Camper Van
Freedom.

Adhesives & Coatings · My build kit

Black Leather Recoloring Balm

This black balm is one of my finishing-product purchases. I keep it separate from the grey version because color is the defining difference between the two entries.

By Steven Smith · Camper Van Freedom

Read my build notes ↓
Black Leather Recoloring Balm

The item in my kit

I bought Black Leather Recoloring Balm as part of my camper van equipment.

This black balm is one of my finishing-product purchases. I keep it separate from the grey version because color is the defining difference between the two entries.

Where it fits my build

I taped the boundaries and covered the areas that would not be painted with plastic sheeting. I then sanded the exposed areas with an orbital sander and 60-grit abrasive, blew away the dust with a compressor, and cleaned and degreased the surfaces.

I mixed clear bedliner with white tint and sprayed the van. After it dried, I removed the masking. The tape and sheeting stage alone took around eight hours, and the finished edges still needed some touch-up.

My van with masking around the exterior areas prepared for coating.
My van with masking around the exterior areas prepared for coating.
The side of the van during the white-bedliner project.
The side of the van during the white-bedliner project.

My build notes

The most useful detail in my diary is the result, including the problems. Rust-Oleum pooled and dripped in places, and trying to repair one area with a paintbrush made it worse. I wrote that I would use a foam roller for touch-ups and preferred the more consistent finish I had obtained with RAPTOR.

Masking, preparation and application method each became a substantial part of the exterior-coating job.

Alternative products

Two alternatives to compare

Furniture Clinic and STARTSO WORLD provide other black recoloring balms. Product color and application format are the useful comparison points for this finishing task.

Furniture Clinic Black Recoloring Balm

Furniture Clinic Black Recoloring Balm

This Furniture Clinic balm supplies black color for leather restoration work. It is packaged in a tub for application to selected surface areas.

View on Amazon
STARTSO WORLD Black Recoloring Balm

STARTSO WORLD Black Recoloring Balm

This STARTSO WORLD balm supplies black color for leather restoration. Its tub format provides a local-application alternative to a spray coating.

View on Amazon

Questions from my build

What took the longest before painting?

Taping the edges and covering the areas I was not painting took around eight hours.

What problem did I record with the bedliner?

The Rust-Oleum pooled and dripped in some areas, leaving an uneven finish that needed touch-up.

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