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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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#172 ·
Looks great, but some questions. Does it have that dry feel of painted leather? How do you care for the leather after this is done? I like to keep my leather conditioned and a bit shiny. Lastly, is it permenant or does it have to be / can it be painted (dyed) again later on if needed?
 
#174 ·
I've got a tan interior that is 33I - Cashmere. Is that what is being called shale in this thread? Any recommendations on the right paint match for that code @SEM?

Also any recommendations on a good citrus cleaner to start with? I've got some nasty grease like messes to clean up. Thanks.
 
#175 ·
I would suggest reading this entire thread. Myself and others posted details on how to determine the correct color of your interior.
As for cleaning them, I would suggest using the SEM Soap cleaner and follow the instructions for cleaning and spraying them.

I did my seats about 2-3 years ago and they're holding up great. I also got the spray for hard plastic in the same color and re-did the plastic on the sides where the power seat controls are located which now look brand new..

I hope this helps,

Jim
 
#176 ·
Thanks Jim. I did read the whole thread. Several people discussed their "tan" interiors and it was confirmed that it was shale, but I thought those people were sporting Escalades not CTS's. I don't know if the tan in my CTS (33I-Cashmere) is the same tan that everyone else has. There are no other references to 33I. I don't know if the RPO?? sheet would say something different for the color.

It's good to know that you did some plastic since I'm a little curious about my steering wheel, but it's a darker color. Not sure how to figure that one out. Would I just have to find a shop who does this kind of stuff? Even then, I'd be worried about a mismatch.
 
#177 ·
Just a follow up to say Thanks to the original poster. This worked great to refreshen the seats, especially the rear where child seats result in kids putting their dirty, sandy, salty (winter) shoes and distressing the leather. Now I have a cover to protect the nice Shale colour leather. The front looked great for awhile, but you cannot dye deeper 'cracks'. Regardless, the seats look better than before, so a good investment. Keep in mind, SEM soap first, then SEM leather prep, and finally several thin coats of dye.

Thanks!
 
#178 ·
HI.... I'm so glad I found your article. I'm refreshing a 2003 cadillac escalade. The seats are the Shale color, but the can doesn't look anything like the creamy color of the seats. I'm glad to hear it just blends in. I will try them on my spare set of seats. (2002). Supposed to fit 2003, but don't and look forward to the results.
Thanks Again....
Thomas
2003 Cadillac Escalade
1970 Hemicuda Convert
2003 Dodge 2500 Diesel Truck
1970 Challenger
1969 Plymouth GTX Convert (Hunting for it)
 
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