Absolutely not. Our DIY system is engineered to the same rigorous chemical performance standards as the products we use in our professional restoration services and are the exact products used in our leather restoration workshop. Once cured (72 hours for full cure), the new finish will perform as good, or better, than the original.
We are experts at color-matching; this is one area that sets us apart. With over 20 years of hands on leather restoration experience, servicing a very demanding clientele, we get the color right, every time. Give us a sample of your color and we can match it.
Our DIY leather restoration System is engineered to meet or exceed typical tannery-grade leather finish performance standards. It’s a simple two step process that ensures success. First, the leather is primed to accept the color. Second, the color is applied. This procedure adds many years of renewed life to your leather.
One of our clients put it this way - "The result has been a beautiful finish on my couch, chair and ottoman that looks like leather and feels like leather and, after all, that’s why you buy leather to begin with…” - Monty U., MI.
Yes you can. And, at a fraction of the cost for re-upholstery in the leather color of your choice. Call our office @ (800) 541-5982, and we can explain the pros and cons.
Our materials are all water-based. They are non-toxic and perfectly safe. We do recommend precautions be taken consistent with any finish application - good ventilation, and spill prevention measures, as the colors can stain fabrics, carpeting, or other absorbent surfaces. Clean-up tends to be easier, and with much less odor than simple latex house-paint.
We have done all of the technically difficult work for you. All you need to do is follow the instructions, and with some of your time you can transform your furniture. We have had clients well into their retirement use our system. You can too.
Our DIY leather restoration system is custom tailored for each project. To put our pricing structure in prospective, the typical system costs between 20% and 25% of our professional restoration services, and is often less than 10% of re-upholstery or replacement with new furniture.
No, our system is UV stable. If the original color faded quickly it was most likely originally unfinished leather, where the color comes solely from a dye. Dyes are much less UV stable than the pigments we use in our system, so you can expect the color to last considerably longer.
The coloring system is opaque. Therefore it has covering power. With multiple light coats, the new color will appear even and consistent across all leather surfaces.
Many dyed leathers are porous. This allows food and beverages to soak into the top layer of the leather, staining easily. Once you have completed your restoration process, these stains will be covered. And, the leather will have a durable, cleanable surface that allows food and beverage spills to be wiped up.
If you see dark areas in the head rest or armrest, this implies body oil accumulation in the leather. We include oil extraction materials in the system that remove the accumulated body oils from the leather. Once that step is completed, the leather is now ready to be primed and colored, covering the affected areas.
This is a common problem. We have written instructions supported by a DVD that specifically address cat claw damage. To assist you, we will evaluate the extent of the damage from photographs you e-mail to us. We will then determine a repair strategy for you. Light scratches tend to disappear with the application of the DIY leather restoration system. Deeper scratches may require repair compound. In the event your cat has completely shredded a leather panel, the restoration system will enable you to have an upholsterer replace the affected panel, and you can then color it to match the rest of the piece.
You most likely are experiencing a compaction of the foam and padding materials. We can guide you through steps to help reverse some of this, and also to add more padding materials. We can help you with foam core replacement, if it is determined that this is necessary.
We will direct you how to strip off the ink prior to the new color application, as ink can “bleed” up through color coatings (even as the ink migrated into the original color coat to create the current stain, it can also migrate upward through the new color application unless it is removed.
Yes, we can supply you with all the necessary materials and guidance to successfully disguise the tear and make the leather structurally sound through the process of sub-patching (applying a strong material to the underside of the leather to support the area around the tear), and subsequent filling of the remaining void. When the area is re-colored with the restoration kit, the damaged area will be structurally sound and concealed.
Yes, you will still be able to utilize our restoration system. The only difference is that you will be supplied with additional components that will allow you to resolve the burn prior to the restoration process. We have a complete photo sequence showing you the step-by-step repair of a large burn. The burn repair kit can be supplied as an add-on to your restoration kit.
There are three reasons why pictures are important - First, we support our claim that the system works with a money back guarantee. Because we offer the guarantee, we want to "qualify" your leather to ensure it will work for you. If we can't see pictures, we can't guarantee it. Second, pictures help to show us the condition of your leather. Close-up pictures are very helpful to determine leather condition. We are looking to ensure that the leather meets our criteria for success. It can be stained or faded, but if it is in otherwise good condition then the system will work beautifully. If the leather is worn out (deep cracks, or splits into the hide) then the system would only be a temporary solution, as the underlying leather is not structurally sound. Finally, pictures show us the architecture of your piece. Over-all pictures (showing the entire piece of furniture) are very helpful to determine how a piece is put together. We've refinished many thousands of leather furniture pieces over our 28 year history. We've seen all kinds of shapes and sizes. Looking at photos show us the specifics of your piece and allow us to advise you on how to work around potential trouble spots.
If you place the piece on its back, you'll find a dust-cover (cloth material) stapled to the frame on the underside of your furniture. Your leather is tucked in under that staple line. Run your hand around the perimeter of the dust-cover seeking where there is the maximum excess leather (we don't need a lot, but as much as you can supply is appreciated). Pull the staples in that area and cut as much as you can from the pulled-under, not visible section of leather for our leather and color analysis. We can cut even long, thin strips of leather into shorter lengths, and place them side-by-side to create a better, wider color sample. After cutting the sample, re-staple both the leather and dust cover in place. To see the process in video form, click here. If you are unable to accomplish this process, an alternative is to visit your local Benjamin Moore® paint store. If you are able to locate your desired color among the samples they have available, we have all of their sample books. Simply include the color code in either your e-mail or hard-copy correspondence.
No. As long as we have pictures of your furniture, we don't need a sample of your leather as we are not developing a custom color match. We'd recommend reading our guarantee and return policy statement to help you decide which type of kit to purchase.
The time-line for the project depends on your furniture. As an example, if you are restoring a standard-sized (3 seat) sofa to its original color, then plan on 6-8 hours. If you are changing its color, then plan on 8-12 hours. Body oil extraction will extend project time dependent on the level of saturation present.
It takes 1-3 business days to make a kit. Our standard shipping is via UPS ground. Depending on your location, shipping time is 1-5 business days. If you need the kit sooner, we can ship UPS third, second, or next-day air. The shipping cost is your responsibility. We do a direct cost pass-through of what the shipper charges us, with no handling charge added.
We accept Visa, MasterCard, and American Express.
Pretty much everything you need to complete your project, except masking tape and drop-cloths. Here is a link to a typical kit contents list (material amounts vary based on project needs) - kit contents (.pdf format).