Ask Our Leaxperts: How is Leather Furniture Dyed?
Leather furniture is a massive investment that demands utmost care and maintenance. When you decide to settle on such, you have in mind long service life and, of course, the appealing look that they give your home. However, are you aware of the work behind the incredible leather furniture? The levels of finishing and dyeing that the pieces have to receive to adorn their mind-blowing appeal? Well, before you get your piece of furniture, intensive industrial dyeing and finishing are done.
Basics of Leather Dyeing
Before furniture is dyed, there are lots of factors that professionals have to put into consideration. Some of these factors and facts that you should probably be privy to include:
- Color choice and mixing; each leather material blends well with a specific color to pull off the right appeal. Moreover, the colors have to be mixed accordingly to produce the right shades.
- Dye quality; leather furniture is a huge investment. Consequently, at the industrial level, the highest quality dye is used to produce equally quality furniture.
- Intensive cleaning; before the leather is used on furniture, it is intensively cleaned to absorb applied dye.
- Thin coat application; a thin coat is severally applied to help the leather dry accordingly.
- Ample drying; to completely dry, leather demands enough time. Consequently, to avoid ruining art, leather furniture is left to dry for several days.
The Leather Dyeing Process
In an industrial setting, there are the expected steps of dyeing leather furniture. Such steps feature the following:
1. Preparing the Leather
Before the dye is applied, the leather furniture has to be prepared accordingly. The preparation step entails intensive cleaning to remove any form of dirt that could prevent the dye from absorbing it.
2. Dye Application
After cleaning the leather furniture, the next step is, of course, dye application. However, this is preceded by several other essential steps. First, the dye has to be mixed accordingly to ensure it catches the leather as expected.
After the dye is mixed, it is ready to be applied. Leather is usually dyed using a cloth, sponge, airbrush, or a spray gun. Dye is applied layer by layer, with time allowed for drying in between coats. A rule of thumb in the industry is to apply the first coat horizontally and vertically for all following coats. If a lighter tone is desired, a white coat of dye is applied first. Alternatively for a darker look, black dye is applied first.
Once all dye is applied, leather is usually given around 24 hours to completely dry. It is then buffed with a cloth to dispose of any dye residue and to give the leather a polished appeal.
3. Finishing with a Top Coat
After leather is fully dry, a top coat is applied to finish the look. Topcoat finish comes in handy to prevent the leather from peeling and flaking. Manufacturers usually use a gloss finish, satin finish, or acrylic matte finish, among many others.
Contact Us Today!
Dyeing leather furniture is a complicated endeavor, and it’s not something we recommend you to DIY. At the industry level, high levels of expertise and professionalism are employed to produce the incredible and aesthetically appealing furniture you get in the market.
If you are looking for living room furniture in Fort Myers, at Florida Leather Gallery, we’ve got you covered. Check out our five convenient locations or contact us for more information.
