Leather Recolouring

Leather Car Seat Restoration

We now use modern products that are soft, flexible and hard-wearing, with great coverage and guaranteed not to peel or fade.

This is the ideal solution for worn, cracked and faded leather, as well as for scuffs and cigarette burns. We use tried and tested colours and coatings. We don't repair systems that little more than temporary cover-ups which can be wiped off in the process of normal valeting.

Seat Bolsters

Wear to the driver's side seat bolsters is the most common form of damage we see. Because leather is a natural breathable material, it does soak up dirt and can become discoloured, therefore to get a good match in colour and finish we recolour a larger area than just the bolster. Usually, this will be either the whole face of the upright, or the whole face of the seat base. Please note that while the face of seat is leather, in the vast majority of cases, the sides and back are usually plastic or vinyl.

Unless you have an old vintage car, it's unlikely you will need the whole interior re-coloured. We will just repair the localized areas of wear, and the rest can be cleaned and conditioned. You would be amazed at how new your leather will look after a good clean.

Not sure what Leather Repairs you need?

We are able to carry out minor repairs to scuffs and cigarette burns as part of both of the above methods. For rips, holes and loose stitching, you may need the services of a Coach Trimmer. If you are unsure, you could always take some pictures on your phone and send them to us, we'll get you pointed in the right direction.

Example Prices

These prices are examples based on typical car sizes and typical levels of trim with typical wear. We will quote each job on an individual basis. Cars with bi-coloured seats or exceptional wear may cost more and take longer.

* Cars with coloured piping or bi-coloured seats take far longer to do, and we will usually need the car for two days.

** Please note, Colour changes are not always possible. Please ask.

*** DIY Leather Colouring Kits - We are seeing a significant number of cars which have been previously recoloured with DIY kits, incompatible products, or poor preparation/application. The result is that these products often crack or peel, or otherwise make an unsuitable base for our own products. These products need to be completely removed before we can apply our own products. Leather contaminated with hair gel, sun cream ect., also needs additional preparation.

Special Offer -- Put the Smell of Leather in your Car!

What damages leather seats?

Most leather staining isn’t from neglect -- it’s from ordinary things you’d never think to worry about.

Hair gel and styling products absorb into headrests over time, leaving dark patches that are difficult to remove without professional treatment.

Blue jeans are one of the most common culprits. Indigo dye transfers into natural leather on contact -- particularly on the driver’s seat bolster. The darker and newer the jeans, the more they transfer. Jean rivets catch people out too; the metal studs on back pockets are harder than leather and will scratch the surface.

Suntan lotion is a particular problem in summer. It’s formulated to penetrate skin -- and leather is skin. Get into the car wearing shorts with lotion on your legs and it soaks straight in. Worse, most parents apply factor 50 to their children before a day out and put them straight in the back seat. The result can be handprints and smear marks across the rear upholstery that won’t wipe off.

If you’re returning a lease car, any of these can be flagged at inspection -- they’re not classified as fair wear and tear.

Prevention is better than cure. If you want to protect your interior against future staining, we offer leather and fabric coatings as part of our interior detailing and ceramic coating services.

While the car is with us, we can also carry out carpet repairs -- burns, cuts, staining and worn patches. Prices on request.

Trimming & Connollising FAQs