In this guide, we will explain how to refinish minor and major damage to leather, both in furniture and automotive interiors. The idea of this guide is to show the DIY enthusiast the basic principles of leather refinishing (connollising), but also to go into a little more detail on the more serious type of damage, which includes using a leather filling compound.
We have written the guide as comprehensively as possible and used photographs to illustrate the key steps involved. For example jobs we have used an 18 year Italian sofa and the interior of a 1961 Rover. Both examples have severe cracking, that is much more severe than we would normally repair, but they offer extremely good visual demonstrations for these purposes.

These photos show the poor condition of each example. All of this damage could have been avoided with a regular maintenance cleaning plan, using COLORCARE “Leather Cleaner”, “Leather Lotion” and/or “All-in-One”.

The first step in the leather refinishing process is to ‘prep’ the leather to accept the application of base coat and top coat. To do this we need to remove any wax, oil, grease, silicone and the manufacturer’s original finish that may be present on the surface of the leather. If the surface is very dirty, you should clean it first with COLORCARE Leather Cleaner.
As you can see from the photograph, the preparation stage will not only lighten the colour of the leather considerably, but it will also reduce much of the character lines (creasing) in the surface, which improves the appearance greatly. It is essential that this stage of the process is completed properly, so below we explain thoroughly how to proceed.

1. To start with, we recommend sanding any areas that require ‘repairs’ to done. This will remove any rough edges before we begin the preparation stage. For severe damage you can use a palm sanding (DA) with 240gr paper, but for minor abrasions or scuffs a hand block with 400/600gr paper will be fine. Sand until the rough edges have been removed.
2. Using the “Green Cleaner” and a scotchbrite/abrasive pad – Spray the Green Cleaner onto the leather and then using the abrasive pad rub one panel at a time to break down the manufacturers finish. Once you have completed the panel, turn the pad over and use the sponge side to wipe off any residue. A key indicator that the leather finish has begun to break down is that you will see excess colour transfer from the leather onto the sponge. Take a hairdryer and thoroughly dry the area treated to ensure any solvent is thoroughly dried out of the hide. Once you have completed the entire item, move onto step 3
3. Step 2 will have removed the manufacturers finish and any silicone, but certain products aren’t soluble in solvents. So you will need to clean the entire area with COLORCARE Leather Cleaner to remove any excess debris.
4. The previously stages will have caused some of the fibres around the damaged areas to ‘lift’ again, so a second round of sanding may be needed. Run your hand over the area to check for this. If required, repeat stage 1 until smooth again.
5. For severe damage, you will need to add a leather filling compound to the cracks before you can begin the refinishing work. You will need to apply a thin coat of Base Coat to seal the leather before applying the leather compound. Then using a pallet knife, apply a thin skim of filler into the cracks and dry thoroughly with a hair dryer. Once the compound is dry, add another coat of Base Coat and repeat the drying process. Then sand the compound with 600gr sandpaper until smooth. Repeat this process until totally smooth. This process has a laminating effect, which adds strength to the repair.
6. Once all the repair work is completed we can now apply the Base Coat. This can be applied by foam applicator or can be sprayed. For a professional finish we recommend spraying both Base & Top coats. We add colour to both our coat processes to ensure a flawless finish. Shake the Base Coat well after adding the crosslinker. Pour into your spray delivery system and spray lightly. Firstly vertically, then horizontally. Complete one panel at a time and then dry with a hair dryer. Once you have completed the whole item, move onto the next stage.
7. Ensure the leather is dry before spraying your top coat.
8. Add the crosslinker to your Pigmented Top Coat and shake well. Pour the Top Coat into your spray delivery system (HVLP gun, Preval Spray unit). Keeping approx 25-30 cms from the leather, lightly spray the surface. Firstly in a vertical direction, then horizontally until the whole panel is covered. Dry thoroughly then move to the next panel. Complete the whole item and then check over thoroughly. Certain colours will require more coats than others, so you may have to repeat this process 2, 3 or even 4 times to get a perfect finish. However, make sure you spray light coats as too much top coat will reduce the clarity of the grain and make the leather feel ‘heavy’. There is no need to add a sealant as our colours are premixed with top coat, the same way that the manufacturers apply the coatings.
9. Finish of the job with an application of COLORCARE Leather Protector. You will need to wait 24 hours before applying this, but it will protect against stains and add much needed conditioning to help the moisture balance in the hide.