Canberra · ACT · Parts posted Australia wide
Sticky buttons. Peeling trim.
Symbols worn off.
Sticky button restoration and laser etching in Canberra. Your original parts, fixed.
The factory soft touch coating on your buttons has broken down. We strip it, recoat the part and laser etch the symbols back on so they light up like they did new. The same laser puts grain back into leather and vinyl repairs so the patch stops showing.
- Sticky buttons
- Peeling buttons
- Worn off symbols
- Black residue on your fingers
Quoted from your photos · Reply within 2 business hours
Service one
Sticky button restoration
with laser etched symbols.
The soft touch coating on your buttons and trim has broken down. It went tacky first, then it started leaving black residue on your fingers, and now it is peeling and the printed symbols have worn off with it. Owners in Canberra describe it the same way every time: sticky buttons, peeling buttons, symbols gone.
We fix the part you already own. The failed coating comes off completely. The part is prepped and recoated with a durable finish. Then we laser etch the symbols back on in the original font and the original position. Backlighting shines through the etched symbol exactly as it did from the factory. Because it is your part, fitment and wiring do not change.
Your options when the buttons go sticky
There are four ways this goes. Three of them cost you money or the part itself.
New OEM parts
Expensive, often on back order, and the replacement frequently carries the same coating. It goes sticky again.
Dealer or overseas specialist refinishing
Quoted in the thousands, plus freight both ways and weeks without the car.
DIY cleaning
Solvents and magic erasers strip the coating and take the symbols with it. The soft touch feel is gone and the part looks worse.
Canberra Leather
You keep the original part. We strip the failed coating, recoat, then laser etch the symbols back on in the original font and position. Backlighting works. Fitment and wiring are unchanged.
Quoted from your photos
Figures shown for other options, where present, are published owner reports and not quotes from us. We price every job from your photos.
Parts we handle
Anything with a soft touch coating and a printed or backlit symbol. Interior trim refinishing in Canberra, or posted in from anywhere in Australia.
- Window switches and switch banks
- Climate control panels
- Console buttons and rotary dials
- Air vent surrounds
- Steering column trim and stalks
- Door handle trims
- Glovebox releases
- Gear surrounds and shifter trim
Cars this affects
The soft touch coating fails most often on Italian and German prestige interiors from the last fifteen or so years. The same coating turned up on plenty of everyday cars too, and it fails the same way.
Prestige
Alfa Romeo, Maserati, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Audi, BMW, Mercedes, Porsche, Volkswagen
Everyday
Holden, Ford, Mazda, Toyota, Hyundai, Kia, Subaru
Canberra Leather is an independent workshop. We are not affiliated with or endorsed by any vehicle manufacturer. Make and model names appear only to describe the parts we work on.
Questions we get
Sticky button questions, answered.
The questions owners ask before they send parts in.
Don't see your question? Ask us directly →
The factory finish on these parts is a soft touch coating, a thin rubberised layer over hard plastic. Heat, UV, skin oils and alcohol based cleaners break it down over time. It softens, goes gummy, leaves black residue on your fingers, then peels. The printed symbols sit on top of that layer so they wear off with it.
Yes. We laser etch the symbols through the new coating so light passes through the same way it did from the factory. We check every backlit symbol before the part goes back to you.
Yes, and that is the point. We refinish your own parts, so fitment, clips, connectors and wiring are exactly as they were. Nothing is swapped for a used part or a reproduction.
Most button and trim sets are turned around in a few working days once we have the parts in hand. We confirm a timeframe when we quote so you can plan around the car being without them.
Yes. This service does not need the car present. Remove the parts, pack them as described in the posting section on this page, and send them to us. We return them by tracked courier.
No. The failed soft touch coating is removed completely and replaced with a durable finish that does not break down the same way. The symbols are etched into the surface rather than printed on top, so there is nothing to rub off.
Send us photos of the sticky parts.
A clear photo of each affected button or panel is all we need to quote. Tell us the car and whether you are in Canberra or posting parts in.
Service two
Laser leather texturing
so the repair disappears.
A repaired area can be colour matched perfectly and still look wrong. The reason is grain. Filler leaves a smooth patch. A grain pad presses a generic pattern into it that rarely matches. Your eye does not notice in flat light, then the sun comes through the window at a low angle and the patch shows up as a flat spot in an otherwise textured surface.
We map the grain of the original material around the repair and laser that pattern into the repaired surface. The result matches the surrounding texture as closely as possible, so the repair does not announce itself. This applies to leather seats and lounges, vinyl, plastic trim and dash tops. Vinyl grain matching works the same way as leather.
This is not a common capability in Australia. Most repairers stop at colour matching.
How the texturing is done
- 1
Repair and colour match
The tear, hole or worn patch is filled, sanded and colour matched the same way as any leather repair.
- 2
Map the original grain
We read the grain from an undamaged area right beside the repair. Pattern, depth and direction all come from your material, not a generic pad.
- 3
Laser the grain in
The mapped pattern is lasered into the repaired surface so it carries the same texture as the leather, vinyl or plastic around it.
- 4
Seal and check under raking light
The area is sealed and then checked with light across the surface at a low angle, because that is exactly where a smooth patch gives itself away.
Questions we get
Texturing questions, answered.
What people ask once they realise colour was never the whole problem.
Don't see your question? Ask us directly →
In most cases, yes. We map the grain pattern from an undamaged area next to the repair and laser that pattern into the repaired surface. The aim is a repair you cannot pick out under raking light. Very fine or unusual grains are harder, so we tell you what to expect when we quote from your photos.
Yes. Vinyl seats, door cards, dash tops and plastic trim all carry a moulded grain. The same process applies. We match the surrounding texture so the repaired area does not read as a smooth patch.
A grain pad presses a generic pattern into filler while it cures. It gets you close on some leathers and nowhere near on others, and the edges of the pattern often show. Laser texturing uses the actual grain from your material, so the pattern, depth and direction match.
Got a repair that looks flat?
Send a photo of the area in normal light and one with light coming across it from the side. We will tell you whether texturing will hide it.
Anywhere in Australia
Post your parts in.
The car stays home.
Button and trim restoration is done on the part, not the car. Remove the affected pieces, pack them properly and send them to us in Canberra. We restore them and send them back. If you are not sure how to remove a part, send us a photo and we will point you to the right approach or tell you if it is a job for a mechanic.
What to send
- The affected parts only. Leave the wiring harness and any loose fixings in the car.
- A photo of each part in place before removal so we know the orientation and position.
- A note inside the box with your name, phone number, email and return address.
- Your quote reference if we have already quoted from photos.
How to pack it
- Wrap each part separately in soft cloth or bubble wrap. Do not let parts touch each other in transit.
- Put any small clips or connectors in a sealed bag and tape it inside the box.
- Use a rigid box with padding on all sides. A padded bag is not enough for switch banks.
- Send by tracked post or courier. Keep the tracking number.
Return freight
We return finished parts by tracked courier. Return freight is quoted with the job so there are no surprises. Transit insurance is available on request for higher value parts.
Send us a photo quote first and we will confirm the address to post to. Questions before you pack anything: call 0400 387 177.
Related services
Ready when you are.
Photos of the parts, the make of car, and where you are. That is all we need to quote.
Free photo quote
Send photos of the parts.
We quote from them.
One clear photo of each affected button, panel or repaired area. Tell us the car and whether you are in Canberra or posting parts in. We reply within 2 business hours on weekdays and your message goes straight to the technician.
100% satisfaction guarantee
If you're not satisfied with the result, we return and fix it — no charge, no argument. 15+ years of combined leather experience backs every job we take on.
What happens next
After you send your photo —
here's exactly what to expect.
- Step 01
Within 2 hours
You'll receive a detailed reply from your technician — not a call centre — with an honest assessment and written quote.
- Step 02
You confirm the booking
If the quote works for you, we lock in a time that suits. Mobile visit to your home or workplace.
- Step 03
Job done, same visit
Most repairs are completed in a single 3–5 hour visit. No second trips, no parts on order.