How to paint leather furniture

Learning How to Paint Leather furniture is incredibly common in painters, as it is a lovely, beautiful and durable material that can match most rooms and most styles. However, sometimes, styles and trends change. Other times, the material wears, and owners are left wanting to give their leather sofa or leather chair a new life. When it comes to any of these situations, the easiest way to brighten up old or outdated house & furniture is to paint leather!
Painting leather is pretty easy, and with the right products it can make a huge difference to the appearance of your leather couch, and leather furniture, and it can even be done on leather clothing, too!

Step one: Getting the right paint and materials

In order to paint leather furniture you will need to have the right paint, prep fluid and finisher. Whether you’re using white leather paint, black leather paint or are going a more outlandish colour, the products you use will make or break your look.

Ideally, you should aim to use an acrylic paint on leather furniture or possibly a chalk paint if acrylic is not available. One of the most highly recommended products for acrylic paint, prep, and finisher are The Leather Colour Doctor`s Leather Paint.

Where to buy The Leather Colour Doctor Brand Leather Paint products:

As it is a popular product, the brand is available in many places, namely Amazon, Ebay and theleathercolourdoctor.co.uk.

Step two: prepping leather furniture for leather paint

There are a few steps involved in getting leather ready for painting. It is a bit of a long process, but painting leather furniture is a job that demands attention to detail and plenty of care.

Clean with a damp cloth. You should use a clean cloth and soak it in warm water, then wipe down your leather furniture. When doing this, you may find it beneficial to take the furniture apart. Removing all of the dirt and grime from your furniture allows you to create a smooth surface for the primer and paint to stick to, and prevents any dirt from being stuck down by the paints. Once washed, leave your leather furniture to dry completely before moving onto the next step in order to ensure a smooth finish.
Place a drop cloth down beneath the leather furniture that you are painting. This will allow you to prevent any colour from splattering around onto your floor. Acrylic leather paint is hard to remove, so it is always important to take every precaution to protect the surrounding areas when painting leather furniture.
One of the most important steps that often gets forgotten by those who choose to paint leather is to use painter’s tape to protect rivets and any areas that you aren’t going to apply leather paint to. On a leather sofa, this might be the feet, the boards around the bottom, or any metalwork. Painting furniture is a great way to rejuvenate it, but it’s important not to ruin the furniture in the process!
Before you paint leather, it is also worth considering fixing any cracks in the leather. Painted leather is a great way to improve the value and appearance of leather furniture, but it is unlikely to hide any cracks or damage to the material. You can buy patches and filling kits for leather furniture, which can be applied and then sanded down before whipping out the acrylic paint or spray paint. This will help to give you your desired look and a real, smooth finish by helping to make the paint adhere
Prepare the material with Angelus Leather Preparer and Deglazer. You need to use a product like Angelus Leather Preparer in order to remove the glaze on the leather and to allow the paint to adhere when you paint leather furniture. Angelus Leather Preparer will work well on most leather furniture, but for suede furniture and many faux leather surfaces, this step is not recommended. For those unable to source out Angelus brand, rubbing alcohol can also be used to remove the glaze. Wipe your product on with a clean rag, leather sponge, or sponge brush.

How to Paint Leather Furniture

Step three: paint your leather furniture

The time has come to use your leather paint! Once you’ve ensured your surface has had the chance to dry completely, you should use a leather sponge brush or flat angled brush to evenly apply a coat of paint to the leather. In my experience, you should apply your leather paint in the same way that you applied your primer, using thin layers to create multiple thin coats. You may need to use a smaller brush on parts of your leather surface where there are small details – think seams and sewed lines. It is important to pay attention to such small details when you paint leather. Once you’ve achieved the first coat, leave the leather to dry for a minimum of 2 hours.

Paint the Leather Furniture — How to Paint Leather Furniture

As soon as you’ve let the coat dry, return for another coat. Continue to apply leather paint in thin coats until your leather furniture has the desired solid color. When you paint leather, the more coats the better when it comes to creating a proper deep colour.

Step four: sealing the leather paint

When you’re painting leather, you need to make sure that you use a finisher on top of your leather acrylic paints. This helps to seal the colour underneath and prevents wear and tear. So, whilst you’ve still got your drop cloth down, use Angelus brand sealer (or whatever sealer you have chosen) and paint it onto your completely dry paint using a sponge brush.

Sealers come in a few different finishes, from silky and glossy to matte. Choose your sealer carefully, as you may find that matte red on your leather chair looks very different to glossy red! It can drastically affect the appearance of the leather surface, and so picking the right one is important.
Once you’ve applied the sealant, you should leave your painted leather to dry for at least a day before use. Then, remove the painters tape, reassemble your furniture and return it to its place in your home.

FAQs – How to Paint Leather Furniture

Acrylic paint is highly recommended for painting leather furniture. You can also use chalk paint if acrylic is not available.

These products are popular and can be found on many platforms, including Amazon, eBay, and theleathercolourdoctor.co.uk.

Preparation involves cleaning the furniture with a damp cloth, placing a drop cloth beneath the furniture, using painter’s tape to protect areas not to be painted, and fixing any cracks in the leather. You should also prepare the material with a product like Angelus Leather Preparer and Deglazer.

Apply the paint in thin coats until you achieve the desired solid color. The more coats you apply, the deeper the color will be.

After painting, you should seal the paint with a finisher like the Angelus brand sealer. This helps to protect the color and prevent wear and tear. After applying the sealant, let your painted leather dry for at least a day before use.

Yes, you can paint most types of leather furniture. However, the preparatory step involving Angelus Leather Preparer is not recommended for suede furniture and many faux leather surfaces.

Yes, you can choose any color you like, whether it’s a classic white or black, or a more outlandish color. The choice of color will depend on your personal preference and the style of your room.

Summary

As a professional painter, I’ve crafted a comprehensive guide on how to paint leather furniture. This guide is designed to help homeowners transform their common, yet beautiful, leather pieces into vibrant, refreshed elements of their home decor. It covers everything from selecting the right paint and materials to the detailed steps of preparation, painting, and sealing. Whether you’re dealing with a worn-out leather sofa or chair, this guide provides all the expert tips and techniques you need to give your leather furniture a DIY makeover. With the right approach, you can easily adapt to changing styles and trends, ensuring your leather furniture always looks its best.