Often, car owners wonder how to paint and how to restore a leather steering wheel. Indeed, during operation, the driver interacts with this structural element most often. At the same time, the steering wheel is gradually wiped off, which is not the best way, affects the appearance of the cabin. Most people do not pay attention to the state of the "steering wheel" until it is completely dilapidated. And only after that they begin to think how to bring her appearance back to normal. Moreover, the option of buying a new steering wheel is not considered, because this part is quite expensive for any foreign car. But, do not be upset, there are very simple ways to solve the problem.
The easiest way
How to paint and how to restore a leather steering wheel? When answering this question, some motorists decide not to suffer with restoration work. They just put a cover on the steering wheel, and continue to drive quietly. When choosing, pay attention to the size of the case. It should sit perfectly on the steering wheel. After all, a too loose cover scrolls on the steering wheel, which adversely affects handling. This method is relatively inexpensive, but has several disadvantages.
It is not always possible to choose a cover for a specific steering wheel in size. Also, visually, such a cover stands out from the overall design of the cabin.
Recovery
The most optimal would be a complete restoration of the surface of the steering wheel. This will allow you to create a sense of originality in your salon. Actually, the recovery can be divided into 2 parts:
- Restore appearance. It is used in the presence of scuffs;
- Pulling the skin. Such a serious restoration is required when there is visible damage to the steering wheel braid.
To begin with, we will look at what is required for a simple restoration of the surface of the rudder:
- degreaser();
- Scotch masking;
- Sandpaper;
- or airbrush;
- Foam swab.
The restoration of the steering wheel can be safely done right in the car without removing it. To do this, you will need to seal all adjacent surfaces with masking tape. The seats and the torpedo are covered with a film so as not to accidentally get dirty.
Restoration is done in the following order:
- To begin with, you should eliminate all dents and scratches from the surface of the steering wheel. To do this, we process the steering wheel with sandpaper. This must be done in several stages. First, we work with a large sandpaper, we continue with a medium one, and finally we grind with a “zero”. This approach will allow you to get rid of unnecessary difficulties in further work;
- We putty all large dents. The easiest way to do this is with liquid skin. There is also a special putty, but it is very problematic to find it in stores;
- Before painting, do not forget to degrease the surface. The easiest option would be white spirit. Treat the steering wheel with it as carefully as possible;
- The final touch remains - painting. First, determine how you will restore the surface. Many drivers recommend using a skin repair product. This option is the most optimal. Apply the substance to the surface of the steering wheel. After that, provide blowing of the painted surfaces with air. Bubbles will appear on the surface of the paint, and immediately burst. This is a normal process. There is also a special paint for the steering wheel. It costs decently, but in general, its consumption is not great (20-30 grams).
Paint is applied from a spray gun or airbrush. It all depends on the availability of the tool at your fingertips.
Skin tightening
This is more difficult work. You will need to remove the steering wheel, which is quite tricky on some models. It is also important to choose the right replacement material. Perforated leather works best. The stretching is done in the following order:
- First, we make a pattern. For this, ordinary film is suitable. We wrap it around the steering wheel, and mark the places of the cut;
- We cut out the skin of a suitable size, try it on the steering wheel;
- We sew the elements of the skin;
- We install the resulting blank on the steering wheel. We finally fix the new braid.
Conclusion. The steering wheel quickly loses its original appearance. Therefore, many motorists are interested in how to paint and how to restore a leather steering wheel. Actually, this is easy to do. All work can be done independently.
To date, the quality of modern chemicals used to paint the steering wheel of a car has improved significantly. Also, the painting procedure itself has become less laborious. Therefore, if in order to achieve a good result, you previously had to turn to specialists or even just replace the steering wheel with a new one, now you can safely do the painting yourself.
How to paint a car steering wheel
Firstly, you must determine what kind of material (leather, plastic, wood) you intend to paint, and accordingly choose the paint for the steering wheel of the car. Manufacturers offer different types of dyes in terms of price and properties, which you can purchase at automotive, hardware stores, as well as household chemical stores.
Secondly, it is clear that it is easier to carry out procedures with a steering wheel that is removed from the car, but sometimes the removal process is more laborious than the painting process, so you need to stock up on tape or masking tape, plastic wrap, old newspapers or anything that can protect the surface of the cabin from hitting paint in the wrong places.
When choosing paint, remember that its price can be directly related to abrasion resistance. Since the steering wheel is actively used, and this property of the coloring agent is important, we advise you not to save. Paint application methods include: application with an aerosol or application with a swab (roller).
What tool will you need
You must thoroughly prepare for the staining process. Paint is the main, but not the only component in this process.
For the preparatory stage, you will need sandpaper of various grain sizes (No. 400-500, 1500), putty (for each type of surface has its own) and a spatula, if necessary, a degreaser (alcohol or white spirit can be used).
The dyeing process requires a can of paint or the paint itself, a brush, a roller or a sponge, everything you need to protect the interior, also a solvent (which is used if paint gets on the glass or car panel), protective gloves, an electric hair dryer, an acrylic skin fixer.
The preparatory stage plays a very important role in the staining process. The final result will directly depend on it. Therefore, preparation must be approached responsibly.
If there are worn places on the steering wheel with peeling paint, they must be cleaned with sandpaper (No. 400-500);
If there are cracks or bumps on the steering wheel, they can be puttied with a special paste. We buy it at a car dealership. After the paste has dried (about half an hour), it must also be sanded;
The entire surface of the steering wheel must be sanded with fine sandpaper (No. 1500). This procedure contributes to a more stable grip of the paint on the surface of the steering wheel;
The process of degreasing the surface of the steering wheel can be carried out using special chemicals, or using white spirit or alcohol. Apply a small amount to a soft cloth and wipe the steering wheel. Do not overdo it with the amount of degreasing liquid, otherwise, if the surface is leather, it may dry out and wrinkle.
Steering wheel painting process
The easiest way to stain will be aerosol. When painting with a spray, make sure that the paint is not sprayed at a very close distance and evenly, otherwise the surface will be spotty. After the paint has dried, the surface is polished with a lint-free cloth. The staining process can be repeated several times, achieving the desired result. But if you chose another way, using a brush or swab, the result will be no worse.
How to paint a leather steering wheel
As for the skin, there are dyes that slightly improve its color, that is, restore it and dyes with a more persistent effect. How to paint the leather steering wheel of your car, you should choose based on the condition of the steering wheel.
Painting can be done with all types of leather paints. It is clear that in some instructions they write that the leather product must be dipped in paint. With a wheel, this is not always possible. Therefore, we can apply the paint with a brush, swab or sponge in layers, without waiting for them to dry. The leather should be evenly dyed, but not overly saturated with paint. You can use a hair dryer to speed up the drying process. After complete drying, the steering wheel can be covered with a special fixative for the skin. It comes in matte and glossy finishes.
Painting a plastic steering wheel
Most cars are equipped with a steering wheel, which is covered with plastic. Plastic also loses its appearance over time. You can paint such a steering wheel, but the paint is wiped off quickly. For better paint adhesion, sand the steering wheel. Be sure to degrease the steering wheel before painting. Degreasing must be carried out with alcohol in several stages until the swab is absolutely clean.
White spirit is not suitable, as it can dissolve plastic. Paint is best used in spray cans. Staining should be done in layers from a distance. The solvent in the paint must not have time to act on the plastic surface, so the layers of paint must be thin.
If you decide to paint a plastic steering wheel with a brush, you should know that this kind of paint has a long drying period. It is very difficult to isolate the steering wheel in the passenger compartment from dust particles in the air for a long time. If this does not scare you, then know that it is necessary to paint the plastic with a thinner layer with a brush, so press the brush firmly and carefully wipe the excess paint on the edge of the can. In this case, the staining angle should be ideally the same.
A perfectly smooth steering wheel can be obtained if you apply wax polishing paste at the end. It will remove the errors that the painting did not hide. But this is already dangerous, since the steering wheel must also perform direct functional duties. And the grip with the palms of the hands is of no small importance in this process.
If you have a wooden steering wheel, then you are the owner of a prestigious car. The wooden steering wheel is very resistant to damage, as it is protected by expensive high-quality varnish. But if you still need to remove a few scratches, this is possible with fine sandpaper and a special sanding paste. And if the scratches are too big and serious restoration is required, then it is better to entrust it to specialists, since a grinder must be used for deep grinding. It is clear that this process involves the mandatory removal of the steering wheel. And the application of polyurethane varnish itself requires special conditions.
The condition of the steering wheel can tell a lot about the driver and how they use the vehicle. Therefore, if you decide to sell your car, then it is worth giving the steering wheel a proper look.
If you do not sell a car, then the good condition of the steering wheel will delight you all the time. Usually, in order to keep the steering wheel in proper shape and for ease of use, drivers put a leather cover on the steering wheel. If necessary, it can be easily replaced, and the steering wheel always remains in good condition. If the cover does not suit you, then you need to use protective silicone polishes. They protect the surface by creating a thin protective film. They need to be applied regularly, as soon as the surface ceases to shine.
If you still decide to paint the steering wheel, then take the process responsibly, and the result will bring you pleasure and pride in what you did with your own hands.
To restore the surface of the leather steering wheel, it is not necessary to contact the service. Today, the choice of auto chemicals is quite wide, which makes it easy to prepare, paint and properly care for the steering wheel with your own hands. In addition, the process will not take much time, and the result and minimal costs will only please the owner of the car.
The choice of paint and compositions for skin restoration
Every motorist sooner or later faces the need to restore the surface of the steering wheel, especially if the material is leather. It would be quite reasonable to contact the service to solve the problem, but a more rational way out of the situation is to do the recovery yourself.
The range of car dealerships today allows you to choose all kinds of products not only for skin care, but also for skin restoration. The service life of the coating directly depends on the quality of the components that make up such products.
For a leather steering wheel, there are cosmetics of a higher quality, which are special creams and impregnations for protection. Such tools are endowed with advanced functionality, which allows you to remove sweat and fat pollution and prevent the emergence of new ones.
By the way, to update the surface it is not always necessary to resort to painting and removing the old coating. With the help of special creams, you can restore a well-preserved coating. They should be selected according to the characteristics and the presence of the word in the instructions "reductor". The effect of such funds is similar to the use of shoe polish. They do not leave traces on the palms, and the cost is affordable.
Of the materials and tools for work on the restoration of the leather covering, you will need:
- "liquid skin" or skin putty;
- polish-restorer;
- leather cleaner - gasoline-galosh or white spirit;
- masking tape;
- paint, preferably water-based;
- sandpaper with grit 400, 600, 1000 and 1200 units;
- airbrush or spray gun;
- foam swab.
It is worth noting that it is not necessary to dismantle the steering wheel: painting can be done directly inside the car, having previously protected the part of the cabin near the control. When choosing paint, you must also proceed from the quality of the material. When equipping a car with a vegetable-tanned leather steering wheel, soft paints should be chosen, since the product is characterized by high absorption. If the steering wheel is made of chrome-tanned leather, then the composition of the paint should be more rigid due to less absorption.
If the leather of the steering wheel is black, it is enough to purchase a standard leather paint. If the steering wheel is of a different color (brown, beige), then several base colors will be required to mix and obtain the desired shade.
Painting such a steering wheel will require not only the presence of suitable paint in two colors, but also special care
Preparatory stage
Before starting work, it is necessary to cover the dashboard and other elements (spokes and steering wheel keys) to protect against paint with polyethylene and masking tape. If the steering wheel is planned to be removed for painting outside the cabin, then you need to weigh the pros and cons, since there is a possibility of damage to the steering mechanisms with insufficient experience. With the steering wheel dismantled, painting is more convenient, but most car owners get by with interior protection.
Removing the steering wheel from the car
In the event that the steering wheel will still be dismantled independently, then this must be done in the following sequence:
- We de-energize the steering wheel by disconnecting the terminals from the battery.
Before starting work, it is necessary to de-energize the steering wheel, for which we remove the terminals from the battery - The steering wheel is turned to the "straight" position.
- Using a socket wrench, unscrew the bolts under the plugs.
- Loosen the steering wheel bolts.
- To remove the part, pull it up and disconnect the connectors from the airbags, while the capsule itself does not need to be touched.
- Before unscrewing the nut, it is advisable to put marks on the shaft and steering wheel.
- Loosen the nut and remove the steering wheel.
Restoration of the painted surface
At the next stage of preparation, it is necessary to remove all damage: cracks, dents and scratches on the steering wheel that formed during operation. Then you can evaluate whether a complete steering wheel update is required or not.
To identify all damage to the skin, it must be carefully sanded. In this case, it is better to use P400-P600 sandpaper. This treatment will not only remove the old paint, but also provide a better adhesion of the new coating to the skin. When rough processing is finished, i.e. the paintwork is removed, you can use sandpaper P1000 - P1200.
Then the leather steering wheel is well degreased for uniform coloring and improving its quality. It is best to use a special leather cleaner for this. In extreme cases, white spirit is suitable. Since the skin after grinding has the property of easily absorbing such substances, the rag should be moistened slightly. If the steering wheel is abundantly soaked with "white spirit", then the material will simply be wrinkled and overdried.
Before painting, the steering wheel must be prepared: the surface is treated with sandpaper to remove the paintwork
Often a situation arises when the initial layer of paint is removed, but the bumps on the steering wheel after abrasive treatment still remain. In this case, there are several ways to solve the problem:
- the surface is leveled using a leather conditioner, after which grouting is carried out with a polish;
- scratches are filled with “liquid skin” (putty), after which the surface is dried and matted;
- shoe wax for rough leather, cyanoacrylate, and varnish for women's manicure are used.
Car leather steering wheel painting
To cover the bagels, it is best to use water-based paints, especially since they are great for any type of skin, and they are easier to work with. On average, about 20–30 grams of paint is spent on painting the steering wheel, if the color is selected independently.
If possible, it is better to use an airbrush, since the tool will not only save paint, but also apply a uniform layer. One of the most affordable coloring options is the use of canned leather paint, which is applied in several layers with interlayer drying.
In extreme cases, you can use a foam swab. It is best to apply the paint in several layers (2-3). As a rule, the subsequent coat is applied immediately, which will control the absorption of paint into the material.
After staining, you need to apply a protective layer of varnish (matte or glossy). Such a coating will keep the surface in good condition for a longer time. In terms of time costs, the recovery process takes about 5-6 hours. In fact, the work is not time-consuming, but it requires accuracy and attention, you should not rush. If paint gets on the glass, it can be carefully removed with solvent No. 646.
Care of painted surfaces
With prolonged use of the car, scuffs inevitably remain on the steering wheel. However, they can be avoided by using a leather case as protection, which is especially important for drivers with rings on their fingers. Moreover, replacing the braid will cost less than hauling or restoring the steering wheel.
If the cover option is not suitable, you can use inexpensive silicone polishes. By such means, an invisible film is created, on which all loads are imposed. The main condition is the periodic processing of the bagel.
In order for the leather surface of the steering wheel to last as long as possible, the material must be treated in a timely manner with special cleaning and leather care products.
In order to prevent serious damage and extend the life of the leather steering wheel, the material must be taken care of in a timely manner and, most importantly, properly looked after. First of all, the skin needs cleaning, for which special cleaners are used to remove dirt from the steering wheel. The sequence of actions in this case is as follows:
- The product is sprayed onto the surface, after which we wait a few minutes.
- We wipe the material with a soft cloth and apply the cleaner again.
- To clean hard-to-reach places, use a toothbrush.
- At the end of the procedure, the surface is wiped with a dry cloth.
After cleaning, the steering wheel is treated with leather conditioner. As for the operation of a freshly painted steering wheel, you need to wait 12-14 hours, and it is better to leave it alone for a day. In addition, during the week the leather surface should not be wiped with wet wipes. When done correctly, the new coating will last for quite a long time.
Video: do-it-yourself leather steering wheel painting technique
To restore the leather steering wheel with your own hands, it is enough to purchase the necessary materials and familiarize yourself with the sequence of actions. The work is not laborious, but requires care and accuracy. If the surface of the steering wheel cannot be restored, you can put on a leather braid or drag the wheel with new leather.
Every driver sooner or later has to deal with such a problem as the wear of the steering wheel surface and the loss of the original appearance of the material, especially if this material is leather. A reasonable solution in this case may be the restoration of the steering wheel in a specialized workshop. But what if you do not want to overpay for such services and would like to know how to clean and paint a leather steering wheel with your own hands in order to carry out restoration work in your own garage? This approach to resolving the issue is perhaps more rational, and its implementation is available to every motorist. You just need to have free time, read this article and prepare everything you need for work.
No matter how clean your steering wheel covers are, they will still need to be cleaned over time. Prolonging the life of the leather surface, as well as delaying the need for its restoration and painting, can be done with proper care and timely removal of contaminants. And yet, sooner or later, the number of scuffs and scratches will increase so much that drastic restoration measures will become the only right decision. About what care should be and how to restore the previous appearance of the steering wheel with your own hands, we will describe in more detail below.
Proper care of leather steering wheel
Have you noticed at some point that the steering wheel of your car has lost its appearance, which is why the driving process has become not so pleasant? In this case, appropriate measures must be taken. For example, you can return the surface of the steering wheel to its former state and maintain it in this form through proper and timely care.
If the leather covering is very well preserved, but its appearance has suffered somewhat, then in the process of its restoration, you can limit yourself to using special cleaning compounds. Recognizing when buying in a car cosmetics store is quite simple: the package usually says “skin cleaner” (or something similar) and instructions on how to clean the leather steering wheel from dirt with it. And you may also need a toothbrush and a clean, soft cloth.
Most leather steering wheel cleaners have similar properties, so the following checklist can be used as a one-stop guide:
- First, spray the product onto the surface to be treated.
- Wait a few minutes - during this time the liquid will dissolve the dirt.
- Now you should wipe the surface with a cloth and spray the product again.
- Next, with a toothbrush, you need to clean all hard-to-reach places from dirt.
- Finally, dry the steering wheel with a clean cloth.
After cleaning, it is desirable to treat the coating with a special impregnation and conditioner. The first remedy prevents the destruction of the skin under the influence of sweat, dirt and other aggressive factors, and the second ensures the elasticity of the material for a long time. Although you can purchase a cleaning compound that contains the necessary protective components.
For those car owners who are not ready to once again spend money on buying cleaning products in the store, preparing the composition with their own hands will be a good alternative. For this, warm water and car wash shampoo dissolved in it are suitable as ingredients. Just be sure not to add too much shampoo, so that after treatment the surface of the steering wheel does not become sticky. Such a solution should be used in the same way as how to care for a leather steering wheel using store products.
During normal maintenance, it is not necessary to remove the steering wheel. It is only necessary to prevent liquid from getting on the spokes, steering wheel buttons and dashboard. For protection, use a plastic film, securing it with adhesive tape.
Restoration of a leather steering wheel by painting
Properly caring for, you will significantly extend its service life. But even in this case, scuffs and minor scratches appear on the surface over time, which do not have the best effect on the appearance of the steering wheel and, as a result, the aesthetics of the car interior as a whole. Therefore, drivers quite reasonably ask themselves the question: how to restore a leather steering wheel with their own hands, if the usual preventive measures are not enough? This will be discussed further.
Painting a leather steering wheel can also be done at home - there is nothing super complicated here. You just need to select the appropriate materials and follow the recommendations. By the way, if you do not want to dismantle your steering wheel during the restoration, all procedures can be carried out right on the spot. Just take care to protect the instrument panel from paint ingress. And yet it is much more convenient to work with the steering wheel removed, plus the result will be better.
Preparing for painting
Before, you need to prepare the surface. To do this, you will have to buy a kit in a specialized store designed to restore leather products. If there is no such set, you can purchase each component separately, and what to do with it and how to clean the leather steering wheel of a car, we will tell further.
So, in the process of preparatory work, you will need:
- polish-restorer;
- leather cleaner (white spirit or gasoline "Kalosha");
- several types of sandpaper with different grits: 400, 600, 1000 and 1200 units;
- putty for the skin ("liquid" skin);
Surface restoration begins with sanding to remove dirt, grease and old paint residues. In addition, in this way you will improve the adhesion of the fresh coloring composition. First, use P400 or P600 sandpaper to remove the top layer of paint. After that, the skin must be sanded using fine-grained sandpaper (P1000 or P1200).
The next step is puttying. To do this, many specialists and car enthusiasts prefer to use "liquid" skin, although you can hide dents and scratches with a special putty, buying it anywhere where auto cosmetics are sold. Very small flaws are hidden with the help of a restorer polish. After the treatment of the damaged areas is completed, wait 20 minutes and sand the surface where the restorative composition was applied.
Then you need to degrease the surface with white spirit (or other cleaning agent), but keep in mind that after sanding, the skin begins to intensively absorb any cleaning compound. Therefore, wipe the steering wheel with a clean cloth. The final stage of preparation is the protection of the spokes of the steering wheel and the buttons located on it from the ingress of paint particles, using the same plastic film and adhesive tape. Now you can proceed directly to the painting work.
Painting leather steering wheel
Before you paint a leather steering wheel with your own hands, you should decide on the type of paint used. What composition is best? According to experts, it is advisable to use a water-based paint designed for leather - it is suitable for all leather surfaces. For painting one steering wheel, as a rule, no more than 20–30 grams of prepared paint is consumed. As for the shade, it can be selected by mixing different colors.
You can apply paint to the leather covering with a foam swab. But if you have an airbrush, then its use is more preferable, since in this case the paint will lay down in an even layer and be more economical. It is better to put 2-3 layers of paint, and you should not wait until the previous layer dries - apply the next one immediately. This method of painting is called "wet" and allows you to control the process of absorption of paint into the skin. Upon completion of the painting work, it will be useful to apply a layer of varnish, which will ensure the safety of the surface of the leather steering wheel for much longer.
The approximate time that will have to be spent on the restoration of the steering wheel of your car is about 5-6 hours. Despite the fact that the work is simple, do not rush, and be careful when performing each step. And it is also better not to save on high-quality paint and a good restoration kit.
September 4, 2018For a comfortable and safe ride in a car, it is important for the driver to have a comfortable seat, a spacious interior and a reliable steering wheel. Leather interior gives prestige and respectability to the vehicle, and emphasizes the high status of the owner. A special role is played by the leather-covered steering wheel. It is convenient and pleasant to feel the natural material in your hands while driving. This provides additional enjoyment and security. But no matter how thrifty the owner is, no matter how carefully he treats his own transport, over time, the steering wheel braid loses its original appearance.
Ways to eliminate defects on the steering wheel
The wear of the coating, the loss of the original type of braid requires the elimination of the shortcomings that have appeared. These include: the appearance of spots, small cracks, scuffs, scratches. If large holes or torn pieces are visible on the surface, the restoration of the skin on the steering wheel becomes problematic. In this case, it is better to use the services of a specialized studio to make a new constriction. In case of minor defects, the steering wheel cover can be restored in the following ways:
- Use the services of an auto repair shop. This option will require considerable financial costs. You will need to pay for the material and services provided.
- Put a cover on the old coating, which will create certain inconveniences for the driver. A thicker steering wheel will increase the amount of coverage, making it more difficult to control the car.
- The most reliable and budgetary way to eliminate shortcomings is to restore the leather steering wheel with your own hands, which will require several hours of work and small financial investments for the purchase of materials.
Even a beginner who does not have the appropriate skills can cope with this task. A simple procedure can be performed in your garage, carefully preparing for it.
Materials for restoration work
To restore attractiveness, protect the coating from the negative effects of the external environment, extend the functionality, you need to purchase everything you need. A wide range of car dealerships does not limit customers in the choice of products used to care for leather products. Sold in kits with instructions. You can select each component separately:
- Putty or “Liquid Skin”, which fills in small errors, making them invisible.
- The polish restoring a surface.
- Cleaning agent.
- Degreaser.
- Fine and coarse sandpaper.
- Special adhesive tape for painting works.
- Water based coloring agent.
- Airbrush, brush or airbrush.
- Foam tampon.
Having collected all the necessary funds, you can begin the first stage of work, which consists in preparing for the main process.
Work area preparation
To carry out restoration work, it is not necessary to dismantle the steering wheel. This process is time-consuming, it is fraught with the risk of damage to the steering mechanisms if the driver is incompetent. You can get by with protecting the interior by gluing the front panel with a plastic film fixed with tape. This will protect the surrounding parts from contamination with paint.
In order to qualitatively restore the leather on the steering wheel without endangering paint on other surfaces, you need to remove the steering wheel without harming the mechanisms. To do this, you need to dismantle, being careful and adhering to the following sequence:
- Disconnect the negative terminal from the battery. This will prevent shorting.
- Align the wheels and put the steering wheel in the "straight" position.
- Unscrew the bolts and remove the plugs.
- Loosen the steering wheel pad bolts and lift it up.
- Disconnect the connectors where the airbag wires are attached with a screwdriver, without touching the airbag capsule.
- Mark the location of the rudder by marking it and the main shaft.
- Loosen the nut and remove the steering wheel.
- Using a screwdriver, remove the facing plastic and lining from the steering wheel.
- Close non-removable parts carefully with adhesive tape.
Leather restoration on steering wheel
The second stage begins with a thorough inspection and analysis of all damage on the surface of the steering wheel. To do this, it must be washed well with a soft foam rubber sponge so that all the flaws are visible. Having identified the shortcomings and determined the amount of work, you can proceed with the restoration:
- Take sandpaper P400 or P600 and process the surface.
- Go over a second time with fine-grained sandpaper to a matte effect to get rid of the old paint and increase the adhesion of the new to the skin.
- Degrease the surface.
- Putty "liquid skin" found flaws.
- Apply the reducing agent to the surface, rubbing into the skin. Allow to dry and repeat the procedure (the number of layers depends on the condition of the skin).
- Sand the restored surface.
If the coating is not badly worn, it may not be necessary to paint the steering wheel after restoration. After removal of cracks, dents and scratches, and careful treatment with “liquid skin”, the steering wheel will take on an aesthetic appearance. If this does not happen, proceed to the staining procedure.
Dyeing leather braid
The choice of paint depends on the quality of the material from which the steering wheel braid is made. If the steering wheel of the car is covered with vegetable-tanned leather, it is better to use soft coloring materials. Chrome tanning requires a harder dye.
Water-based paint - ideal for all types of skin. It is easy to paint a leather steering wheel with any application method. The simplest is painting from an aerosol can. After surface preparation, the dye is sprayed over the entire surface. In order for the layer to lay down evenly, the can must be kept at a distance.
After the composition has dried, the surface should be polished. The procedure is repeated until the perfect result.
There is an easier way. Well, if it is possible to use an airbrush, it will help save material, put an even layer.
You can carry out the procedure with a brush, swab or sponge. Each subsequent layer is evenly applied to the cleaned and sanded surface, without waiting for the final drying. This method is called "wet paint".
After complete drying, the surface is treated with a matte or glossy fixative. A freshly painted steering wheel can be used after 12-14 hours.
Such a do-it-yourself painting of the steering wheel of a car will provide it with an attractive appearance, good condition and a long service life.
Caring for a restored steering wheel
Proper care of the car interior, careful attitude to the steering wheel braid will prevent the appearance of unwanted defects on the surface of the steering wheel. But if the steering wheel has lost its ideal original appearance, has ceased to give pleasure when in contact with it, you need to save it from scuffs, cracks and scratches in time. Carry out restoration.
To extend the service life of the restored braid, you need to constantly monitor its condition, clean it from dirt, treat it with special soft, delicate products: car shampoos, lotions or wet wipes.
With a soft sponge dipped in a solution with shampoo, you need to clean the surface of dirt. In hard-to-reach places, you can use a toothbrush. If the contamination is severe, you need to leave the solution for a few minutes. Then rinse and wipe dry with a soft cloth.
Wet wipes will get rid of small impurities and moisturize the skin. This method is convenient because it does not require preparation. Children's cleaning wipes are especially popular with drivers. They are always at hand. At any time, you can get and wipe the surface.
Regular care will not require a lot of time and money, will avoid greasy, sticky and other signs of pollution, will significantly extend the pleasure of driving in comfort, holding on to a well-groomed leather steering wheel of excellent quality.
