With leatherette, a practical and inexpensive material that successfully replaces natural leather, sometimes unpleasant things happen: the paint wears off, abrasions appear on the product. And immediately, to the chagrin of the owner, the attractive appearance of the thing is lost.
Don't be upset! Leatherette can be restored. Painting leatherette at home is easy. In this case, you can not only restore the surface in the problem area, but also repaint the entire thing and completely transform it. We'll tell you how to do it right to give things a second life.
How to paint leatherette
First of all, you need to choose a suitable paint product. A variety of substances can be used to color leatherette.
Aerosol paints
Aerosol paints help to carry out the painting procedure easily. Their advantage is color. Many shades filled into spray cans allow you to choose a shade that perfectly matches the color of the item being painted. No less important is the ability to purchase glossy or matte paint.Aerosols can be used to repair most leatherette items.
The sequence of actions when painting leatherette with aerosol paint:
- Vigorous mixing of the paint in the can. To do this, you need to shake its contents thoroughly for a couple of minutes.
- Apply paint by spraying it from a can onto the surface to be painted. Wait 3 to 5 minutes and repeat application, creating a 2nd coat of paint. For durable and reliable coloring of leatherette, you need to cover it with two or three layers of spray paint. After the procedure, dry the dyed leatherette for 12 hours.
Reference! When calculating the number of spray paint cans needed to work with leatherette, keep in mind: when covering leatherette in 2-3 layers per 1 sq.m of leatherette, 1 can of paint with a volume of 520 ml is consumed.
Impregnations
Special impregnations can not only color the surface, but also give the material water-repellent properties. Therefore, impregnation is often used to apply not only to abrasions, but also to the entire thing.
Impregnations are most often used when processing shoes. They also performed well when interacting with other things. If the bottle of impregnation does not have a sponge specially attached to it, you can apply the dye with a brush or swab. You can also use a spray bottle that is filled with impregnation. In order for the painting result to be of high quality, you need to apply at least 2 layers of the substance. The period between application is at least 30 minutes.
Important! To remove impregnation from the leatherette surface, use a cotton cloth soaked in acetone.
Surface paints
Leatherette can be reliably painted by surface application of acrylic paint.In addition to the diverse range of colors, consumers like acrylic paints for such qualities as:
- Strength. Leatherette painted with acrylic will retain the brightness of the paint for a long time.
- Plastic. Thanks to the special flexibility of acrylic paint, cracks do not appear on leatherette painted with it for a long time.
Important! When working with acrylic paint, keep acetone on hand. If it thickens, add a few drops of acetone to it and stir thoroughly.
It is convenient to work with acrylic paint on a palette. You can squeeze it onto a regular wooden board. Wet the sponge in the paint, then apply it to the leatherette. The paint is applied in several layers, the break between applications is 15 minutes.
Dyes for artificial leather
Manufacturers today offer specially formulated dyes for artificial leather, such as water-based elastic dyes. They are applied to leatherette using a brush or small sponge. The break between applying the 1st and 2nd layers is 2 hours. After finishing processing the material, leave the product to dry completely for 1 day.
How to properly dye leatherette at home
When working with any dye, you must follow the rules for dyeing leatherette. Experts advise paying attention to the following points when performing work:
Surface cleaning
In order not to be disappointed with the results of your work, you need to take care to thoroughly clean the artificial leather before painting. Dirt and grease remaining on the leatherette will become an unwanted layer between the leatherette and the dye. Subsequently, because of this, it will begin to peel off from the material.To clean, we first use a soap solution based on laundry soap, then wipe the dried surface with a cotton swab dipped in medical alcohol.
Material testing
Before performing work, you need to study the recommendations for caring for a specific type of leatherette, as well as instructions for working with dye. In addition, it is useful to test the dye on a small area of leatherette. This will not only establish the compatibility of the dye with artificial leather, but will also make it possible to see the color of the dyed leatherette after drying. Please note that as the painted surface dries, it becomes lighter.
Drying
Take your time while doing the work! Let the material dry completely. During the work process, drying must be carried out several times: before painting - after cleaning the item from dirt and dust, during the painting process - after applying each layer of dye, and at the end of the work.
This is important to consider when painting leatherette.
When painting leatherette at home, you should take into account the advice of experts involved in dyeing artificial leather:
- The product should be dried naturally after the procedure. It is not allowed to place painted items near heating devices or to use household appliances to speed up drying.
- Do not touch the surface of the leatherette with your hands after cleaning. Spots left by your fingers that are invisible to the eye will appear after painting. If it is necessary to interact with the surface prepared for painting, use medical gloves.
- Carry out work in a ventilated area.
Leatherette dyeing, carried out taking into account the rules we have outlined, will allow your clothes, shoes, and bags to look like new.
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