Leather seat re-dye

[NawidDaoud]

I’m looking for a product to refurbish the worn bolsters on my black leather seats.

Had a look at a furniture clinic kit which for £50 comes with a spray applicator which seems overkill. I would have thought you could just sponge dye it, but it would be good to have a kit which has some pre dye cleaner, dye, and a post dye finishing polish or cream of some kind.

Anybody have any kits they recommend?

 

[andyglym]

I’m looking for a product to refurbish the worn bolsters on my black leather seats.

Had a look at a furniture clinic kit which for £50 comes with a spray applicator which seems overkill. I would have thought you could just sponge dye it, but it would be good to have a kit which has some pre dye cleaner, dye, and a post dye finishing polish or cream of some kind.

Anybody have any kits they recommend?

I used the furniture clinic and sponged the dye on, came out just fine.

 

[mrscalex]

I use FC quite a lot and would personally recommend spraying where possible. With a compressor and gun not the propellant cans.

 

[NawidDaoud]

Fair play, Furniture clinic it is!

I guess my second question would be should I redye the whole seat, or just touch up the areas which are worn?

I'd rather only have to do the problem areas, but will do the whole seat if redying just part will make it look like it's multiple shades of black.

 

[andyglym]

@mrscalex (Robert) has done many more than me but I'd imagine that if you gave the whole seat a good clean then just redyed the offending bit it should look the same? He may say otherwise.

 

[mrscalex]

It's black and the best colour to only do the offending areas. It's also Classic leather which is the easiest of the embossed types to work with.

I've just done a black Classic leather Sport local repair and it worked out very nicely. If you can get away with it do it. I believe in restoration where possible not renovation.

You will need to mask up the seam very tightly. And the long thin mark on the base is because the wire frame has broken through the foam bolster (which is also collapsed). You will have to dismantle the seat, remove the cover and repair the bolster. Otherwise the repair won't last 5 minutes with the wire frame rubbing it. The cover is held on with hog rings in the centre sections. But you should get away with just lifting the side hopefully and not touching them. They are a pain to work with. Note the leather, now the embossed pattern is worn off, is never going to look quite the same as the rest of it.

Here's some before during and after of the one I did.

 

[Paul Rice]

Furniture clinic for me. I found the paint too thick to use in the supplied gear so sponge applied but used the spray for the clear lacquer 3 coats paint 3 coats lacquer

 

[SYMZ3]

Furniture clinic for me. I found the paint too thick to use in the supplied gear so sponge applied but used the spray for the clear lacquer 3 coats paint 3 coats lacquer

Lovely sofa

 

[Davyhoogy]

@mrscalex I've got s similar issue although mines becoming worse, where the frame hmis rubbing the underside of the leather. I'm very local to furniture clinic is it worth DIY to save their costs. I wouldnt even know where to begin in replacing the foam.
I was planning on getting a quote from them as they've done work on mine before

 

[mrscalex]

@mrscalex I've got s similar issue although mines becoming worse, where the frame hmis rubbing the underside of the leather. I'm very local to furniture clinic is it worth DIY to save their costs. I wouldnt even know where to begin in replacing the foam.
I was planning on getting a quote from them as they've done work on mine before

I think FC is all franchised around the country so quality may be variable. Not sure if they do head office work. Either way not sure if they will tackle the bolster repair. And it's also not unusual to need to repair the heated element while you are in there. Worth a try though. Great results. Heck of a lot of work.

 

[Davyhoogy]

I think FC is all franchised around the country so quality may be variable. Not sure if they do head office work. Either way not sure if they will tackle the bolster repair. And it's also not unusual to need to repair the heated element while you are in there. Worth a try though. Great results. Heck of a lot of work.

Typically I'd be really up for it. But the wife goes back to work full time in a week and I'm on furlough with the 6month old, so there will rarely be any time for messing about with the car any more so might have to pay for it to be done if it's reasonable

 

[NawidDaoud]

@mrscalex

I will give the bolster refurb a go. Especially if you think I can get at it by just lifting the side up.

Are you able to expand on how I can repair the bolster? Had a closer look today and the foam has collapsed and I can feel the wire frame through the leather. Do I need a new foam piece or can I somehow fix the collapsed bolster?

 

[NawidDaoud]

Just to clarify, I know it's not as simple as "Just lifting the side up", but I meant lifting the side up instead of taking the whole cover, hog rings and all off.

 

[mrscalex]

@mrscalex

I will give the bolster refurb a go. Especially if you think I can get at it by just lifting the side up.

Are you able to expand on how I can repair the bolster? Had a closer look today and the foam has collapsed and I can feel the wire frame through the leather. Do I need a new foam piece or can I somehow fix the collapsed bolster?

You will need to at least loosen the seat off the frame and preferably remove it. Then you'll need to unpop the plastic clips from the back. And carefully bend back the tabs that stretch the skirt onto the seat pan.

You can get to the bolster without removing the hog rings although it's better with the cover off.

The quick fix to the bolster is duct tape. The more permanent fix is get some upholstery contact glue and scrap foam. Cut out as little of the old rotten foam as possible. Then glue a fillet of sponge in.