Leather Dye Instructions

Shake well before use.

Always pre-test on a scrap piece of leather, or an inconspicuous area first. 

Apply the Leather Dye to dauber, or your preferred method of application and rub it into the leather in all directions to ensure an even coverage (or spray from all angles if using an airbrush). Apply a second coat, if necessary, once the first has dried. It will take roughly 3 hours to dry naturally. It is not recommended to dry the dye off with a hair drier as it can cause the dye to migrate, causing it to dry patchy. 

Buff with a dry cloth to remove any excess dye, then finish with your desired finish; Natural Finish or Leather Finish. 

Leather Dye FAQ

Q. How many coats are required?

A. This varies depending on the thickness of leather you are dying. 

Without diluting the dye (using water), on average one or two coats should be enough to ensure good colour and coverage is achieved. You can apply further coats, allowing each to dry before applying the next until you are happy with the colour. 

If you dilute the dye, the number of coats will vary depending on how much it has been diluted by. You can mix water into Dye at any ratio to match your desired colour. 

It is important to always buff the leather with a dry cloth to remove any excess dye before proceeding to the finishing stage. 

Q. What is the difference between Dye and Dye Pro?

A. Leather Dye Pro is alcohol based, therefore it has a quicker drying time and will give faster penetration. This is because the alcohol opens the pores of the leather, allowing the dye to soak in quicker.

The Dye is water based and so is environmentally friendly. You will still achieve great penetration with this product, however, it will take slightly longer to dry.

As the Leather Dye doesn't soak as deeply into the leather as the Dye Pro, you can dye a larger surface area with Dye ; 3m2 compared to 2.5m2.

Q. The colour is too bright for my liking, can this be made duller or weaker?

A. Yes, if the colour is too vibrant for your project, you can use water to weaken/ lighten the dye. This can be mixed at any ratio (only when used to weaken or dilute the dye) to reach your desired colour. As this dilutes the dye, additional coats may be required in order to achieve your desired colour. 

Q. The dye is drying patchy, is there a way to overcome this?

A. Yes, mixing the Dye with water at a ratio of 1:1 will reduce the strength of the dye, and so reduce the amount of dye being absorbed into areas of the leather when you rub it in. Using this method you'll apply several lighter coats of the dye mixture, but it will help reduce the patchiness of the leather when it dried.

The best way to achieve an even coverage of dye is to apply it to the leather using an airbrush, as this will ensure an even amount of dye is applied to every part of the leather.