Aniline Wax Pull-up - Leather Sectional Restoration and Scratch repair
Hi Roger, thanks for the good information in this forum. I wanted to share some pictures and get some advice on the specific products and quantities.
Below is a photo of one half of a Bernhardt leather sectional that I acquired. The previous owner had a cat that got to it in several areas. He has trimmed the loose fibers in some areas and sanded the leather down, though I am not sure if it did more harm than good. I have this in my garage until it's refinished and ready to introduce into my living room.
Leather identification
First off, I think this is a dyed Aniline. It absorbs water very easily in most areas, and it will lighten in color slightly when stretched. Could you confirm that this looks correct?
Here is a picture showing the fading that this sectional has endured. I would like to make this look nicer, but I am not set on bringing it back to full original, color matched perfection. I have kids, and this will be a piece of family furniture.
What is the closest color that you have to match this?
Next, you can see the pictures of the damaged areas. These were cat scratched pretty severely, and then trimmed and sanded slightly. It is still bumpy over the areas which you can see. As I understand it, I should harden it, sand some more, use a filler, and then sand again. Is this correct?
Also, there are 2 different leathers on this Sectional. The cushions and armrests are a very soft leather while the backing and immediately behind the headrest is a fairly hard leather. What does this mean? Will I need to treat these surfaces significantly differently?
