Although there are lots of variations, there are 5 main finishes (types). Discover which one you have here.

There are 3 main colourant types:

1) Dyes are penetrating transparent stains. They add colour but can’t cover blemishes or filled repairs. They are vibrant and natural looking. The surface features of the leather remain visible.

2) Paints are coatings that adhere to the surface. With a number of coats, they add opaque colour, can change the colour and can cover stains and filled repairs. Choose from a huge range of colours. The surface features are covered and the leather looks coated.

3) Colour Creams contain paints or a blend of paints and dyes plus other protective components. They provide an easy, sheer coverage, same colour make-over that is great for colour maintenance. Leather looks coated but if using an ‘aniline’ colour, the colour is somewhat transparent. Not suitable for use over leather filler and won’t fully cover stains.

If your leather type when manufactured was:

Pigmented: your leather was coloured with leather paint. Use a leather paint system or a colour refresher system.

Aniline, Semi-aniline or Waxed: your leather was coloured using dyes plus light coatings of transparent pigments, topcoat, wax or oil. You can choose between
(1) transparent dye with clear topcoat or
(2) a semi-opaque hybrid system (the Aniline Restoration Kit) or
(3) you can change the entire finish to pigmented (painted) if you want to completely cover stains and repairs. Use a Repair & Recolour Kit.

Man-made: your material has colour in the plastic upper. A leather paint system is best.

Before choosing a kit, be sure to understand the appearance it creates. It can help to view some Before & After pics. These show the leather type, the kit used and the final result on real life projects completed by DIYers. This guide, ‘What type of leather do I have?’ describes and shows various examples of the main leather finishes. Delve deeper into the differences between dyes and paints here.

If there is a small tear, hole or areas with textural irregularities (flaking, scratches, pits), you'll need leather glue and/or leather filler.

Gluing can be so discreet that no colour work is required to conceal it. Leather filler is a flexible adhesive compound used to fill and smooth pits and troughs in the surface. It must be concealed with a leather paint system (the Repair & Recolour Kit).

Filled repairs can be very inconspicuous on pigmented leather.

As leather paints and dyes look different, it is trickier to conceal filled repairs in dyed leathers (aniline, semi-aniline and waxed leathers).

There are many types of man-made leathers. Some are more repairable than others. Filled repairs can be successfully concealed using a leather paint system.

There are pros and cons to each option.

Spot repair or touch-ups:

Pros: A small treatment area means that less product is required. This makes the project cheaper and the task smaller.

Cons: A matching colour is required. Spot touch-ups can look extra clean and fresh against surrounding areas. They can be tricky to blend in perfectly.

Refinish all over with a new colour:

Pros: Gives a fully refreshed and cohesive result plus an exciting new colour. No need to find a matching colour.

Cons: Full recolours require more product and they are a bigger task than a spot touch-up. Colour changes can require extra coats to achieve complete coverage.

Refinish all over with a colour that is close but not a perfect match:

Pros: A fully refreshed and cohesive result. No need to find a perfectly matching colour.

Cons: Full recolours require more product and they are a bigger task than a spot touch-up.

When deciding this question, consider whether you are treating one small problem/area or whether there’s a patina of blemishes across the entire surface. If there are lots of little problems, it’s usually easiest to recolour/restore the whole piece.

If you'd like to test some paint or dye colours or topcoats before your order a kit for your project, Sample Pots can be a good place to start. Colours can be mixed to create a match for your job or the colour of your dreams.

Topcoat is available in High Gloss, Gloss, Satin and Matte. Satin is low-sheen and the most commonly used finish and Gloss is also popular. Matte is extra flat and best applied by spray-gun. High Gloss is the shiniest of the options. Test your Topcoat options using Sample Pots.

Each kit listing displays approximate Coverage information.

You may need all or some of these accessories:

• sponges for applying the products
• a drop sheet to protect your floors
• microfibre cloths for cleaning
• a scrubbing brush for cleaning
• sandpaper for keying the old coatings