How to Restore Leather Bolsters
Leather is one of the most versatile and beautiful products used in manufacturing. It can be used to make everything from boots to couches, belts to car seats. When leather bolsters or cushions begin to crack and fade, they lose their natural color and sophistication, leaving your couch or car interior looking dull and sloppy. Restoring your leather to is original shine and beauty can save you the time and money of replacing your leather bolsters while still leaving your car or couch beautiful.
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Things You'll Need
- Latex gloves
- Leather preparation cleaner
- Cotton rags or cloths
- Rubbing alcohol
- Repair compound
- Putty knife
- Fine-grit sandpaper
- Leather colorant
- Air brush gun
- Leather finish
Instructions
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Apply leather preparation cleaner to the leather bolster. These cleaners are available at some automotive shops and leather stores, and are designed to remove dirt, grease and old or cracked finish from the leather. Rub this onto the surface of the bolster with an abrasive pad to help remove dirt.
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Wipe the areas you have cleaned with a cotton, lint-free cloth to remove residual dirt, grease or cleaner from the surface. Repeat scrubbing with cleaner and wiping with the cloth until the leather bolster is a lighter color, free of dirt and old finish.
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Dampen a fresh cotton rag or cloth in rubbing alcohol or another type of alcohol cleaner. Wipe the bolster down with this cleaner to remove residual oils or waxes from the leather. Allow at least 30 minutes for this cleaner to dry before continuing.
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4
Spread a light layer of leather repair compound (also available at some automotive and leather retailers) onto the leather bolster. Spread this thin layer of compound into cracks and breaks in the leather; this will fill in damage in the leather, but because you are using such a thin layer it will only adhere to damaged areas. Allow at least five minutes for the filler to set.
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Sand the filled-in areas with 1,200-grit fine sandpaper to smooth the surface. Sand lightly in circular motions until the filled-in areas have the same texture as the rest of the leather.
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Apply leather colorant to the surface of the leather bolster. Available from automotive or leather retailers, these colorants will restore fresh color to old leather. Shake the bottle of colorant well and pour a thin layer onto a sponge. Work the color into the grain of the leather and into hard-to-reach areas with the sponge.
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Fill an air brush gun with colorant and spray the whole bolster again in smooth, even passes. The air gun will help blend and spread the colorant for a more even coloring finish. Allow your colorant to dry completely before continuing; depending on your product, this could take a few hours. Apply a second coat of colorant if necessary to achieve a desired color.
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Apply leather finisher (also available from automotive or leather retailers) to lock in color and help prevent future damage. Spread this finish over the whole bolster with a sponge or soft rag. Allow it to dry completely before returning the bolster to use.
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Tips & Warnings
Some automotive stores and Internet retailers sell leather-cleaning or coloring kits that contain many of the things you need for this project.
If some foam begins to form while you are rubbing the colorant into the leather, it means you are applying too much pressure. Wipe the foam away with a clean sponge or rag and continue with less pressure.
If you find other scratches or damages after you apply the first coat of coloring, apply more repair compound, sound and reapply coloring.
Use a hair dryer on low heat to speed up the drying of cleaner, repair compound and colorant.
Keep the leather bolster out of direct sunlight while you are restoring to avoid drying or fading from cleaning products. Work in a well-ventilated area to avoid breathing in too many fumes from the products.
Wear latex gloves when working with chemical cleaners to avoid contamination.
