Understanding leather restoration and repair can appear a daunting task. Here at Furniture Clinic, we provide comprehensive training that covers all aspects for leather. Whether you have been in the trade 10 years or for what only seems 10 minutes, our course will fill you with the confidence and knowledge you need.
Having been working in the Customer Services Team at Furniture Clinic for six months, I was lucky enough to attend the November training course to give me a more in-depth understanding of our different products. The course is very practical and at the end of the five days, I had learnt so much from Craig, our in-house instructor, whose knowledge and experience are extensive. We tried out different tools and techniques and, at each stage, he always fully explained why we were doing something. I took my own notes, but we also came away with instructive manuals and some of the samples that we had worked on to use for future reference.
Below is my own short summary of the key topics that we covered each day:
Day 1 – Understanding Leather
What is Leather? From cow to couch this day covered the entire process involved and what this means for a technician. By understanding the tannery process and how leather is created allows for a deeper understanding of how leather behaves and why. The sessions helped us to identify the different types of leather, the common uses and the common problems involved.
Day 2 – Leather Repair
What is involved in leather repair? Day 2 covered everything from cleaning, repairing and recolouring leather. This day helps to expand your knowledge on how different products work and the theory behind using them. It also covered tips and tricks and common misconceptions. This was my favourite day as we had a good mix of different, hands-on exercises to carry out.
Day 3 – Colour Matching
Can anyone colour match? Colour matching can be one of the most important steps to creating a successful repair. This day covered all elements involved to simplify the process. By the end of day three, you will have a strong understanding of the theory and method involved. With a little practice, you will be able to match any colour.
Day 4 and 5 – Leather Restoration
What is leather restoration? Leather restoration is assessing and restoring the leather to its former condition before applying colour. From heavily cracked and oil contaminated to dry and brittle, we covered all aspects that you may encounter. You will also be taught in practice how to recreate two-tone and antique style leathers, including spraying a Chesterfield.
Please don’t just take my word for it, here is a review from a technician who also recently took part in our September course.
“Craig was very knowledgeable, and I learnt a lot. I found that I didn't need as much help from FC since the course, however, their staff have always been more than helpful when needed. I would recommend this course to anyone!”
