Painting leather dash board?

[Solent Sailor]

With work ongoing to replace all of the soft furnishings and carpet on board my SeaRanger, I still have the issue of the very "British racing green" leather lower helm station to sort out. Whilst I'm not against the eclectic look, neither me nor the family like this colour on a boat and it won't really go with the rest of the ensemble once completed.

My upholsterer is happy to recover it with leather but I am slightly reluctant to get into removing various bits of carpentry (not to mention all the instruments) which sit on top of it or otherwise hold the covering in place. So, I had the bright idea, what about painting it? Having done some limited official research (Google) it looks like painting leather with acrylics is not at all new, and given that the material does not flex in any way, presumably is less likely to peel or flake provided it is applied properly.

Worst case is that I paint it, it looks a horlicks and my man gets a few hundred quids worth of extra work.

So - has anyone else tried this before?

 

[Tradewinds]

Leather Paints - Frost Auto Restoration Techniques

I've used this stuff but not on leather.

 

[Mr Googler]

TRG Vinyl Dye

I used this to change marine upholstery on rib seats from white to black about 6 years ago. Funny enough....saw the boat a few weeks ago and still looks spot on!

 

[Caraway]

Does vinyl dye work on leather? I have used it very successfully on headlinings, but never tried on leather.

I see the Frost stuff does say vinyl/leather

These people supply leather paint just for leather Angelus Leather Paint | Leather Paint, Leather Dye, Preparation & Finisher

 

[Mr Googler]

Never used it on leather but should work better as leather is porous so will suck it in better.

says leather on the can ?

 

[Solent Sailor]

Angelus seems to be the most widely talked about product.

I don't think dye will work - from what I've seen, the dye colour will mix with the underlying colour, whereas a paint will sit on top and (with a few coats) mean that the colour beneath cannot be seen. That was direct from Angelus' own website - and they have no vested interest, selling both dye and paint. If I was going from a light colour to a dark one, it may well work. but the intention here is probably to turn it from dark(ish) green to cream.

 

[Mr Googler]

I think you’re right. Going up colour lightness probably won’t work with dye. As you said, doesn’t need to be flexible either in your case.

Do they do hammerite in cream? That sticks to anything! ??

 

[ontheplane]

Will cream cause some reflections? Would a light grey be better?