Since my car is from 2007 and has almost 180k miles, the steering wheel isn’t in the best condition. I’ve already tried using steering wheel repair kits in the past, but none of them gave me the results I wanted.
So, I turned to AliExpress and bought a steering wheel cover, spent a few hours sewing it on, and to be honest, I wasn’t extremely happy with the result.
That’s when I decided that I’d try out a new method: repairing the leather steering wheel with spray paint.
And let me tell you straight from the start, this time, it worked!
Even though I made some mistakes along the way (don’t worry, I’ll share them all), the steering wheel finally looks closer to its original condition than ever before.
So, in this post, I’ll guide you through the whole process and also warn you about some things that I’ve done wrong so you can get even better results.
What You’ll Need
The best thing about this method is that it’s cheaper and, to be honest, simpler than other methods that I’ve tried.
To repair the leather steering wheel with spray paint, you’ll need the following:
- 300 ml (11 ounces) of Leather spray paint (make sure to pick the color of your steering wheel; mine was black)
- 240 grit sandpaper (you might not need this one)
- 800 grit sandpaper
- 2000 grit sandpaper
- Masking tape and some newspaper to wrap sensitive areas
- A bucket filled with water
- Microfiber towel
- Car mechanic tool set for removing the steering wheel
I was using Leather & Vinyl Paint by Motip (see image above), but since it’s not available everywhere, you can use another with similar properties.
The best alternative I was able to find on Amazon is S.M. Arnold Leather Refinisher, so make sure to check it out.
I’m sure you already have most of these items at home, but what you might not have (probably sandpaper and spray paint), you can get them for under $20 together, which is fantastic.
Anyway, let’s start with all the steps.
DIY Leather Steering Wheel Repair Guide
Let me first show you what my leather steering wheel looked like. That’s just after I took off that steering wheel cover from AliExpress.
You can see all the damage adhesive from the steering wheel cover has made. So, let’s now see all the steps I’ve taken to fix it.
Step 1: Remove the Steering Wheel
While some people did this without removing the steering wheel, I didn’t want to risk anything and decided to take it off so I don’t screw up my car interior.
I won’t go too deep here because every car is different, but here are simple steps you should take:
- Disconnect the negative (-) terminal from the battery – this will prevent airbag errors after you reinstall everything
- Detach the airbag from the steering wheel and unplug any wires from it
- Use a dedicated socket wrench to unscrew the main bolt holding the steering wheel
- Take the steering wheel out of the car
If you don’t know how to remove the steering wheel, I suggest that you look on YouTube for your exact car model. That way, you won’t make any mistakes. But all in all, that’s a five to ten-minute task.
Step 2: Tape Sensitive Areas on the Steering Wheel
You should take masking tape or 3M tape and protect all the areas that shouldn’t be sanded.
You don’t have to worry too much about protecting the center part of the steering wheel now because you won’t sand there anyway. But make sure to tape near all the areas where you’ll sand the leather.
Step 3: Sand the Steering Wheel
Now it’s time to sand the steering wheel to remove all the defects and remove the top layer of old and damaged paint.
I suggest using wet sanding because I tried using dry sandpaper only, and it’s not the luckiest solution.
So, wet your sandpaper and start sanding the steering wheel. Here’s the process that I followed:
- 240 grit sandpaper. I started with that one because, as you can see in the images above, my steering wheel was in a really bad condition. So you can probably skip this step unless your steering wheel looks the same.
- 800 grit sandpaper. Then I switched to 800-grit sandpaper to smoothen the leather out and remove the defects that 240-grit sandpaper had made.
- 2000 grit sandpaper. This is the last sandpaper that you’re going to need, and you should use it to really smoothen the steering wheel a lot.
Between each sandpaper, make sure to thoroughly wipe off the steering wheel with a microfiber cloth and some water. That way, you’ll remove the dirt and torn leather that the sandpaper has stripped off from the steering wheel.
Also, make sure to be cautious when sanding around the seams to prevent damaging them.
After you sand the whole steering wheel, you can quickly run a lighter over the seams to burn off any excess threads sticking out.
Step 4: Prepare the Steering Wheel for Painting
Now that the leather steering wheel is sanded and the surface is smooth, you should take additional steps before painting it.
First, thoroughly wash it with water and wipe it off with a microfiber cloth. Make sure to do this process two or three times to ensure that all the dirt is removed. After washing it, let it dry for at least 30 minutes. I even used a hair dryer to speed up the process of drying.
Now it’s time to protect everything besides the parts that you’re going to paint. You don’t want paint inside the steering wheel or on some electrical plugs. Take some old newspaper and tape it with masking tape to protect all the sensitive areas.
When everything’s ready, you can hang the steering wheel on some rope so it’s easier to paint, or you can just place it on some small cartoon box like I did. Just make sure it doesn’t fall to the ground.
I forgot to take a picture of that, but you’ll get the point on the next step when I show you the steering wheel during the painting process.
Step 5: Start Painting The Leather Steering Wheel
Now, you should take the can of spray paint, shake it well, and start painting the steering wheel.
In total, you should apply three coats of paint. Here’s how I did it:
- Thoroughly spray paint the front side of the steering wheel. Make sure to keep the can ca. 7-10 inches from the steering wheel.
- Pay specific attention to areas with threads since it’s harder to paint those areas properly.
- Turn the steering wheel on the other side.
- Paint the rear side of the steering wheel.
After the first coat is finished, wait for ca. 10 minutes and then apply the second coat.
After the second coat has been applied, wait for another 10 minutes and apply the final coat.
From my experience, you’ll need about 300ml (ca. 11 ounces) of spray paint to apply three thorough coats of paint.
Step 6: Let the Steering Wheel Dry
Now, you should let the leather steering wheel dry completely before installing it back into the car.
The Motip spray paint that I’ve used requires 2 hours of drying time before it’s dry to the touch. But if you use another product, make sure to check the instructions on the can.
So, I placed the steering wheel on my balcony and left it there for two and a half hours, so I’m 100% sure it’s dry and can be re-installed back into the car.
You can already see that the steering wheel now looks 10x better than before and that this method indeed works.
Step 7: Reinstall the Steering Wheel Back Into The Car
Only after the steering wheel is completely dry to the touch can you take it and install it back into your vehicle.
Just follow the same process you did while removing it from the vehicle. But of course, in reverse order, hehe.
IMPORTANT: When you install it back into the vehicle, I suggest letting it stay for another 12 hours before driving the car. That will allow the paint additional time to really bond with the leather and make it much stronger and more flexible.
Mistakes To Avoid
I told you that I’ve made some mistakes throughout the process, so I wanted to quickly share them with you so you can do a better job than I did.
Here are a few mistakes that I’ve made:
- Not paying enough attention to the sanding. I just quickly sanded the leather steering wheel with 240, 800, and then 2000 grit sandpaper. I should’ve taken more time, especially with the 2000-grit sandpaper, to get a smoother surface.
- Not using lighter to burn excess threads. I used a lighter to burn any excess threads after I painted the wheel. That’s wrong, and that’s why I mentioned that you should do it just after sanding the steering wheel.
- I only had one can of spray paint. I wanted to apply three coats, but I ended up applying only two and a half because I’ve used the whole content of my 200ml can. I realized that you need ca. 80ml (2.7 ounces) of paint per coat if you want to be thorough. So, it’s better to buy an extra can or buy a larger one.
- Focus on parts where your hands typically grip the wheel. While I didn’t make this mistake, I’d be happier if I focused slightly more on parts where my hands typically grip the wheel. TLDR: you don’t need so much paint on the rear side of the steering wheel, unlike the front part.
- Trying to spend the last ml out of the spray can. When you realize that the can is empty, don’t try to forcefully squeeze the last bit out of it. The reason is that you’ll get some weird spraying on the surface, and unfortunately, I made this mistake. Now, there’s one textured area on the left side of the steering wheel. Luckily, nothing too much.
And that’s all the mistakes that I’ve made. I hope these will help you to gather additional knowledge so you can do the best possible job of repairing your leather steering wheel with spray paint.
I still don’t know how long this paint will last (I’ll make sure to keep this post updated), but from what I’ve researched, it should last for two to three years, which I’m more than happy with. Actually, I’m sure it can last even longer if you regularly apply leather conditioners and don’t use harsh chemicals such as strong APCs or wipes containing alcohol.
And lastly, here’s the before and after image, which you can share on Pinterest and social media if you like this method 🙂
