A tutorial on refreshing an old, peeling faux leather bag: strip away the damaged coating, refresh the lining if needed, paint the base with acrylic paint, and seal the results with acrylic varnish.
BeginnerFree
Translated
Things you will learn
You can refresh an old faux leather bag on a budget instead of buying a new one
Work carefully, since the layer underneath the worn top coating is just as easy to damage
Degrease and let the surface dry thoroughly before painting
For a more durable finish, apply several coats of varnish, letting each one dry completely
Result
Here's how the bag looks once the paint has dried. A refreshed faux leather bag after its makeover, finished with a coat of acrylic varnish.
Materials and tools
Materials
Acrylic paint (black, in this example)
Acrylic varnish
Tools
Knife
Scissors
Nail file
Brush
Scouring pad
A tall jar or bottle (to keep the bag steady while painting)
Preparation
Preparation 1
Anyone who finds it hard to part with old things will understand me here... Both in the past and today, there have been some really stylish handbag designs. Many of us have what you could call vintage pieces tucked away in the closet - sadly not genuine leather, but faux leather, and unfortunately they show just how much wear they've been through with you...
Preparation 2
But let's not dwell on that) I want to share a simple way to give an old bag a new lease on life - a budget-friendly way to refresh an accessory.
Preparation 3
Here's what the bag looked like before its makeover.
Prepping materials and stripping the old coating
Step 1
Gather a few simple household tools to help scrape and strip off the old coating (knife, scissors, nail file, brush, scouring pad). Anything that can remove the coating and feels comfortable to work with will do. The key thing to remember is to work very carefully, since underneath that fragile, delicate top layer is a base that's just as easy to damage.
The bag's lining
Step 1
If the inside of the bag has held up well and doesn't need restoring, skip this step and move on. If there is damage, unpick the lining, use the factory lining as a pattern to cut a new one, and sew it back in.
Final cleanup and surface prep
Step 1
Now that the top layer is off, check that every last bit of it has been removed. Once you're satisfied, degrease the surface and let the bag dry thoroughly.
Painting
Step 1
Time to start painting. Choose a shade that matches your outfit or fills a gap in your wardrobe's color palette - in our case, black. Acrylic paint works great for this job. Fill a tall jar or bottle with water for stability and slip the bag over it. Cover the surface of the bag with paint and leave it to dry.
Step 2
Here's how the bag looks once the paint has dried.
Applying the varnish
Step 1
Just one small step left. Coat the painted surface with acrylic varnish and let it dry. If you want extra durability, apply several coats of varnish, letting each one dry completely before adding the next.
Finish and variations
Finish
Finishing touch
After being refreshed and repainted, the bag takes on a fresh, solid-color look that hides all traces of the old, worn coating.
BeginnerFree
