Leather furniture can be an excellent addition to a large variety of different decorating styles. Whether it be faux leather or genuine, there is a certain level of comfort and style that comes from the incorporation of leather. So how can you repair the inevitable damage when it happens?
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Leather furniture can be fixed with several different methods, depending on the type of damage.
- Reupholstery
- Repair Kit
- Shoe Polish
- Dye
- Needle and Thread
- Leather Conditioner
- Leather Oil
- Professional Repair
So how exactly do you go about fixing specific problems? Keep reading to find out!
Leather Furniture Damage
Several types of damage are more commonly experienced when you have leather furniture. Some of these frequently encountered damages include:
- Fading and discoloration
- Scratches
- Cracks
- Tears and rips
- Split stitches
With these different types of damage that can occur with leather furniture, you have many different options, depending on the severity and type of damage. These options include:
- Reupholstery
- Repair Kit
- Shoe Polish
- Dye
- Needle and Thread
- Leather Conditioner
- Leather Oil
- Professional Repair
Let's take a more in-depth look at each of those options to give you a better idea of what will work best for you.
Reupholstery
Reupholstering your leather furniture is absolutely on the table. For example, if you like the couch but are unsure about the color, click here to check out this article to see what color might be right for you! However, you're going to want to get a price estimate on the project, whether you're doing it yourself, or doing it professionally. Depending on the size of the piece of furniture in question, you might end up spending as significant of a sum of money repairing the furniture as you would spend on an entirely new item of furniture.
If this is the case, it might make more sense to buy the new furniture, as it may come with a warranty that could be useful to you. However, there are exceptions to this, specifically when it comes to the frame of the furniture. Older furniture tends to be built more solidly and made to last longer. The leather may have worn out, but if the structure is still good, it will almost certainly be worth the money to keep and reupholster it, rather than tossing it out, especially if it has sentimental value to you.
While the size of the furniture in question may vary, leather is generally around $15 per square yard, so you can use that knowledge to figure out around how much it would be for you to do the work. Local professionals can be contacted if you are wanting to have it done by a company rather than trying to do it yourself.
Repair Kits
Repair kits are ideal for fixing quite a multitude of problems, from scratches to holes. Pre-packaged and ready to go, they are complete with instructions that will make sure you understand how to do the job you are about to undertake. Kits are a great option to take advantage of if you don't have much experience specific to the damage your furniture has undergone.
There are repair kits available on Amazon for nearly every kind and type of damage, including scratches and other types of discoloration, repair kits for tears and rips in the leather itself.
Click here to purchase this leather repair kit.
Shoe Polish
Shoe polish? Is it that easy? For scratches and small patches of discoloring, it really can be that simple! A leather-safe cleaning solution, several cloths and a wax-based shoe polish in a hue that matches the color of your furniture are all you need to give your couch or chair a nice touch-up, making it look as good as new!
To make sure the leather stays flexible and can "breathe," use a shoe polish that has a high wax content.
Click here to purchase this wax-based shoe polish.
Dye
If you prefer not to use shoe polish, and you have the means or desire to pay a little extra for a product made for your furniture, there are dyes, and other products made explicitly for fixing discoloration on your leather furniture.
If you're unsure of how to fix discoloration on your leather furniture, buying an actual leather dye may be your best bet. Unlike shoe polish, there will be instructions or directions on how to apply the product correctly to your couch without damaging or discoloring it further.
Needle and Thread
Sometimes, no matter how careful you are, seams will rip or burst, but thankfully, they are relatively easy to repair. Due to the average thickness of leather, it may be easier to repair and replace the stitching with a machine, which may mean removing the stuffing from a cushion.
However, using a machine may not always be a feasible option depending on where the rip has occurred, and you may need to do it manually. Hopefully, you'll be able to use the holes left by the previous stitches, but if not, you're going to new a few extra tools, like an awl to poke new holes, or a heavy-duty needle and a sturdy thimble.
Leather Conditioner
Leather conditioner is a double-edged sword against leather damage when it comes to your furniture, serving in a capacity as preventative and a solution to some types of current damage.
Leather, as an organic substance, will grow stiff and crack over time, unless it is occasionally conditioned to help it remain flexible. Applying a leather conditioner to your couch will not only prevent cracking that has already occurred from becoming worse, but it will also help prevent cracking in the first place when applied as a preventative, instead of reactionary, measure.
Some leather conditioners also contain dyes, making them perfect for touching up discolored areas of your couches or chairs. Using conditioner to fix discoloration gives the added benefit of re-moisturizing your couch, delivering the ideal "one-two punch" to furniture damage.
How to Fix a Peeling Faux Leather Couch
You can fix this problem with several different methods, each depending on the severity of the damage in the affected area. For small areas, you can cut off the peeling faux leather, and color in the exposed fabric. However, this will only work with very small areas, and once faux leather starts to peel, it will generally keep peeling. Fortunately, there are ways to stop the spread and cover the damage.
One of these ways, and probably the easiest one, is with a kit.
Coconix Leather Repair Kit
Able to match with a very large variety of colors and textures, this kit is a wonderful option for patch jobs, whether they be large or small. No heat or glue is needed, and there are many support videos for you to access that will give you all the help you need to complete your repair job successfully. Click here to purchase this product from Amazon.
How to Fix Large Holes In a Leather Couch
Large holes can either be fixed with a patch kit or with stitching, depending on the kind of hole and how it got there. If it's a massive rip, you can either patch the hole or sew the edges together. If the edges of the hole are further apart, sewing it shut may not be feasible, in which case you will have to patch it.
When patching large holes on leather furniture, the leather generally goes under the hole, instead of over the top, and a leather filler is applied on the surface to hide it and provide a cohesive look.
To view an example of a leather repair kit on Amazon, click here.
What Glue Works on Leather?
Gorilla glue bonds incredibly well on organic, porous surfaces. It's perfect for many uses, including but not limited to attaching patches to the underside of a hole when completing a repair job on your leather furniture.
Click here to purchase Gorilla Glue from Amazon.
What is the Best Leather Repair Kit?
Coconix Vinyl and Leather Repair Kit
This kit comes equipped to touch up and repair a number of different issues you may come across, claiming to be ready to fix anything from scratches to rips and holes. This kit is available in several different pigments to make sure you're able to match your original color.
Click here to purchase this kit from Amazon.
How to Restore a Worn-out Leather Couch
This completely depends on what your definition of worn-out is. If the couch as a whole is.... well, whole, but has obvious discoloration and some split seams, that can be easily fixed up with a heavy-duty stitching kit (mentioned above), and some leather dye (also mentioned earlier). To be safe, you'll probably want to go over the couch with a leather conditioner as well, to make sure you're preventing cracking and returning some of the flexibility to the leather.
If the frame itself is worn out, or there are multiple large holes, you are more than likely going to need to re-upholster the couch, but whether you decide to do that yourself, or enlist the help of a professional, is up to you. And just to inspire you, here are some examples of leather accent chairs.
What is the Best Leather Restorer?
Restoring leather is quite easy, and is a very satisfying process. Now, if the leather has been worn thin, there isn't much that can be done aside from replacing it. But if it's merely stiff and discolored, it's a relatively easy fix!
At most, you're only going to need two things: a leather conditioner and a leather dye. However, many leather conditioners come with a stain to match the furniture they're being used on, so if you can find one that matches the shade of your couch, you are only going to have to purchase a single product!
Honey Leather Conditioner
Honey leather conditioner is sure to satisfy and add years to your leather furniture. It's non-toxic, made in the United States, and comes with a 100% satisfaction guarantee, making it perfect for assisting you in your furniture restorative endeavors.
Click here to purchase this product from Amazon.
Have you ever repaired a leather couch or other item of furniture? Let us know in a comment, so others can learn from your hands-on experience.