Italsofa - 10yrs old Bicast sofa, ottoman and chair – has a sticky film due to body oil, sweat, etc.

[Questions!]

Italsofa - 10yrs old Bicast sofa, ottoman and chair – has a sticky film due to body oil, sweat, etc.

I'm looking to refinish a sofa, ottoman, and chair that has a sticky film due to body oil, sweat, etc.
The furniture is about 10yrs old and it was purchased under the brand Italsofa (I think the lower end of Natuzzi) so I don't think it's a bi cast leather and I haven't seen any peeling or cracking.
It seems to be the type of leather that if scratched with a fingernail the discolored area eventually fades away.
It's uniform in color with a textured look and dark brown in color.
Under the ottoman I found a small exposed piece of leather and the backing looks like standard hide of some type.
Is there anyway you can help me determine what type of leather this might be in order to purchase the correct restoration kit? And let me know how much I need to finish the pillows and backs on a chair, sofa and the top of the ottoman?

Regards,
Jack Roy


#1 - IMG_1538 - The narrow darker brown area in the middle is the back of the leather
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#2 - IMG_1533 – close-up ottoman surface, not much damage
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#3 - IMG_1534, 1535 – close-up worn sofa surface
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#4 - IMG_1537 – sticky section
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Here’s a few more pics.

#5
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#6
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#7
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#8
4380


What do you recommend I purchase?
And how much of each to do 1 chair, ottoman and sofa?

[Roger Koh]

>>> The furniture is about 10yrs old and it was purchased under the brand Italsofa (I think the lower end of Natuzzi) so I don't think it's a bi cast leather and I haven't seen any peeling or cracking.

For your information, there are varieties of bicast from different manufacturer. For this particular bicast a faux suede is added to the middle layer suede split and the surface is a lamination of urethane type as seen from picture #1. This leather type is not the peeling or flaking types but the typical type that becomes sticky especially the frequent body contact areas.


>>> It seems to be the type of leather that if scratched with a fingernail the discolored area eventually fades away.
It's uniform in color with a textured look and dark brown in color.

This bicast is trying to stimulate the original high-end Aniline Wax Pull-up type artificially with only difference in price.


>>> Under the ottoman I found a small exposed piece of leather and the backing looks like standard hide of some type.

The telltale sign is the cross section – original Aniline Wax Pull-up is only a single layer, whereas we find 3 layers for this simulation.


>>> Is there anyway you can help me determine what type of leather this might be in order to purchase the correct restoration kit?

Leather Doctor Kit-B7 is recommended in most cases, unless there is a need to put in new coloring then additional products can come from Kit-B8.cl rarely you will need coloring as the new topcoats will amplify and magnifies the deep gloss back.


>>> And let me know how much I need to finish the pillows and backs on a chair, sofa and the top of the ottoman?

Quantity will depend on the surface area to be covered. One ml or gm can stretch for 1 square feet thus the bottle size of 70ml will not cover over 70sq.ft. In practice certain areas where the surface becomes roughen up will take on more about to fill the valleys. Application is just like varnishing not to stretch thin and not overflowing thick but may need 2 to 3 coats for even appearance, thus the 70sq.ft. May be the maximum area and one-third the area may be a realistic coverage. So far I am talking about the BicastTop-76G with Crosslinker-25 mix for the application. Individual products are available as refills. Products need to prepare the surface free of contamination as well prior to fresh application.


>>> What do you recommend I purchase?

Leather Doctor Kit-B7


>>> And how much of each to do 1 chair, ottoman and sofa?

You have to work out your total surface you wish to restore as explain above.
A 70ml mix should gives an average of 23 square feet area.