How to paint leather ?
You want to paint on leather to customize or restore your favorite accessory or shoes ? Follow our advice and tips to have the best results on any kind of leather or imitation leather.
In this article, we explain what paint to use, how to prepare the leather, but also how to apply your paint and seal it.
What do you need to paint leather
What paint for leather ?
When you want to paint leather, you need to use professional paints that will remain elastic and not crack over time.
If you want to make customization on shoes, bag or any accessories, always use a flexible leather paint, designed for this kind of surface. These paints can also be used on suede, nubuck and faux leather, as well as fabric and much more surface.
What tools for customization ?
To paint leather, you'll need a paint brush or sponge (if you want to use stencils), a palette to mix your colors, and other accessories such as a tape, precision knife. You also need a dissolvent (acetone or preparer) to remove the factory varnish from the leather.
Preparing the leather
Painting on leather always requires a good preparation, so the paint better adheres to the surface and avoids any risk of cracking.
How to prepare leather ?
In case you want to customize your old shoes, make sure to clean them first to remove the dirt.
Start by using a cotton pad with paint stripper to remove the factory varnish.
If you plan to paint the front part of your shoes, then sand these areas using a 400 grit sandpaper.
Get rid of the sanding dust using the stripper. Cleaning the leather will allow you to apply the paint with the best possible adhesion. Wipe the leather with a clean cloth to make sure you don't paint over solvent residue.
Painting on leather
The leather is now ready to be personalised or renovated to suit your needs, and you can now paint your surface with leather paint.
How to apply paint on leather ?
When painting leather, you must apply thin coats of paint to have the best possible resistance.
For a homogeneous result, you need to apply 2 to 3 coats of paint.
Leave the paint dry for 10-15 minutes between each coat, and don't insist on your paint brush if it's already dry. That's why we recommend you to wash it regularly with some water.
How to seal paint on leather ?
Once your customization on leather is done, wait 24 hours before sealing your paint. You can apply a matte or gloss finisher / top coat, depending on the sheen you want for your project.
The matte top coat will give you a natural sheen, while the gloss top coat will give you a shiny finish.
Like for the paint, apply the finisher with thin coats. Apply 2 to 3 coats, leaving to dry between coats.
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