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Diy - freshen up leather seats for $20 - no more ugly seat bottoms

140K views 177 replies 99 participants last post by  regranite 
#1 ·
OK, as a profession I do mobile auto reconditioning. I mostly fix scratches, dings, dents and exterior work for used car dealers and private owners who have lease returns or want their cars looking good. However, I do some interior reconditioning as well, so I thought I'd share a few pointers.

As everyone knows the Escalade seat bottoms wear like no tomorrow! Instead of spending $200+ (EACH!) on a new seat bottom, I'd rather freshen it up a bit, much like I do on lease returns and used cars. You will need a $9 bottle of SEM SOAP and an $11 bottle of SEM 149B SHALE (#17203) Classic Coat leather paint. You can find these at most auto body supply shops. SEM has a list of their distributors on their website.

Lets get started! Here's what you need:









^^^ Notice the slight discoloration? ^^^


You will need to thoroughly clean the leather to be painted to get rid of any conditioner or grease left behind. Dab a little on a heavy duty Blue paper towel and use a spray bottle to spray the leather with water. Mask the area you don't want over-spray.





You will want to apply 3-4 light coats. You may want to go slightly heavier to fill in the "cracks", NOT THE CREASES! If you look closely at the seats, you will notice the black "dirty" spots are actually really small cracks. Those will be filled in.







And the other side.... (sorry no before pics, it was just as dirty/worn as the driver side)





Pics don't do any justice. The difference in person is night and day! Although the problem with the creases will not be solved, it will definitely make you happier to live with. The paint is amazing, the blending properties within the SEM paint are unbelievable. You will notice the paint is really not a paint, but more like a dye. It just disappears into the leather and blends perfectly. You will not have to paint the entire seat. Just don't lay the paint on thick, and you will be pleased!
 
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#63 ·
It seems like a good temporary fix but there is always the issue of the paint coming off when cleaning it! I routinely use Griot's Garage interior cleaner with a micro fiber towel on my seats and them follow that up with Griot's Garage leather cleaner which helps remove more of those deep, soaked in dirt deposits in the seat and actually puts back some of those original oils found in leather! My seats are in good condition for a 2003 and I have never considered taping up my interior and using an aerosol can!

check out www.griotsgarage.com and look at the interior cleaners and you will find some good products that will help clean/save your leather and even make your car smell clean.
 
#65 ·
So I just purchased my Escalade 3 days ago, and the drivers seat could use freshening up. My problem is I'm color blind and paranoid about if i have the shale interior. Were there multiple tan looking interiors? I have a 2003, and all people can tell me is the exterior looks silver and the interior tan, if that helps. Any help will be greatly appreciated.
 
#75 ·
Just remember he said it's more of a dye than a thicker paint. I wouldn't try to cover up one color to make another. I just bought two cans off of ebay and will be doing my whole interior over. I am sure that it will look better than the weathered look that I have now. Whoever does it should take pics to show others what it turns out like.
 
#85 ·
Thank you for the phenominal info here. I spent the last week applying this method to my entire interior and the results are insane. I didn't fully appreciate them until I compared pictures taken before and after (see attachment). If you want to see similar results, here are the steps I followed on each seat: 1) Used scouring pad (moistened with water) and SEM Soap to scrub the entire seat. 2) After 2-3 minutes, wiped clean with dry cloth, then sprayed with water and wiped clean again. 3) Repeat steps 1 & 2 for especially dirty leather (like the one in the attached picture) 4) Used 1000 grit sandpaper to get rid of any imperfections along the cracks 5) applied light coat of SEM Classic Coat. 6) After allowing to dry for 5 minutes, WIPE with TACK CLOTH and repeat step 5 two or three more times, wiping the seat clean with tack cloth before each coat. The tack cloth will remove any dust and lint that might have been caught in the classic coat after spraying. I learned about this step when I asked a professional how I could get rid of the grainy, sandpaper-like texture my seats had after painting with the classic coat, and it worked like a charm.
 

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#86 ·
I'm redoing my bottom right now and I can agree that several light coats is the trick.I clean my seats with face wipes.The things your wife uses to take her make-up off.It'll take several light coats to fill in when you do them lightly but it won't get rough or shiny.Just take your time.5-10min between coats.
 
#87 ·
Oh and FYI, make no doubt about this.While the Shale SEM is the right color to do our seats it IS lighter.

I've let mine sit for a few days and have just now started to put leather conditioner on the painted part.It certainly softens the feel.The paint,even done with light coats, will give a slightly firmer feel when compared to the stock seat.By itself it feels fine but in comparison you can feel the difference.This has always been my experience with re-coloring seats.


I even scotch-brited the seat between coats to cut down on the firmer feel.The conditioner has helped a lot.
 
#89 ·
Ok, This is great if the seats need painting. Key word If. As an alternative measure many of you will be able to simply take some all natural citrus cleaner (prefer the foam action release spray can) and spray light coat let set abouit 5 seconds and GENTLY scrub letting the chemicals do the work ..then repeat a few times. You will be amazed at how well this works. Try testing a small section of the seat first to see the results. I figured I would be painting mine but instead did the whole interior as I couldnt stop...Vinyl also...Smells great too without the use of any toxic chemicals.ALL NATURAL. I might suggest letting it air out real good for a day or so then slap some leather conditioner on the leather. If applicable you may also option to paint or dye. Just thought i'd share as mine was looking so rough thought id be painting for sure. Good Luck!
 
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