A customer contacted me the other day about his leather sofa. Ask anyone who has ever owned a leather couch: they are cozy and comfortable, and also conform to you as you sit on them over the years, as well as very expensive. But looking at that same couch every day for 20+ years? In that obscure shade of green? That can get pretty old. Leather furniture that was bought from a quality company can last through the decades. But what can you do if you’re tired of the color of your leather sofa?
Now there is a solution! Dye your couch! This process not only will salvage your treasured piece of furniture but will also get you many more years of use. Leather repair and leather custom dying will revitalize your furniture.
The process takes several hours to do it correctly, and you should always utilize a reputable company to take on the job. Certainly never use spray paint or any vendor offering to paint your couch! This will ruin the leather and the texture will never be the same. In fact it seals the pores of the leather and the supple feeling you now enjoy will never be there again.
The process to properly restore your couch and change it to a new, refreshing vibrant color takes several steps. First you must gently sand the entire surface of the sofa to open the pores of the leather. Then you will need to thoroughly clean the leather with special products designed to take off the silicon top coat. In fact, most household leather conditioners will add a slight layer of silicon every time you wipe them over your leather. Make sure you cleanse the furniture thoroughly to remove the silicon because it is a slick substance and the dye will not adhere properly to areas still covered with it. Wipe out the corners, crevices and cracks carefully because any crumbs, dust or dirt, even pet hair or dust bunnies will be visible when you dye. You wouldn’t want your revamped couch to have a dog hair or crumb sealed in with your leather, would you? The next step is to use a special prep that will remove any residual top coat and silicon, also open the pores further for maximum absorption of the new color. This step may lighten up the old color as well.
Now is the time to really give the couch a thorough inspection to look for any other areas that may need leather repairs. Is there any damage that may have occurred over the life of the furniture? Are there any scrapes, cuts or gouges? Any scratches or loose stitching? Make sure your your team of professionals address any areas needing leather repairs now, so that the new look of your furniture will not only be a fresh, different color, and the piece will look years younger.
After the furniture is fully prepared, the leather repairs are ready for execution. Professionals can quickly fill in minor scratches with a number of extremely successful methods. These methods of leather repair take mere minutes but will wipe YEARS off of your furniture!
Once the repairs to the leather are complete, the repairs will be sealed and the dying can begin. Your team should make sure the lighting is very natural so as the color is not distorted during the dying process. It is best to move your furniture to a garage or outdoor area so as to prevent the spread of dye in your home or to unintended pieces, as well as to get a more realistic and true look at your color as it is applied and as it is absorbed by the leather.
There are a few methods of dye application, and each will result in a different sort of finish for your furniture. It depends on the type of luster you are looking for, as well as how porous the leather is. One method is application by sponge. This is an excellent way to fill in larger creases in particularly worn leather, and also in hard to reach areas. Another method is to airbrush the dye over the furniture. This method will evenly and gently apply the dye across the leather furniture, and it is applied in light layers to evenly cover the surface. Make sure any crevices, corners and pipings are all dyed as well. Whichever way you choose, the result will be outstanding!
As the dye is applied, it is cured with heated air to make sure the dye sets properly and doesn’t get smudged or disturbed before it is cured, as well as to prevent debris in the air from sticking to it! Once the entire surface is dyed to your satisfaction, a special top coat is prepared to finalize the process. This is a type of clear coat that will form a protective layer over the leather and the beautifully dyed surface of your furniture. This top coat, when conditioned regularly and properly, will help keep the leather soft and supple, preventing dry rot, cracks and splits, as well as holding your color to stay true. The reason many pieces of leather furniture tend to discolor or darken in high traffic areas is because dirt seeps into the pores as the top coat is rubbed away from frequent use. Conditioning these furniture regularly with top notch products not only preserves the top coat but gives your leather life as well. It’s comparable to using lotion on your own skin, especially during harsh weather. Skin gets dry and can crack, split or be damaged more easily because it becomes brittle.
As long as you condition your newly repaired and dyed leather, you and your furniture should continue to enjoy a long, happy life together for many years to come!