5 Attachment(s)
Aniline Wax Pull-up - How to Degrease and Restore Finish Cracking Natuzzi Wax Pull-Up Leather Sofa and Chair back to its Originality.
Hi Roger,
We have Natuzzi soft leather couch & chair of burgundy colour that is 9-10 years old and showing some signs of body oil staining and some drying out of the most used sofa seat. In my mind, the set has not been abused. More to the point, I believe we failed to find and use appropriate TLC leather maintenance products over the years. It was cleaned regularly and some attempt made to remove stains with a soapy product from IKEA, but unfortunately to no avail.
FYI, I am very disappointed in the Customer support from Natuzzi. They only recommend periodic cleaning with water and mild soap, which I knew from the beginning to be totally inadequate. Furthermore, I have queried their Customer support web-site on two occasions (years ago and more recently last week) and never got any kind of response! In any event, that is the belly aching and bitching part of the story.
...On to what I am hoping you can help with rejuvenating this otherwise very comfortable and valuable set, provide some products to fix the problem and give some sound TLC recommendations to avoid further problems and deterioration in the future.
Note, Due to upload limits, I have only included 5 pics from the list below:
Attachment 405 - C01
Attachment 412 - C06
Attachment 413 - S01
Attachment 414 - S06
Attachment 415 - S07a
Attached are some pictures to guide your diagnosis and proposed treatments.
8 pics of the chair and 14 pics of the sofa.
These were taken in the daylight and there are only a few where I used a flash as I found the reflection from that flash was too bright and tended to hide more detail than without a flash. All are e-mail VGA size. If you want a few with higher resolution, let me know which and I will send what images might be better for you to see at a higher resolution.
Chair:
- C01 to C06 and
- C07a & 7b - close-ups of the backrest stains.
Sofa:
- S01 to S06 and
- S07a, 7b, 7c, 7d - illustrating where there is most deterioration, and
- S08a, 8b, 8c - close-ups panning across the leftmost seat of the sofa from left to right, and
- S09 - section behind the sofa that should give a good idea of what it should look like as this section has always been 'out of sight'.
Kindly have a look and let me know what treatment & products are needed together with pricing.
Thanks in advance.
Best regards, ...André
Adjusted Restoration Process Proposal
Hi Roger,
Much appreciate your feedback and clarifications.
However, I am a little confused with some items :o:confused::o. Let me try and confirm what you are suggesting .
Overall, the leather of this set is all dried out with more severe/highly visible damage to some areas with body oil/sweat stains (back cushions mostly, possibly also to armrest tops/edges, though this is not obvious on sight) with stress caused to the seat leathers by stretching and flexing.
I do have some further comments/questions that follow, but in summary, here is an adjusted restoration process proposal (with assumptions of answers to some of my Qs further below).
Thanks in advance, andre.
Kindly comment/adjust as you see fit. Except for step 2, all steps are for 100% of surface, 122 sq. ft.
1. ‘Integrated’ Degreaser-2.2 on 100% of surface - Concentrate on the more contaminated areas and feather it out to the entire chair/sofa. > Rinse-3.0
2. If needed, after the degreasing, color change on affected areas (assume 20% of surface) improved by d’Yellow-6.7 and bleeding reduced with Acidifier-2.0.
3. Leather Structure Drying Out rejuvenated by - Hydrator-3.3 > Fatliquor-5.0 > Rinse-3.0.
4. Leather Wax Pull-up Effect with - wax Effect-8.6.
5. Leather Color rejuvenating with Impregnator 26 mixed with 10% aniPure-21.
6. Adhesor73 prior to top coating.
7. Topcoat with Aniline79 (50% mix of 79G & 79M)
8. Leather Scent-D (draggy-feel) matches the wax Effect leather types
On-going TLC recommendations (no change)
1. Cleaner-3.8 > Rinse-3.0.
2. Non-Stick Protection with the classic leather scent use – LeatherScent-D.
3. Yearly leather structure rejuvenating or replenishing use – Fatliquor-5.0
4. Yearly leather wax effect rejuvenating or replenishing use – Wax Effect8.6
Comments/questions:
- The existing dyes have already been contaminated and degreasing will bring out appreciable differences. i.e.: “hydroxylation and oxidation affect the dyes”. This answers my Q. about the degreasing - there will be significant color alteration after the degreasing step, hence your recommendation to:
Use ‘Integrated’ Degreaser-2.2 on 100% of surface - Concentrate on the more contaminated areas and feather it out to the entire chair/sofa - which from your new combined Prep/Degreaser formula puts the total leather surface at the same level of ‘prep cleaning’. I gather from Jermaine’s experience and the fact that these body oil stains have been long in maturing; there will undoubtedly be a need for repeated degreasing on more contaminated areas.
If needed, after the degreasing, color change can be improved by d’Yellow-6.7 and bleeding can be reduced with Acidifier-2.0.
Using a Leather Eraser is out. I believe I understand the degreasing mechanisms that ‘break down’ the oils and wick them to the surface as a more or less loose powder that needs to be removed by brushing, or as is suggested to Jermaine in a post further extending the dwell time and some vacuum to help the wicking and dislodge the surfaced contaminants/powder.
Am I on the right track?
- Your comment: “By the way, Using Impregnator-26 is for structural repairs and it ties in with refinishing.”
Not sure what you imply. Is this part of the recommendation or not? If it is, when/how does it fit into your initial list of recommendations?
- Your comment: “Your “Chair side view – Picture” tells me that the only way to blend in the difference hue panel to be aesthetically pleasant is to “Spray coat with matching Aniline T’parent-27. If that is your concern, forget about padding. HVLP is overkill; use a Paasche single action airbrush panel by panel”.
I am not concerned about this particular variation, it’s out of sight and there are other less obvious variations on other panels that don’t take away from the overall aesthetics. In fact, on some other panels there are color tone variations (some areas within a panel that have irregular/random tone differences, not blotches or streaks) that I assign to the nature of the leather and finishing of a natural product - with a finish that does not hide or cover up these natural irregularities. Possibly, though I doubt it, they are ‘created in the finish’, but in any event I would not want to lose them in the restoration and come out with a very uniform color that would approach the uniformity one typically finds in faux synthetic leathers.
So I am left with a dilemma on dye: which one?
…with your overall observation to focus to restore the structure as a priority, I tend to go with Pure-21 in a solution with Impregnator-26
…on the other side of this dilemma, is Pure-21 a more opaque dye that would hide or cover up natural color tone variations found in the present finish? Have I got this right?
While on the subject of dye, I believe the color matching may be a little problematic. The set is a burgundy which is defined as “dark grayish or blackish red to dark purplish red or reddish brown”. In fact, I would characterize the set’s color as a ‘blackish red’, which would also tend to hide some of the less pronounced body oil stains. To get to the right color, what basic dye colors should I be working with?
Your comments: “Not all aniline pull-ups have that glossy topcoat. A more natural aniline pull-up goes without the topcoat. It solely depends on the Wax Effect-8.6 with its matching Leather Scent-D (draggy-feel).”
Unless I am mistaken a topcoat is protection from all the possible contaminants that a sofa/chair can be exposed to. I would want to finish off with a top coat, possibly as I read in one of your post with a 50% mix of matte and glossy? Our house is an empty nest now, but with 4 grandchildren and regular family & friends visits, a topcoat offers some protection against the inevitable.
Re: Padding vs. airbrush: I agree HVLP is inappropriate and padding may result in an uneven application. I am still concerned about how to deal with the tufts and folds, especially with the cushion tufts that reach between two panels and somehow would need to be padded in?
Do you have a suggested airbrush product and Canadian supplier for a Paasche single action starter kit?
I browsed on the Internet and found what I believe is needed, > Paasche H-SET Single Action AIRBRUSH KIT at
https://www.wallacks.com/catalogue/c...table=airbrush
Seems a little pricey @ $95, but then I have not shopped around much.
http://www.chicagoairbrushsupply.com/paaschehset.html
Not quite the same and comes from US.
I will also look around locally in Artist & Hobby shops as I could not find any local dealers on the Internet.
Natuzzi Restoration ...a few more Q&As
Hi Roger,
Thank you for you last post/reply with clarifications.
This time around I hope to confirm my understanding of the restoration process and get more information on a few additional products you are recommending.
As suggested, I have also included pictures of the worse area (left seat of sofa) and of an undamaged area (back of the sofa) with macro close-ups to help confirm the structural integrity.
Also FYI: In the damaged seat area, there is a very slight nap to the surface as brushing across the leather surface in opposite directions creates a minor variation in the light reflection. Pics #3 & #6 may be a little fuzzy as I believe I was at the limit of the macro minimum distance. Your last note on this was:
“By looking at the pictures, I do not see the need for structural repairs - (Impregnator 26 is) only used when absolute certain to strengthen weak and stress out areas. A macro picture on the worse area may help to ascertain.”
Left sofa seat damage pic #1
http://i778.photobucket.com/albums/y...anChair033.jpg
Left sofa seat damage pic #2
http://i778.photobucket.com/albums/y...anChair034.jpg
Left sofa seat damage pic #3
http://i778.photobucket.com/albums/y...anChair035.jpg
Back of sofa undamaged area pic#4
http://i778.photobucket.com/albums/y...anChair023.jpg
Back of sofa undamaged area pic#5
http://i778.photobucket.com/albums/y...anChair024.jpg
Back of sofa undamaged area pic#6
http://i778.photobucket.com/albums/y...anChair025.jpg
Before I go on, I do have a question about Leather Eraser 4, as your first suggestion in a Jan. 16 post was to avoid it.
“For beginners it is better to use leather Brush-1 instead. Scrubbing suggest much use of physical forces which should not applies to leather. Try working on your skin if it hurts should not apply to leather. Leather Eraser-4 is used to dislodge the wick-up soil particulates from the leather grains without hurting it.”
In your last post you suggest I should plan to use it? If I can manage the eraser without harsh rubbing or scrubbing it would be more effective than a brush off?
Incorporating your latest recommendations, I come up with the following step-by-step.
I hope I have not left anything significant out. Thanks for your patience and going through this once again for me.
Please confirm/adjust as you see fit.
1. > Degreaser-2.2 on 100% of surface - Concentrate on the more contaminated areas and feather it out to the entire chair/sofa
2. > Razor 60 to remove the 80% seemingly good finishes to look like the 20% surface damaged areas.
...?? Q: Does this step come right after the Degreaser or is a rinse needed after the Degreaser before the Razor 60 step?
3. > Acidifier-2.0 to reduce bleeding.
...?? Q: As above, does this step come right after the Razor 60 step or is a rinse needed after the Razor 60 step??
4. > Rinse-3.0
5. > Hydrator-3.3 > Fatliquor-5.0 > Rinse-3.0 to rejuvenate leather structure drying out.
6. > wax Effect-8.6.for Wax Pull-up Effect.
7. > Adhesor 73 prior to top coating (and optional color rejuvenation, see next).
8. >Optional: Coat dyeing with Aniline T’parent-27 to even out the hue differences by airbrushing. ...?? If this is needed, does the dyestuff need to be diluted when rejuvenating or is it applied straight as supplied? I know you suggest skipping the dying altogether and focus on hydrating the leather thoroughly and hopefully reactivate the existing dyestuff followed by a Topcoat 79G to bring it all up. However, if you feel there is a chance it will be needed for a superior color restoration, I will plan for it.
9. > Aniline79 G. Topcoat.
10. > Leather Scent-D (draggy-feel) matches the wax Effect leather types.
Because this is a major restoration, I will only get to do this in the spring when I can get the furniture out to the garage - there is about 2 feet of snow here and that will probably get worse before it gets better. Unfortunately, Montreal is not as balmy as Vancouver, so this project will have to wait a bit. Nevertheless it’s overdue and …better late than much later.
Could you send along product descriptions & prices for:
- Acidifier 2.0
- Razor 60
- Cleaner 3.8
Some are new, added from your last post, and the last one one was missed in the e-mail sent earlier in January.
Finally, would you kindly provide your best estimate of quantities to order for each product needed for this restoration & later for on-going TLC?
In the end, I am trying to get to what to order and how much of each, as this is a DIY project ...and wish to avoid ordering too little or too much, especially since I can't just drive over and pick-up any extras I may have missed
Restoration:
- Degreaser 2.2
- Rinse 3.0
- Razor 60
- Hydrator 3.3.
- Fatliquor 5.0
- Wax Effect 8.6
- Leather Scent D
- Adhesor 73
- Aniline T’parent 27 (Rubine 113)
- Aniline Topcoat 79 G
TLC (annual)
- Cleaner 3.8
- Rinse 3.0
- Leather Scent D
- Fatliquor 5.0
- Wax Effect 8.6