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 about 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 the restoration work. They just put a cover on the steering wheel, and continue to drive the car quietly. When choosing, you should pay attention to the size of the cover. He should sit perfectly on the steering wheel. After all, a cover that is too loose scrolls on the steering wheel, which negatively 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 general interior design.

Recovery

Full restoration of the rudder surface is most optimal. This will allow you to create a sense of the pristine nature of your salon. Actually, the recovery can be divided into 2 parts:

• Restoration of appearance. It is used in the presence of scuffs;
• Tugging on the skin. Such a major restoration is required when there is visible damage to the steering wheel casing.

As a rule, drivers get by with the first option. A complete skin replacement is usually required on fairly old cars.

First, we'll look at what is required to easily rebuild the rudder surface:

• Degreaser ();
• Masking tape;
• Sandpaper;
• or airbrush;
• Foam swab.

In some cases, paint may be required, it is better to take it on a water basis.

The steering wheel can be restored easily right in the car without removing it. To do this, you need to glue all adjacent surfaces with masking tape. The seats and the torpedo are covered with a film so as not to accidentally get dirty.

The restoration is done in the following order:

• To begin with, all dents and scratches should be removed from the surface of the steering wheel. To do this, we process the steering wheel with sandpaper. This should be done in several stages. First, we work with coarse sandpaper, continue with medium, and finally we grind with "zero". This approach will allow you to get rid of unnecessary difficulties during 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;
• Remember to degrease the surface before painting. The simplest 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 air blast of the painted surfaces. Bubbles will appear on the surface of the paint and burst immediately. 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).

Cover the steering wheel with it in 2 layers, for a better effect.

Paint is applied from a spray gun or airbrush. It all depends on having a tool at your fingertips.

Padding of the skin

This is a more difficult job. You will need to remove the steering wheel, which is tricky on some models. It is also important to choose the right material for replacement. Perforated leather works best. Padding 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 cut points;
• Cut out the leather of a suitable size, try it on the steering wheel;
• Sewing sheathing elements;
• We install the resulting blank on the steering wheel. Finally, we fix the new braid.

The most difficult moment here will be the moment of pulling the leather on the steering wheel. In services, a special device is used for this.

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. In fact, this is not difficult to do. All work can be done independently.

Your car's interior looks great, but are you starting to notice that paint is peeling off the steering wheel and unaesthetic "bald spots" appear? Of course, the leather itself on the steering wheel remains in good condition, but the steering wheel needs to be painted urgently. Any car service will quickly do this job for you. But it is not necessary to contact the service, because in car dealerships there is a fairly large selection of various chemicals to paint a leather steering wheel. Moreover, the work takes a minimum of time.

1 Preliminary work - what should be done before starting?

To choose the right paint, you need to decide on the material from which the steering wheel is made. In our case, this is leather. When choosing a paint, pay attention to its cost. Expensive is more resistant to abrasion. After purchasing the product, apply a little on any leather item, and you can be sure of the quality of the product. Car steering wheel paint is sold in cans, but you can use a brush or swab to work. If the surface of the steering wheel has a combined tanning, then you need to purchase a soft dye. For chrome tanning, the paint can be used with a harder composition. The conditions for working with the dye are described on the can itself.

The most important thing: the temperature in the room should be positive, and the humidity should be low.

From constant contact with your hands, cracks can form on the steering wheel, which can also be primed on your own. To do this, you need to purchase a special putty. To level the surface of the steering wheel before painting, buy sandpaper. You also need a special degreaser to remove oil, grease and hand sweat stains. Many motorists do not like the shiny glossy finish. To make the steering wheel surface matte and velvety after painting, purchase a special matte finish.

It would be good to remove the steering wheel before painting. But if you have never dismantled it, think about whether you can handle it, because there is a risk of damaging the part. In this case, you can leave everything in place, but buy a large bag to completely close the panel and everything that can get paint, and also buy masking tape to fix the cellophane.

2 Painting the steering wheel - how to get an excellent result?

So let's get to work. First, we cover the parts that do not need to be restored: the spokes on the steering wheel, the control panel, the floor and the seats. Then we sand the damaged areas with sandpaper to ensure better adhesion of the coating to the skin. Then we take a finer-grained abrasive and grind to a matte state. If the cracks are too deep, you need to cover them with a paste from scratches and cracks.

We degrease the steering wheel with a special cleaner for leather products or with ordinary white spirit, if there are plastic elements, with medical alcohol. We do not apply a lot of degreaser, because the leather at the steering wheel can wrinkle and crack even more. We wipe the steering wheel with a soft cloth so that there is no dirt and grease left.

It is not difficult to paint the steering wheel of a car: it is easier to spray paint from a spray can, but it is more difficult to control its amount. You can use a sponge or brush soaked in liquid paint. If it is more convenient for you to apply the spray, apply it with careful abrupt movements in several layers. There is no need to wait for the layers to dry completely. Just keep applying the next coat. The steering wheel should be painted evenly and not just heavily soaked in paint. By working with a brush or sponge, you can control the consumption of the product, which will come out cheaper.

If drops do get on the glass, use a solvent. We do everything quickly, we don't stop at one place. Use a hair dryer to dry the surface. We wait a little more until final drying and apply a matte finish. It will ensure that the paint is completely fixed to the surface of the steering wheel.

The entire steering wheel painting job can only take a couple of hours. It is advisable to work indoors so that dust does not fall on the surface to be painted. Leave the treated steering wheel for ten hours and do not wipe it with damp cloths for several days. It may be unusual for someone to paint with their own hands, but it is much more profitable than doing work at a service station.

3 Caring for the wheel - why do we need polishes?

Subsequent maintenance of a painted steering wheel should not be ignored until the next painting. We regularly use car skin care products or water solution with car shampoo. We apply a small amount of the product, wait for a while, wipe it with a soft cloth. Everything will take no more than 15 minutes.

Often times, scratches on the steering wheel come from the rings on the fingers of drivers. To keep the steering wheel in good condition, many car owners buy a cover. If you do not want to use covers, periodically use silicone polishes, which, when applied, form a protective film. As soon as you see that the shine on the surface of the steering wheel disappears, apply polish.

It's pretty easy to tidy up the leather steering wheel yourself. It all depends on how you approach this matter, on the choice of materials and the quality of work. Let everything be new to you for the first time, but with what pride will you say that you have updated the steering wheel yourself.

Modern car manufacturers take care of the person behind the wheel. The steering wheel of today's cars is not at all what it was twenty years ago. This is a comfortable, pleasant to the touch product, securely held by hands. But five, seven years of operation pass - it becomes smooth, worn out, slippery. So, it's time to install the leather steering wheel of the car and paint it with your own hands.

Withdrawal

Car restoration is carried out by the following main operations: dismantling, braiding, painting, installing the steering wheel in place. The procedure for removing the steering wheel from the steering column of a car:

1. Disconnect the cable clamps from the battery.
2. Disconnect the air bag carefully.
3. Loosen, without completely unscrewing, the fastening nut in the center of the steering column. Strongly swing the steering wheel up and down. When it lags behind the splines, completely unscrew the nut, remove the steering wheel.

To then correctly install the steering wheel, you need to mark with a marker or a thin screwdriver its position on the slots.

Preparation

Works are performed in the garage, workshop, shed. Required tools and materials:

• a piece of leather - natural, high-quality substitute, eco-leather, Alcantara;
• nail file, sandpaper 1000 units;
• paint on leather from the Motip company;
• porous soft polyurethane;
• polyurethane glue.

The steering wheel must be prepared for leather wrapping and painting. The surfaces are cleaned with a nail file, sandpaper. Removes rust, oil stains, dust, dirt. The operation allows you to adjust the thickness of the steering wheel to the preference of the driver. Usually they like a thick steering wheel.

The optimum thickness is no more than 40 mm. For extreme lovers, 50 mm is allowed. Polyurethane retains heat well, so this steering wheel is always warm in any frost and soft, which is pleasant for the hands. On top of the polyurethane, the steering wheel of the car is sheathed with leather. There are several technologies for this.

Sheathing

Manufacturers in Asia, the United States, sheathe the rudders with four pieces of leather, making four seams. The Germans cover the steering wheel with one piece of leather, and one macrame stitch is obtained. The work is very neat, aesthetic appearance, pleasant driving. Japan and Korea use a "pigtail" or "herringbone" seam for sheathing.

But the main thing is not the configuration of the seam, but its quality. The steering wheel is kept by the driver's hands all the time; it should be comfortable, not slippery, without roughness, sharp edges, thick threads, and a beautiful structure.

Before sheathing, it is wrapped with cling film, then with mounting tape.

Marking is applied with a marker, cut out along all contours with a clerical knife. Sketch components are removed, smoothed. Putting it on the skin, cut out parts of the braid with a 5 mm allowance with a knife. Details are sewn together with one round tape, soaked in warm water for 20 minutes.

Marks are applied to the cardboard every 8 mm, where holes are punched with an awl. The seam must be made even. After making 10 holes, sew, then again 10 holes - sew, and so on. You need to work slowly, carefully examining the result every 15 minutes. The cleaned steering wheel is degreased with a napkin moistened with alcohol or acetone.

Painting

When the alcohol dries, glue is applied, the steering wheel is tightly wrapped in a soft, porous polyurethane. A leather cover is put on top, sewn up with medium-section threads. A priming paint is applied to the steering wheel from a spray bottle. The primer dries for 2 hours, followed by a thin layer of base paint with careful rubbing. Dry with a hairdryer, or you need to wait 1 hour for the paint of the first layer of the steering wheel to dry.

After drying, a paint fixer is applied, dried with a hair dryer. Painting the steering wheel of your car with polish is brought to a condition. It is applied to a soft woolen cloth and the steering wheel is polished in a circular motion. Then put in place, secured with a nut. Everything is done in reverse order.

Bottom line: updated steering wheel

Do-it-yourself painting and replacement of the leather steering wheel of your own car is completed. The update was successful, the steering wheel is as good as new. Fresh paint shines, the steering wheel fits comfortably, securely in the hand. There are thousands of kilometers of new roads ahead, the conquest of which will be interesting and exciting. Not a nail, not a rod!

What part of the car does the driver come into contact with most often? With the steering wheel, of course. We cannot take into account the driver's seat. The steering wheel cover will wear off over time and become contaminated with sweat. Every motorist faced this problem, whose car is more than three years old, and who is not indifferent to the condition and appearance of all its parts. Many drivers solve the problem of a shabby look simply: they put a cover on the steering wheel. But painting the steering wheel will do a much better job of rebuilding. The leather steering wheel can be refurbished to be prettier and more attractive than when it was factory painted.

We will analyze in detail what, and most importantly, how to paint the steering wheel in order not only to give it an updated look, but also to protect the coating from the influence of negative environmental factors. To be sure of the quality of the paint, you should purchase a ready-made kit for painting leather elements or buy compositions for protection and painting separately. In this regard, the painting itself is divided into two stages:

• preparation of materials and the steering wheel itself;
• the main process of applying paint and protective elements.

Choice of paint and materials

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In any car dealership you can find cosmetics for the skin, the label of which will have the word "restorer". The durability of such paint depends on the quality of the components that make up its composition. Paint works in much the same way as shoe polish. You do not have to spend a lot on these creams: they are not expensive, do not flow in hot weather, are convenient to use and do not get your hands dirty.

But there are also better quality cosmetics for a leather steering wheel - protective agents in the form of impregnations and special creams. They have more advanced functionality: special impregnations remove already formed sweat contamination, as well as an obstacle to the emergence of new ones. Also, to smooth out scratches or cracks, you need to apply a special polish or leather conditioner. There is also "liquid skin" on sale, which serves specifically for these purposes. But you can get by with shoe wax or nail polish.

As for the equipment and materials for do-it-yourself work, here we need to stock up on sandpaper of different grain sizes and a set of tools for dismantling the steering device. But you can only do with sandpaper, because painting can be done directly inside the car, but for this you will have to reliably isolate the part of the car's interior that is located in the area of ​​the steering device.

It is also worth starting from the choice of paint and the quality of the leather. For example, if your car has a steering wheel with combined or vegetable tanning, then you need to take soft paints to it, because the skin has a fairly high absorption. There are a lot of soft paints on sale, because this material is considered the most popular. But for leather with chrome tanning, in which absorption is much less, it is possible and necessary to take paints with a tougher (saturated) composition.

Preparatory stage

So, we need to cover the dashboard with plastic wrap so as not to stain the interior of the car with paint and other materials. It is best to attach the film with masking tape. Also masking tape will help protect the spokes and keys on the steering wheel from paint. If you nevertheless decide to dismantle the steering wheel in order to paint it outside the car, then you should understand that there is a risk of damaging the steering mechanisms if you have not previously performed this procedure. Yes, it is more convenient to paint with the steering wheel removed, but most motorists get by with a protective film in the cabin. Well, for those who will remove the steering wheel with their own hands, you need to know the procedure:

1. The steering wheel must be completely de-energized by disconnecting the battery terminals;
2. Turn the steering wheel so that it is in the straight ahead position;
3. Remove the bolts securing the side caps using a socket wrench;
4. Remove the plugs;
5. The steering wheel pad bolts must also be loosened;
6. Now, as gently as possible, pull the cover up and disconnect the connectors with the airbag wires. Do not touch the pillow capsule.
7. For convenience, put marks on the main shaft and on the steering wheel itself, and then unscrew the nut and remove the steering wheel.

The next part of the preparation is the removal of all cracks, scratches, dents and other defects formed on the steering wheel for a long (or short) time of service. Why start with skin restoration? The fact is that painting may not be necessary if the coating is not too old and worn. After removing all defects, you will evaluate and decide whether to carry out a major upgrade.

To identify all damage, you need to properly sand the skin. This is best done with P400 - P600 grit sandpaper. Also, this procedure will remove old paint and improve the adhesion of the new paint layer to the skin. After you remove the paintwork from the skin, you can pick up a softer polishing material: either gray "scotch-bright" or sandpaper P1000 - P1200 is used for this purpose.

Now the leather on the steering wheel needs to be thoroughly degreased so that the painting is even and of high quality. It will be good if you buy a special skin cleaner, but if finances are limited or dedicated to other things, then you can use our favorite "white spirit". Important: the skin absorbs such degreasers very easily after sanding, so it is worth moistening the rags lightly. This is one of the most common mistakes: drivers try to thoroughly wipe their skin with a degreaser, sparing no regrets with white spirit. The result is dry and wrinkled skin.

Main stage: painting

If the steering wheel was waterproof, then it could be dipped directly into the paint and held for 20 seconds. But, alas, the steering wheel is not intended for this, so the easiest and fastest way is to paint with a spray can. If you do not have it or you do not want to spend too much paint, then you can arm yourself with a standard set: a brush or roller. The steering wheel is painted in several layers. Do not wait until the previous one dries - apply the next one.

This process allows you to control the absorption of paint into the skin, so it will be easier to paint with your own hands (with a roller or brush). If desired, the steering wheel can be painted with a special matt finish for leather and vinyl.

Helpful Hint: Use No.646 Thinner to remove paint drips that have gotten on the dashboard or car windows.

As you can see, the process is pretty straightforward. Although to some he may seem too painstaking. In any case, you will definitely do it in a day. And if you do not dismantle the steering wheel, then the work will take a couple of hours. The main thing is not to skimp on quality paint or even a set for leather. Usually there are detailed instructions, which indicate what and for what to apply.

The steering wheel of a car is the most demanded part of the passenger compartment, with which the driver comes into contact most often. It is she who wears out the fastest, but modern technologies make it possible to qualitatively restore the steering wheel, what will not hit the budget of the car enthusiast.

No matter how high-quality the steering wheel cover is, over time it wears out and gets dirty under the influence of road dust and sweat secretions on the driver's hands. On average, after three years of operation, the driver is faced with the need to restore the steering wheel.

Many go to the purchase of a steering wheel cover to hide the flaws, it is clear that this is not a solution to the problem, but only its disguise.

PAINTING THE STEERING WHEEL PRICE:

New technologies, which have been perfectly worked out in practice by our specialists, can significantly reduce the cost of restoration work. Modern materials and a unique technique make the price of a high-quality restoration quite affordable.

We present to your attention an interesting technology, thanks to which the steering wheel is painted of any degree of complexity. We list MAIN STEPS OF THE METHOD, which allow you to achieve an excellent result:

1. The preparatory stage is to thoroughly clean the surface. In the preparation process, special effective agents are used, both cleaning and degreasing the surface.
2. Old, peeled paint is removed. In practice, roughness that has formed during operation is removed "to zero".
3. Defects and recesses are fixed, which are filled with a specially developed polymer paste.
4. Those areas that will not undergo the staining process are reliably protected.
5. Next, let's start applying paint. It should be noted that the steering wheel is painted with a spray gun. The generated high pressure guarantees the penetration of paint into the smallest pores. All hard-to-reach places are processed.
6. In order to maintain the effect of our restoration for many years, a protective coating is applied to prevent the rapid wear of the surface painted layer.

Car steering wheel painting our advantages

The service management does not save on equipment, tools and materials. We buy all the best that is popular with our European and American colleagues. This approach makes it possible to achieve long-term effect.

Carried out restoration of the steering wheel allows you to achieve factory indicators of surface wear resistance, and in many cases, surpass them.

We will try to list in more detail what gives us
the ability to assert the impeccable quality of work:

1. Specialists, by which the steering wheel is painted, perfectly know the technology and properties of the materials used.

2. All pastes, vinyl as well as paint, purchased only from leading manufacturers. We are not supporters of experiments, we prefer to work with branded products that have won the recognition of professionals.

3. After restoration measures, the steering wheel does not get so dirty.

4. The coating is more resistant to sunlight, which is detrimental to many elements of the car interior.

5. New technologies are helping to lower prices for many types of work.

DO NOT HURRY TO LOOK AT THE NEW STEERING WHEEL.
Even if there is clearly visible marks from deep cuts, cigarette burns, we will "cure" this important detail.

Let's not hide the fact that, in especially difficult cases, you have to paint the part several times. This is due to the policy of our service - we do not bring the recoverable elements into a "more or less" normal state, a we achieve ideal quality when performing tasks of any level of complexity.

We are waiting for consultation and diagnosis

CALL, come for a consultation. We will diagnose damaged items and solve the problem quickly and inexpensively."No defects" gives a long-term guarantee for the entire list of work performed.

Important! All work performed by us is given a written guarantee for a period of more than one year for (14 months).