restoring leather seats

[Richard Zahra]

Hi
my P6 has sandalwood leather seats that need some work to get them back to their glory. There aren't any tears but the leather is creased and needs some rejuvenation. I was thinking of buying a kit to do this but am not sure whether the sides should also be done since they aren't leather. I'm concerned that I will lose the pattern on the vinyl if I touch them with the colouring dye. Any opinions? Thanks.

regards
Richard

 

[PeterZRH]

First thing to do and do it now because it takes time is condition the seats to soften them. If necessary get the heavy duty stuff designed for house harnesses. If you don't need to use the car, use clingfilm over it.

You can't do much until you do this.

After that and a good cleaning you'll need to decide whether a colouring kit is the way to go. There are different types but there are disadvantages of coating your leather in any way as it won't quite the same again. Unless it's really knackered then the best approach is keep it super-supple and live with the patina.

 

[drabbers]

As Peter said - start with thorough clean and condition - you might be suprised.
I have used Gliptone scuff master on seats that had light scuffs and cracks (surface only)
You sponge apply water based colour and wipe most off with a damp cloth so colour is only left where needed.


Mark.

 

[Richard Zahra]

Hi sorry for not answering earlier but I had not noticed there were answers to my thread. Thanks for answering. I will try and get hold of some leather conditioner and start from there. Will post some pics to give you an idea on the condition of the seats.

regards
Richard

 

[roverp5Bcoupe]

See this interesting thread on the P5 forum: Repairing leather (video) | Rover P5 Club Forum

Peter

 

[Richard Zahra]

Thanks for the link. I wouldn't have believed that seats so far gone are recoverable. Mine are way better than that so when I have some free time I will have a go at recoloring them.

Richard

 

[PeterZRH]

If you search here there are some before and after pictures of my seats. You can get good results, but as ever that link shows the result of a lot of experience of a professional restorer. It will take you a LONG time and you're unlikely to get such exceptional results. Well perhaps I'm judging by my own standards which don't match that....

I used the Gliptone system and the results were very acceptable. Mine were better than those too in that the leather had not split except along the seams. IF I were to offer you some tips.

1. Buy/borrow a cheap airbrush and compressor.
2. tape the seams open and mask them. The PVA based colour does not stick to these and you want colour in as far as it will get. You also don't want a patch in which it can start to lift.
3. Watch the piping - this is vinyl for the same reasons.
4. I got one or two patches on the backrest on which the paint just woulds stick no matter how much I clean and lightly sanded. I don't know why.
5. Don't add too much (or any) gloss. You will get natural "buttock polishing".
6. Avoid jeans as you'll get colour transfer - mine were buckskin.....
7. Painted leather will not feel the same as natural leather... This is why I'd only do this if the seats were truly bad.

 

[Richard Zahra]

I'll post some photos tomorrow and would greatly appreciate your opinion. Thanks

regards
Richard

 

[Richard Zahra]

Hi Peter I have attached pictures of the seats. The drivers is worst for wear . what's your opinion ?

regards
Richard

 

[PeterZRH]

Those are much, much better than mine. I'm betting a deep clean will work miracles. Give them a damned good clean with the proper leather cleaner. I've never seen a pattern like your drivers seat. Normally the cushion is knackered and the backrest almost as new, So I suspicious that this is mostly dirt....

Then condition them, condition them again and keep going over a period of weeks until no more conditioner soaks in. Whether you colour them or not you will need to do this. If you do colour them then the surface is no longer open and conditioner doesn't soak in very well so this is vitally important.....

Use disposable white paper towels and be shocked at what comes off! Don't get the leather too wet. dab it off rather than work it too hard - although you will need to in the creases. Use a soft, natural nail brush.

 

[PeterZRH]

This is what mine looked like. (BTW you do ideally need to take the seat apart, not too difficult...)

This is AFTER cleaning BTW, there is simply no surface conolisation remaining on most of the seat.

 

[Tor]

Yes those look very nicely recoverable and I think you might get away without dyeing after cleaning and conditioning like PeterZRH describes in detail. I've had a go at this job on some E36 BMW seats in black, using different compounds. There are dye finishers and there are pure dyes. The former is a gloopy fluid that will fill light creases on several applications, the latter is sponge on/wipe off colourant, thin like water. Some creasing is part of the car's character I'd say. Some apply conditioner and cling-wrap the leather for a couple of days so that it gets properly absorbed before drying off. BMW seats are very much sealed-finish products in that sense, so they never take up a lot but it still works. Gliptone works for me too.

 

[PeterZRH]

Those seats are lovely, compared how nicely they've kept the shape compared to mine. Ironically to me the most noticeable thing is the vinyl fading, not the leather.