Rust Vinyl & Leather Finish

4.87 out of 5

(85 customer reviews & photos)

Picture of leather chair showing Rub n Restore brick red Rust color and triangular swatch in upper left corner for reference

Rust is a chic reddish brown. It is more brown than Brick but more red than Cinnamon.

Get a Swatch of Rust

Price range: $22 through $89

Size

Clear

Get a Swatch of Rust

Product Details

Use our water-based finishes to restore and condition:

absorbent aniline and semi-aniline leather,
non-absorbent full-grain or top-grain leather,
and vinyl upholstery.

Our finishes won’t sunfade or backstain like leather dyes. They don't feel plasticky, flake or peel like spray paints.

Do not use on fabric, suede, nubuck, bonded or faux leather.

Store in a temperate, dark place away from children.

Click here for SDS (Safety Data Sheets) and ingredient information.

See here before changing color!

Changing color is best suited to absorbent leather.

If the material repels water, add cross-linker to the color to boost adhesion. Adding 1 Satin Sealer to 4 parts color also serves this purpose and is needed to seal bright colors.

Thorough cleaning and stress testing the color are critical!

The following are not good candidates and will require touch-up:

changing from red / dark to white / pale;
worn, cracking, scaly or thinning leather;
furniture with lots of wrinkles, folds, deep creases (and therefore stress);
pieces that are heavily used or harshly cleaned (kids, dogs, chemicals);
car or boat upholstery (for these we suggest a heavier urethane coating);
bonded, faux or polyurethane (PU) ‘leather’ which repel all finishes (including their own).

Here's what wear looks like on non-absorbent leather or vinyl:

Our finishes wear naturally, resulting in a distressed look.

Deeper lines or creases receive more stress.

Picture of beige leather changed to Cognac and then scratched by dog claws — Dog claws can quickly scuff the color.

Easy rub-off indicates inadequate cleaning.

The color may flake if applied too thickly and allowed to pool in the grain.

This is easily corrected by thinning the color with alcohol and reapplying.

Learn more about changing color here.

How do I match a color?

How do I clean?

Do I need a sealer?

Answer these three questions to determine what clear finish, if any, is needed for leather:

Do unworn areas absorb water?

Yes

Are you applying a primary or secondary color (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple)?

Yes

What kind of luster do you want?

Matte

Satin

Semi-Gloss

Shiny

Mix 1 to 2 parts Clear Prep+Finish™ + 1 part color for the first coat. Use one coat of Satin Sealer for a final topcoat.
Learn more about Satin Sealer here.

Use equal parts color and Clear Prep+Finish™ from start to finish. If it dries too shiny, reduce the amount of clear in the mix for your final coat. Conversely, if more shine is desired, add more clear to the mix or use alone as a topcoat.

Use equal parts color and Clear Prep+Finish™ from start to finish. If more shine is desired, add more clear to the mix or use alone as a topcoat.

Mix 1 to 2 parts Clear Prep+Finish™ + 1 part color for the first coat. Increase the ratio of color to clear for subsequent coats (approximately 4 to 1) for a satin finish.

Mix 1 to 2 parts Clear Prep+Finish™ + 1 part color for the first coat. Use color alone for subsequent coats. It will dry matte and does not need an additional sealer.

Mix 1 to 2 parts Clear Prep+Finish™ + 1 part color for the first coat. Reduce the ratio to equal parts for subsequent coats to get better coverage. If more shine is needed, use clear alone for a final topcoat.

Mix 1 to 2 parts Clear Prep+Finish™ + 1 part color for the first coat. Reduce the ratio to equal parts for subsequent coats for a semi-gloss finish.

Use Satin Sealer for a final topcoat.
Learn more about Satin Sealer here.

Apply a thin coat of Clear Prep+Finish™ and disperse quickly so it does not dry too shiny. You can also try equal parts color and clear.

Apply Clear Prep+Finish™ as a final topcoat.

The color will dry matte and does not need an additional sealer.

Mix 4 parts color with 1 part Clear Prep+Finish™ and use from start to finish (or alone as a final topcoat).

Mix equal parts color with 1 part Clear Prep+Finish™ and use as a final topcoat.

Use Clear Prep+Finish™ as a final topcoat.

Shipping Info

Orders received before 10 am MST on weekdays (excluding US holidays) are usually processed same-day.

Domestic orders are shipped via UPS or USPS ground unless otherwise requested and typically arrive in 2-5 business days.

All Canadian and international orders are shipped via UPS and typically arrive in 3-5 business days. Use coupon code internationalCLUB (case and space sensitive) to discount 8 oz. or 16 oz. bottles of color. We are not responsible for duties, tariffs or other expenses incurred.

We are not responsible for delays and cannot refund shipping costs except for UPS Next Day Air.

You will receive an automated email with tracking number. Please secure your package in a timely fashion to avoid freezing during winter months.

All orders are insured with Damage & Delivery Protection. Learn more here.

Returns & Exchanges

Colors Similar to Rust

Cognac

Tobacco

Cinnamon

Brick

Many repair projects also need these items:

Handmade Color Swatches

$1 ea

Picture of Rub n Restore leather paint swatches arranged in circular wreath

Choose Colors

Clear Prep+Finish for Leather

Price range: $9 through $36

Size

Clear

Tool Options

Sandpaper Option

Clear

Leave a Review

85 reviews for Rust Vinyl & Leather Finish

CB

2 out of 5

January 12, 2016

May work for others but not my project. Tried on a chair. Looked like painted plastic with streaks. I returned the product, and was refunded in full. I will get the chairs professionally done.

Jeanie

5 out of 5

August 31, 2015

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this product! I have a small sofa/love seat set that is12 years old. I was ready to kick it to the curb. I actually offered it to my youngest daughter who is in college and her response "no thank you Mom.!" I just sent her a photo of the sofa after refinishing it with Rub N Restore and her response was "please save it for me Mom." Your product is flipping amazing! I am actually adding two new pieces to the set. I had my husband drag out two old office chairs that have been in my garage for 10 years and I'm refinishing them with Rub N Restore! Thank you for this truly amazing product!

Guy, Shirley British Columbia, Canada

5 out of 5

April 27, 2015

This company and it’s product deserve the highest possible rating for customer satisfaction. The customer service is excellent. The product is so easy to use that you simply cannot make a mistake. The finished result is absolutely first class and would be be proudly and prominently displayed in any home or business. Trust Rub ’n Restore to revive and refinish your leather furniture beyond your expectations and do not bother to shop any where else. I sent a sample to the company for a custom color. My furniture was so badly faded that even a custom color matched to the original would have required dyeing the whole chair. They analyzed the s...More
This company and it’s product deserve the highest possible rating for customer satisfaction. The customer service is excellent. The product is so easy to use that you simply cannot make a mistake. The finished result is absolutely first class and would be be proudly and prominently displayed in any home or business. Trust Rub ’n Restore to revive and refinish your leather furniture beyond your expectations and do not bother to shop any where else.

I sent a sample to the company for a custom color. My furniture was so badly faded that even a custom color matched to the original would have required dyeing the whole chair. They analyzed the sample and recommended a mixture of Rust and Cherrywood and include a free empty bottle for easy mixing.

Sherise

5 out of 5

December 12, 2014

I babysitted my uncles dog and she ran up and down my leather furniture, this fixed all the scratches and damage to my couch. Quick dry time and ease of use. It doesn't even look like my couch was ever damaged. Very happy!

Scott

5 out of 5

November 16, 2014

REFUND ISSUED. SEAT WORE WELL BUT STAINED SHORTS. I requested samples to change the color of a black vinyl bicycle seat. Received the dye this afternoon and just finished 6 coats of it. I am amazed at how well this went. I’ll admit I was a little apprehensive. The first coat went on really well, and after that it was really just touching things up. The only difficult part was getting the hole in the middle of the seat, but I attribute that more to the sponge in that you apply on one side and wipe off with the other (my solution, put the dye on the edge and jam it in the hole). I can easily give the product 5 stars as the color match...More
REFUND ISSUED. SEAT WORE WELL BUT STAINED SHORTS.
I requested samples to change the color of a black vinyl bicycle seat. Received the dye this afternoon and just finished 6 coats of it. I am amazed at how well this went. I’ll admit I was a little apprehensive. The first coat went on really well, and after that it was really just touching things up. The only difficult part was getting the hole in the middle of the seat, but I attribute that more to the sponge in that you apply on one side and wipe off with the other (my solution, put the dye on the edge and jam it in the hole).

I can easily give the product 5 stars as the color matched the sample provided in the mail, went on very easily, and changed the color without any issues. The only caveat I have is I’m anxiously waiting to see how well it wears. To be honest, it really isn’t a reflection on the product, its just I’m using it in an application that’s outside what its typically used for, one that will receive a lot of aggressive wear. Also, I can imagine nice patina effect, and depending on the pattern might add some more character.

Add a review