Can leather be painted? How do you go about painting leather? Are some leather items easier to paint than others? Can some leather items not be painted at all? When should I seek professional help?
All this and more today as we explore how to paint leather properly so that you are left with a leather item that looks professional and sleek.
Step 1: Cleaning and Prep
Before you start painting anything, you will want to prepare your item. Whether you intend to paint leather shoes with acrylic leather paint or not, preparation is an essential part of the process. This will be one of the most drastic methods of how to remove ink from leather, but it works!
- Lay down drop cloths to protect the environment from stray paint.
- Disassemble the item of leather to its base elements. If it is a piece of furniture, for example, you will want to take it apart as much as possible. Likewise, you will want to remove the laces from the leather surface of some shoes before involving any acrylic paint.
- Wipe the leather down with some isopropyl alcohol, removing any waxes or oils on the surface of the leather - these are often the main cause of paint not sticking. Paint thinner and ammonia are also good for opening the pores of the hide.
- Sand any shiny areas with a fine-grit sandpaper of around 100-200. Removing this shine with help the paint adhere to the leather more effectively. Painting leather is a complicated process!
- Clean the surface again with a damp rag so that all of the dirt has been lifted off. This is especially true of leather furniture which can harbor so many unseen pieces of dirt and sweat. These bits of dirt, dust, and grime will stick to the leather paint if you do not remove them at this stage of the process.
- Use a leather preparer and deglazer and work a generous amount into the surface of the painted leather. Unlike leather paints, the preparer and deglazer will dry fast because it is alcohol based. Painting leather shoes need not be too difficult when you have done the correct preparations.
Step 2: Applying the Paint
Once you have done the preparations properly, you can begin to seal acrylic paint into the distressed leather.
Purchase a leather acrylic paint specifically designed for the job. The Angelus brand leather paint is a particular favorite among leather enthusiasts who want their leather to stay flexible after the fact.
Mix the paint and some water together in a 1:1 ratio. The presence of water helps the leather to absorb the acrylic paints. Mix it together in an aptly-sized bowl with your sponge brush.
Apply the paint to the leather in thin coats. Work the paint into the surface of the leather with long and even strokes. It is normal when painting leather furniture for the original color to come through at first.
Leave the paint to dry, preferably giving each layer two or three hours to dry before applying the next. If upon touch the paint feels wet or the color comes off on your fingers, then it is not yet dry enough for another layer.
Flex the leather out before applying each coat, especially if you are giving some leather shoes paint. This will prevent the paint from cracking at a later stage of the process.
Apply more coats in this fashion, making sure not to forget to let each coat dry properly before proceeding. Flexing after each coat is, again, a vital way of ensuring that the paint does not crack later down the line. It can take up to seven coats if you want a solid color base.
Once you have finished adding all the coats you desire, then leave the leather paint to dry for around 24 hours. After this time has elapsed, give the surface a feel. If it is still wet, then let it dry for longer until it is actually dry.
Step 3: Finishing Up
Now, if you have followed all of the steps previously correctly, you will be ready to start finishing up.
Purchase an acrylic leather finisher. This is designed to help seal the paint in and give the leather a nice finish once it has all dried off. You can choose between a more glossy finish that will be reflective and shiny or a more matte finish with a softer and muted appearance. Once you have decided, make your purchase and proceed.
Apply the finisher evenly to the surface of the leather with a damp cloth or sponge brush. As with the painting process, you will want to apply it in thin coats over the entire surface of the leather, allowing time in between coats for it to dry off a little.
Allow the finisher to dry for another 24 hours, as with the paint. Ensure that it is drying in a place that is relatively free of dust, lest the dust catches itself in the finish and forever be entombed in your leather item. Granted, this will be a difficult feat if you are painting leather furniture, but as long as it is as free from dust as possible it should be okay.
Last Word
So, there you have it! Hopefully, you are now feeling better equipped to paint your own leather item. Who knows, maybe you have learned a thing or two about painting and DIY in general.
FAQs Can Leather Be Painted?
Can you paint directly on leather?
More or less, yes, though you are going to want to do the correct series of preparations beforehand. If you do not, for example, remove any of the waxes or oils that are already part of the surface of the leather, then the paint you use is not going to stay properly. This is another thing, too, for you can very easily use the wrong kind of paint, one that will not do the job properly. Acrylic leather paint is the way to go, but only after having done the requisite preparatory work.
How do you get paint to stick to leather?
By doing the requisite preparation. By removing the waxes and oils on the surface of the leather, the paint that you use can more easily grip the leather and, thus, stick to it permanently. If you use an acrylic leather finisher, then you can seal the deal and ensure that the paint stays put where it belongs.
How do you paint leather without cracking it?
One of the keys to ensuring that the paint does not crack from your leather after you have painted it is to flex it along the way. After you have applied each coat of paint, flex the leather as best you can to ensure that the leather does not crack the paint later down the line. By doing this, the leather can become accustomed more easily to the paint that is being applied to it. Of course, such actions are rendered futile without the requisite preparatory, like removing the wax or oil finish that is already present on a lot of leather items.
