Simulate vinyl/leather look on seats

[Donny]

I've checked through a lot here, and some on the 'net and can't find a "how to" look alike for interior trims - seats doors. Anyone help with this please. 

Don 

[DJMar]

The old school trick was to paint the interior in flat paint, then rub the seats, door panels, dash tops, etc. with your fingers. The oil in your skin would give the parts a subtle, shiny look, much like leather or vinyl.

Semi-gloss lacquer, sprayed in light, mist coats directly on bare styrene, can also replicate that pebbly grain vinyl/leather surface. I've used this trick for vinyl tops, too.

There are also many clear topcoats, ranging from dead flat to semi to gloss, that you can use over color to vary the sheen of the finished surface. My personal favorite is to use semi-gloss clear over a matte paint, and the result looks very similar to vinyl, imho.

[Donny]

43 minutes ago, DJMar said:

The old school trick was to paint the interior in flat paint, then rub the seats, door panels, dash tops, etc. with your fingers. The oil in your skin would give the parts a subtle, shiny look, much like leather or vinyl.

Semi-gloss lacquer, sprayed in light, mist coats directly on bare styrene, can also replicate that pebbly grain vinyl/leather surface. I've used this trick for vinyl tops, too.

There are also many clear topcoats, ranging from dead flat to semi to gloss, that you can use over color to vary the sheen of the finished surface. My personal favorite is to use semi-gloss clear over a matte paint, and the result looks very similar to vinyl, imho.

Thanks DJ I'll give it a shot, appreciate your help.

Don

[Bainford]

8 hours ago, DJMar said:

The old school trick was to paint the interior in flat paint, then rub the seats, door panels, dash tops, etc. with your fingers. The oil in your skin would give the parts a subtle, shiny look, much like leather or vinyl.

This is the method I use. A touch of nose oil or forehead oil on the finger will help, rubbing the painted surface firmly and vigorously. These days I am more likely to use Tamiya wax instead of nose oil, and sometimes do the rubbing with a rag or a small (1 cm square) piece of leather glued to the end of a coffee stirrer. I use Testors flat enamel paints for this work, as it stands up very well to the abuse.

If I remember when I get home, I will post up some photos.

[Donny]

7 hours ago, Bainford said:

This is the method I use. A touch of nose oil or forehead oil on the finger will help, rubbing the painted surface firmly and vigorously. These days I am more likely to use Tamiya wax instead of nose oil, and sometimes do the rubbing with a rag or a small (1 cm square) piece of leather glued to the end of a coffee stirrer. I use Testors flat enamel paints for this work, as it stands up very well to the abuse.

If I remember when I get home, I will post up some photos.

Thanks Trevor. I have to repaint the seats today, I did it yesterday and stuffed it up, so a rework today.

Don

[Mike 1017]

I have used Dupli Color for years now I still have some from 10 years ago The vinyl is spot on. Leather needs some work to get it right. The techniques mentioned here do work great for leather look.

Lots of colors to choose from

 

 

[StevenGuthmiller]

I use the “finger oil” technique for vinyl tops, but I rarely use it for interiors, as I almost never use flat paint for interiors,  and if I do, I generally give it a coat of some sort of matte or semi gloss finish.

 

 

 

Steve

[WayfromSmoke]

New guy but I used masking tape and painted over it on my seat inserts

[Radretireddad]

On 9/13/2025 at 10:59 AM, StevenGuthmiller said:

I use the “finger oil” technique for vinyl tops, but I rarely use it for interiors, as I almost never use flat paint for interiors,  and if I do, I generally give it a coat of some sort of matte or semi gloss finish.

 

 

 

Steve

I’m interested to know how you capture the semi metallic look of the vinyl interiors of 60’s cars. I remember they weren’t really metallic per say but the weren’t solid either.

[Carmak]

I will mask off the vinyl area and paint it with a "hot" paint that will slightly craze the plastic. I often strip this paint off lightly and sand before painting the correct color.

[Mike 1017]

On 9/12/2025 at 7:54 AM, Bainford said:

This is the method I use. A touch of nose oil or forehead oil on the finger will help, rubbing the painted surface firmly and vigorously. These days I am more likely to use Tamiya wax instead of nose oil, and sometimes do the rubbing with a rag or a small (1 cm square) piece of leather glued to the end of a coffee stirrer. I use Testors flat enamel paints for this work, as it stands up very well to the abuse.

If I remember when I get home, I will post up some photos.

The name of that oil is Nasal-Sebum and Sebum is an oily substance produced by the Sebaceous Gland. Wow I sure did pay attention in my 1968 Biology Class

[Beans]

For this one...

I used this.  It's works pretty well for shiny vinyl

[StevenGuthmiller]

15 hours ago, Radretireddad said:

I’m interested to know how you capture the semi metallic look of the vinyl interiors of 60’s cars. I remember they weren’t really metallic per say but the weren’t solid either.

A good number of cars from the 60s had metallic, or more accurately, pearl interior upholstery.

In some cases, I've been able to mimic that finish using a pearl, or fine metallic paint.

In others, I've used a pearl acrylic craft paint lightly dusted over the color to create a fine metallic finish.

 

The '64 Bonneville that I posted above was finished using a custom mix of MCW metallic enamel.

 

 

 

In these cases, the acrylic pearl was used.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Steve

[StevenGuthmiller]

This is the pearl that I use.

 

 

 

 

Steve

[Donny]

4 hours ago, StevenGuthmiller said:

A good number of cars from the 60s had metallic, or more accurately, pearl interior upholstery.

In some cases, I've been able to mimic that finish using a pearl, or fine metallic paint.

In others, I've used a pearl acrylic craft paint lightly dusted over the color to create a fine metallic finish.

 

The '64 Bonneville that I posted above was finished using a custom mix of MCW metallic enamel.

 

 

 

In these cases, the acrylic pearl was used.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Steve

Great looking trims Steve mostly airbrushed I take it. Really stunning.

Don