car interior leather painting

[Walter Heger]

What sort of paint is used on a car (QX56) interior. The paint seems to ha ve rubbed off on the steering wheel and corners of drivers seat. I was won dering if the best option might be to paint it. Is this [for leather] pain t sold at AutoZone? If I tape off and spray it on, will it look good? The auto dealer recommends replacing the steering wheel and seat, but that is pricy. I guess I could always go that route if the paint job looks bad! Has anyone tried painting a light tan interior?

[Walter Heger]

have rubbed off on the steering wheel and corners of drivers seat. I was w ondering if the best option might be to paint it. Is this [for leather] pa int sold at AutoZone? If I tape off and spray it on, will it look good?

t is pricy. I guess I could always go that route if the paint job looks ba d!

I see this, but wonder if it as good as advertised?

6703/

[trader_4]

have rubbed off on the steering wheel and corners of drivers seat. I was w ondering if the best option might be to paint it. Is this [for leather] pa int sold at AutoZone? If I tape off and spray it on, will it look good?

t is pricy. I guess I could always go that route if the paint job looks ba d!

If it's leather it's not painted, it is finished similar to how any leather like a sofa or jacket is finished. I had leather seats refurbished in a cl assic Mercedes by a local shop where the driver seat had worn the color off . They did all the seats and it came out looking like new. There may be pro ducts available for DIY, but if you need color because it's worn off, it ha s to match the oem color.

[Clare Snyder]

Like most rustoleum paint it has a tendancy to come off.It is a fabric vinyl paint - not made for leather Leather is DIED, not painted.

See

and and and

for starters

[rbowman]

Assuming it is aniline leather:

I have no connection to that product and there are other similar products on the market but that's the general idea.

If it is vinyl that's a horse of a different color so to speak.

[micky]

I've read, maybe here, that leather seats use thin leather which is covered by clear plastic. Of course if the color is gone, the plastic would be gone there too, but not elsewhere on the same seat.

My 2000 Toyota leather steering wheel wasn't in good condition and cleaning it didnt' help. I would have rather had an attractive plastic steering wheel like on my '65 Pontiac, than a leather wheel that lookeed crummy.

The 2005 Toyota leather steering wheel still looks very nice, so in order not to wear off the nice finish, I try not to steer. So far, so good.

[rbowman]

semi-aniline leather.

That complicates the OP's life. Aniline leather is top shelf leather that is only dyed to bring out the grain. Semi-aniline is dyed the same but has a urethane top coat that makes it more stain resistant and also may contain additional pigmentation to cover minor problems. The terms vary, but pigmented leather has a similar top coat but it isn't semi-transparent.

For a car, I'd guess at least semi-aniline unless it comes with a chauffeur to maintain the upholstery. When you pour that hot coffee in your lap you wouldn't want to stain the leather.

[Clare Snyder]

The leather in my 85 Chrysler mark cross was top grain full aniline. The 88 Mark Cross was either top grain or full grain full aniline. The Mystique was full grain full aniline but very stiff.

Full aniline weather needs to be "fed" to keep it smooth and supple.

You can tell full anilne by looking at the back. Only full aniline is died all the way through. Full grain has minor "defects" like scratches and fly bites while top grain has defects "sanded" out.

[Tekkie®]

Clare Snyder posted for all of us...

dyed ? All leather is dead, at least when we get it... :-)

[Tekkie®]

Oren posted for all of us...

Are they not Teflon coated already? Nothing seems to stick to them...

[rbowman]

That's not teflon; it's common old grease.