Leather Detailing
Leather is durable and lasts but it also shows wear. Cars with leather interiors need detailing on a regular basis to look half-decent.
American leather comes with a durable vinyl coating and refinishes and re-colors well. Seats that look like a detailed road map do well to be restored and this increases the resale value of a car by several hundreds of dollars.
How to Detail Leather:
- Thoroughly clean all leather panels to be restored. Use a water based and alcohol cleaner for best results.
- Sand out all cracks using 320 or 400 grit sandpaper, as far down as to bare leather if necessary.
- Once you have achieved your level of surface smoothness, seal all of the cracks and sanded areas using a water-based leather sealer or primer. Be diligent in this process, as if the leather is not sealed adequately it will absorb moistness and then stiffen.
You can re-color or re-coat water based leather using vinyl paint. The result is highly flexible. This process is not to be mistaken for dyeing.
- Your last step is the clincher and seals the deal! Finish with a clear coat (non-aerosol.) The gloss can be adjusted with a duller or gloss reducer additive.
Using this method a well-trained detailer will produce an exceptional result that is durable and pleasing to the eye.
Keep in mind that this is not the same process used for a crack and peel job.