | water soluble, basically meaning when the water |
| So with that said painting cloth seats can be done. | | | | evaporates the paint is permanent. It won't come off |
| Dyeing a cloth seats, well.... if your willing to tear your | | | | on your clothing once done, if done correctly. |
| seats apart and hope the fabric doesn't shrink while | | | | I mixed my paint with about 2 oz. paint to 1 oz. water, |
| washing it in the dye solution, which most fabric dyes | | | | with a dab of slip additive for a softer feel, and rubbing |
| require hot water, then dyeing a cloth seat can be | | | | alcohol to help evaporate the water faster boosting |
| done too, but with a lot of work. I guess it could save a | | | | dry time. I watered it down to help it absorb into the |
| little on reupholstering, but with all that effort you might | | | | fabric better. Doing it this way helps to give you that |
| as well go ahead and go all the way and just add new | | | | softer feel in the end, more time, but worth the effort. |
| fabric the color you want. But to each his own, I guess | | | | I laid around two coats on each panel before moving |
| if you have a new car and want it different color then | | | | onto the next, then went back after wards and laid |
| maybe, that's new fabric. | | | | another coat to deepen the black. The darker designs |
| I got into a job today that you almost had to laugh at. | | | | on the fabric showed through giving it a pretty cool |
| This was a lot of time and effort put into a vehicle that | | | | effect. It worked out really well. |
| if finished probably could have been a show car if...and | | | | I did this job today and will probably have to go back |
| I mean if....it were a different car. It was a 2006 Suzuki | | | | tomorrow to touch it up and brush the fabric, this will |
| Forenza, that someone had put custom crushed | | | | remove any excess left over and give the cloth a |
| velvet silver with emerald green inserts. Tucked, quilted, | | | | softer feel. Touching it up will consist of either having to |
| molded and sewn just right. The job was done really | | | | dye the seats again or just laying a light coat over |
| well, just didn't really match anything. The car was | | | | them. Sometimes the dye will soak into the fabric and |
| white with a two tone gray interior. They had done all | | | | lighten as it dries basically the other color will bleed |
| four seats, headliner, door panels and trunk area | | | | back through. You really can't tell if your really done |
| only.Kinda looked like someone just wasn't quite done. I | | | | until they are completely dry. So there's where the |
| don't know it didn't match and needed to get sold. | | | | time thing come in. |
| So my job was to turn the green to black. | | | | Painting your cloth seats can give you a revive to your |
| Doing this took some prep time, I thought of just going | | | | ride or give you a new look all together. Just |
| in with a blocking card and paint and going to town but | | | | remember when doing so to use a water based paint |
| then I thought again, too many curves and just too | | | | to give you the feel and look your looking for. |
| much area. Masking was my only way. Now masking | | | | |