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How to Restore a Louis Vuitton Trunk

Louis Vuitton was a French designer of travel trunks. After his death, the company expanded into handbags, leather goods and watches. The trunks were made in a variety of sizes and were covered in canvas or woven cotton. Details common to most Louis Vuitton trunks are brass locks and iron trim. Restoring a Louis Vuitton trunk may consist of repairing or removing torn canvas, polishing or replacing missing hardware and relining or removing the interior. Restoration often doesn̵7;t mean making the trunk look brand new, but restoring its well-traveled charm.

Things You'll Need

Steel wool
Fine wire brush
Tack cloth
Fine grit sandpaper
Utility knife
Paint spatula
Paint brushes
Oil-based polyurethane
Bleach
Water
Hammer
Screwdriver
Rags
Dust mask
Safety glasses

Instructions

- 1
  Assess the trunk to determine its general condition. Inspect the surface of the trunk, the hardware, latches, hinges and the interior of the trunk.
- 2
  Clean the surface of the canvas with a clean damp cloth if the canvas is in good condition. If the canvas is rotten or irreparably torn, use a utility knife to carefully remove the canvas and expose the wood.
- 3
  Dampen the surface with water and scrape off any glue residue with a paint spatula. Wipe the surface with a clean damp cloth. The trunk must then stand to dry.
- 4
  Sand the wood with fine-grit sandpaper. Clean the dust from the wood with a tack cloth. Apply two coats of oil-based polyurethane to the wood according to the manufacturer̵7;s instructions.
- 5
  Restore the worn iron trim. Some iron work may simply need polishing, while other iron trim may need to have rust removed. Use steel wool and a fine wire brush to remove the rust, being careful not to damage the wood of the trunk.
- 6
  Remove the interior lining of the trunk if there is mold or mildew or if the material is rotten. Dampen the interior with water and scrape the glue off with a paint spatula. Wipe the interior with a clean, damp cloth.
- 7
  Wipe the interior with a solution of 10 percent bleach and 90 percent water. Let the solution soak in and then wipe the interior with a clean damp cloth. The trunk must sit for several days until it is dry.
- 8
  Sand the interior with fine-grit sandpaper. Clean the dust with a tack cloth. Apply two coats of oil-based polyurethane according to the manufacturer̵7;s instructions.

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