Jon writes: Hi AT, I have an old tan colored leather couch I got from a friend who recently graduated. It's basically been through the war, and looks pretty bad now. I've heard about leather dye, would it be possible to dye the couch to a darker brown in order to cover the wear and tear? If so, is this a project a novice could conceivably take on?
Good Questions: Can I dye my leather couch?
From what we've heard, dyeing any leather(couch, shoes, etc...) should be left to the professionals. However, that doesn't mean it can't be done. Does anyone have any first hand experience to share with Jon?
Comments (4)
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I doubt it - the surface of the leather probably has some type of protective solution on it so it will be difficult for the dye to seep in evenly; what you'll probably find is that creased/scraped areas will end up super-dark while the rest of it doesn't really take.
And even if that's not a problem, you'll probably find the dye will change the texture of the leather significantly; I tried dying a pair of suede shoes once and they got all stiff and scratchy. Add in the risk of rub-off and I think you'll find this project is not worth it.
That being said, you might be able to minimize the damage by spotcleaning dark areas and using one of those furniture magic markers (typically for wood) to disguise any light areas/scratches. Obviously test on an inconspicuous area first, and don't rule out the camouflage that some pillows and a well-placed throw can provide!
Short answer, no. Just go buy a new couch.
I just saw on The Designer Guys, on TLC, The Learning Channel, this woman recolors old leather furniture using an airbrushing technique. This would be expensive though.
if the answer you get most often is no, then you might as well give it a try if you are plannign to buy a new couch anyway. it might just work, and if not, no loss!