Leather Chair Reconditioning

hochpt21

Hey all. I came across this sweet leather chair and am looking for tips on making it as nice as possible. As you can see it has been well loved, but it seems like a great quality furniture and the price was right. The brand is McKinley Leather.

After a fair amount of research, I’m leaning towards using Furniture Clinic products. Cleaner, recoloring balm and a protectant cream.

Let me know if you have any suggestions.

Thanks!
Paul

Dabutcher

Your ideas sound great. I was going to say that I use exclusively Lexol cleaner and conditioner on my auto interiors and live room set. No issues ever. And Toyota and Lexus recommend them Good luck. Keep us posted. D

msg

This sounds like a job for @John Megadeth!

I used to use Lexol (still do for some stuff), but when I got my first pair of Keen boots, I started reading about the NIKWAX leather care products. Better product selection, and different performance in each.

I tried one of their products to recondition a pair of Timberland chukka boots from the 90s, long out of production. Lexol, saddle soap, mink oil - you name it - none of them worked very well, despite multiple applications. The NIKWAX product seems to rehydrate the leather and restored supple feel. Just something else to look into if it requires more help, but this chair may only need light attention.

How's the cushioning? I wonder if an upholstery shop may have some recommendations for you.

msg

Haha, hey Paul, disregard my notes about reconditioning 25yr old boots, as they are most likely not applicable. I just got carried away when I saw leather reconditioning.

hochpt21

https://www.furnitureclinic.com/leather-care-products/leather-complete-restoration-kit

These folks seem like the have a lot of good products and information. I’m leaning towards this at the moment.

DaveHo

I've seen softer skin on a 70 yr old sunbathing hag. Good luck!

msg

Got a good long look didja?

EndersShadow

DaveHo wrote: »

I've seen softer skin on a 70 yr old sunbathing hag. Good luck!

Wow.... that’s pretty harsh words. I didn’t think Russ @lightman was 70 yet.....

Willow

Just cover it with a chair doily. Be done with it.

hochpt21

Well, it’s been a slow moving project, but the ottoman is complete. It’s not perfect, but I’m happy with the result. Now onto the chair which is another animal.

I ended up finding a company online called furniture clinic. I bought a package that had a cleaner, re-colorant and a conditioner.

The result was nice, but then I found a product called Blackrock Leather N Rich, which I added at the very end. It’s basically another moisturizer/conditioner.

A number of applications and a good amount of wait time, but it seems to have paid off.

Untouched


After the cleaner (it cleaned most of the ottoman, but actually darkened the main stain for some reason)


One coat of the colorant


I then added another coat of the colorant, the furniture clinic conditioner and the black rock forgetting to take pictures between each step like an idiot, but here is the final product.

PSOVLSK

Wow. You did a really good job!!! Finished product looks awesome.

hochpt21

PSOVLSK wrote: »

Wow. You did a really good job!!! Finished product looks awesome.

Thank you

CottageChz

That’s pretty cool, nice work! It is really satisfying to recondition something like that when it turns out well.

xschop

Nice rework of the Ottoman. Agree, the chair will probably need new cushioning. Daunting task and I'd have to admit that for me, plastic would be the only solution ....(as in Visa or MasterCard at the local furniture gig)

dromunds

I just got some of the Blackrock. Going to try it out. That ottoman likes nice

EndersShadow

@hochpt21 ....

Look PHENOMENAL! Can’t wait to see the chair.

I’d love to take on a project like that, I just don’t have a place for something like that