Collaborative post
Leather sofas and leather furniture are incredibly popular, and for good reason. The right leather couch can last years when looked after properly, which means you can easily get your money’s worth out of your leather furniture.
However, the result of having these items for so long is that sometimes you decide you want to change things up. If you’ve reached the point where you want to restyle your living room, you don’t need to throw your leather sofa away – just change the colour!
Changing the colour of a leather sofa is pretty simple. With the right leather colourant (leather paint or leather dye) you can colour the entire leather surface and make your sofa look brand new, bringing a new lease of life to your lounge. If you do it right, a leather dye job can have just as successful results as buying a new couch.
How to change the colour of a leather sofa with leather dye
The most common way to dye a leather sofa is using leather dyes from a supplier like The Leather Colour Doctor. These are applied to the leather in an even coat and completely cover the surface of the leather. You can then build up layers by applying thin coats to get the desired colour change.
Leather dyes can be used on leather sofas, leather furniture, clothes, car seats, and all sorts of other leather products. They can even be used on semi aniline leather once the protective coating is removed.
You will need:
In order to dye leather properly, you will need:
- Leather colourant kit
- Leather cleaner
- Cotton buds
- Rubbing alcohol
- Drop cloths
- Painters tape or masking tape
- Leather sealant (gloss finish, matt, or slight shine)
- Gloves
- You might also need:
- applicator sponge
- brushes
- spray gun
Step 1: Prepare the space
First of all you need to make sure you and the area where you are doing your leather dye job are ready.
Wear clothes that you don’t mind getting dye on, and make sure you wear gloves. You should also place a drop cloth down on the ground and secure it with painter’s tape to ensure that you do not damage your flooring.
Step 2: Prepare the leather
Once the area is prepared, you can then start to prepare your leather sofa.
Take the cushions off the sofa and cover any metalwork with painter’s tape. You should then do some leather cleaning. This will help to ensure that your first coat actually sticks to the leather and will allow you to evenly coat the surface.
Use cotton buds to get into small creases, followed by a leather cleaner to wipe down the leather surface. Follow the manufacturer’s guidelines when using a leather cleaning product to make sure you are using it correctly.
During this stage, you should find that your leather cleaner helps to remove the protective coating. This is an essential part of leather prep and will allow the dye to stick to the leather surface.
Step 3: Use an abrasive pad
Once the leather is clean, you need to use an abrasive pad or specialist sandpaper to allow the dye to properly absorb into the material. This will make the colour change last longer, and should also help to remove cracks or creases in the leather sofa. If you do have deep creased and cracked areas, however, they may need filling and handling separately before you begin.
Using an abrasive pad, apply light pressure to the leather couch, slowly working your way across the surface. This will help to remove any remaining leather sealant or leather finish.
Step 4 : Use alcohol to remove polish and waxes
Now it’s time to use rubbing alcohol to remove any polish or wax present on the leather. This is the last part of leather prep, but it’s essential for ensuring that the first coat works. You should apply it gently to the leather sofa and then leave a thin coat of it on the leather surface for at least 30 minutes.
Step 5: Apply the leather dye
Once you’ve rinsed the alcohol off, your leather prep is done and you can now start to use your dye to change the colour of your leather sofa (or car interior, handbag, jacket etc.). You should always follow the manufacturer’s instructions to ensure that you use the leather dye properly.
With some leather dyes, you will need to apply thin coats using an applicator sponge and brushes. Others will be best applied with a spray gun.
Once you have applied the first coat, leave it to dry. You can come back and add further coats to achieve the colour change desired. Always be sure to leave each coat until it is completely dry, otherwise you may make the sofa a darker colour than intended.
Step 6: Apply any finish
Once you have achieved the colour change you want, the dyeing process is done. You can now apply a final coat in the form of a leather sealant on your sofa. This can make the surface of the leather look as if it has a satin finish, a matt finish, or anywhere in between.
Just make sure you definitely don’t want to apply more coats before you put the leather finish on. Once the finish and the sealant are on, you can’t apply more layers without having to sand them down and remove them all over again.
Why change the colour of a leather sofa
Sometimes, we buy items that last a long time but don’t consider how their aesthetics will last. A dark brown sofa, for example, may have been in fashion years ago, but perhaps now a lighter colour would better match your home. This is where leather dye comes in.
Likewise, while leather may last, the colour sometimes fades. As a result, the item can look dated and out of place, and this can often lead to people replacing perfectly good sofas. With the help of dye and a good leather finish, a sofa can be brought back to life, with all the distinctive creases gone and the new colour matching your current interior style.
The post How to change the colour of a leather sofa appeared first on Growing Family.
