What Is Antique Furniture Restoration?
Antique Furniture Restoration
This quick guide explains how to achieve an antique finish on leather. Usually these are a darker colour on top of a lighter base colour, but can be the other way around as well.
You can use the normal leather colourants to do this. But the final layers will be mixed with the lacquer. This will be explained later in the guide.
First you need to clean the leather, usually on antique furniture there is a lot of dirt and grime built up especially in the studded areas. The best method is to vacuum the area thoroughly then to clean using our Leather Cleaner which will help remove grease etc from the leather.
Next you need to use the leather prep and a towelling type cloth and gently rub the surface, this removes any contaminants and grease from the leather.
You will notice that this is removing some colour, this is fine.
Make sure you get into all the creases and around the studded areas as this is where the worst of the dirt and grease will gather.
Repeat this process again using alcohol cleaner, this prepares the surface ready for colouring.
You will notice the surface of the leather looks matt, this is correct.
Now the leather is ready to start the re-colouring.
Before you start, decide on the colours you need to use.
Apply your base coat and dry thoroughly, apply another coat if needed.
When completely dry you are ready to apply one of the top coats.
Mix your next colour 60/40 with lacquer to thin it and make it easier to work with.
This next layer can be done by several different techniques…..
The first being spraying by airbrush as before but allowing the airbrush to “spit” the product out rather than aim for an even coverage.
The second being by mouth atomizer which is a manual version, this takes some getting used to but great results can be achieved this way.
The other option is to apply by a sponge but with very little product so you are able to swipe the colour on which leaves streaks as on a lot of two tone furniture.
When you are happy with your results by whichever method you chose, you can then seal it all in.
When it is completely dry, use the lacquer finish in whichever sheen you choose, spray on the surface to seal in your colour and create a long lasting, hard wearing finish.
For Antique Leather Furniture that’s drying out its best to soften this with a softening creme and apply a colour enhancer to the surface rather then a pigment paint finish.
Antique Furniture Drying Out
Antique Furniture Arm
Antique Furniture End
This type of antique leather furniture would be a veg tanned leather with a colour applied to the top, so great care has to be taken to ensure the aesthetics of the finish do not change, so a colour enhancer is best for this type of job.