I've got an office chair which I bought because it was comfortable, and because I thought the leather would last a long time.
I've now found out that the leather is covered with a tenth of a millimetre of plastic. Because it's peeling off.
Does anyone know what I could do to it to make it look like a leather chair really should - smooth and shiny, and preferable ever-so-slightly porous?
Andy
The ladies in the Repair Shop did a good job on a tatty old leather armchair a few weeks ago. You might pick up some ideas if you can find it.
Its most likely re-constituted leather (Leather pieces crumbed and glued together in flat sheets) 99% of what are sold as leather office chairs are made from this stuff. You'll know from the price you paid. I've seen 'Executive Leather Chairs' advertised at £60. Absolute rubbish
Think it is common on leather used for car seats etc that it has some sort of waterproof skin applied to it. Some sort of clear lacquer would be my guess. Otherwise stains etc would sink into it - unless if was treated with leather stuff regularly. And you couldn't guarantee that would happen in a car today.
Car trim suppliers like Woolies do various products and kits for leather restoration.
A lot of leather is treated with a film of polyurethane.
I have no idea if it is possible to encourage it to peel off. Maybe some strong sunlight or other UV? Though if from a car, likely has UV protection built-in.
Once removed, dye might come out of the leather, or fade.
Its the same with leather belts! Variable quality based on a real bit of thick hide or a reconstituted piece of leather. The latter will surface crack very easily with wear and once this happens the rest of the material has no strength.
What I sort of guessed.
True.
My old Rover doesn't have the film. So does need the leather fed regularly. Luckily, since it is therefore still porous easy to dye if needed. Woolies will supply the correct dye to a sample.
There does come a point where leather is simply past it, though. Had the two front seat squabs repaired with new recently.
So that's what "bonded leather" means. Where are Trading Standards when you want them? What about "turkey ham" which hasn't seen a pig?
"bonded leather" and "turkey ham" are correct legal descriptions of the relevant items.
It's a bit like all those products "made with Belgian chocolate". The actual percentage of chocolate that comes from Belgium can be very small. 99% of the chocolate could be made in Swanage.
Owain
There I was thinking "But Woolworths went bust years ago"...
Presumably you mean
Andy
Indeed. And as they say on TV, 'other suppliers exist'
I've just found Woolies very helpful. There are likely firms that specialise in domestic leather furniture stuff too.
This time they weren't able to help.
Andy
Apparently "genuine leather" is a synonym for "lowest quality leather"
Polyurethane is one of the more UV resistant polymers.
The other people who know all about the various ways of looking after leather are equestrians. At one time, of course, they invariably owned Rovers, Jaguars, or Rollers.
Do you mean their grooms and chauffeurs knew how to look after leather?
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