My Bonded Leather Couch Is Peeling

What Is Bonded Leather?

• An eco-friendly way to make use of recycled leather, bonded leather products are comprised of leather scraps that would otherwise be discarded. The leather pieces are joined to form the base of the material, which is bonded with a strong adhesive to a fabric backing. The polyurethane overlay seals the leather's surface and is given a textured finish to look like leather. According to Leather Repair Pro, the finished product contains about 17 percent genuine leather, and its products are a fraction of the cost of genuine leather.

Why Is It Peeling?

• The value of bonded leather is not only reflected in its cost, but in the durability of the leather product itself. It is a short-lived product that cannot withstand the wear and tear that durable genuine leather can, especially as a highly used furniture piece. Bonded leather does not have the "give" and stretch of genuine leather, due to the non-elastic fabric backing and the adhesive glues. Once stretched to its maximum, the strips of leather and polyurethane start to peel away from the backing.

What to Use

• Leather repair kits are the solution for bonded leather repairs. As soon as a peel or a small tear is spotted, quickly repair it before the damage becomes major. Leather repair kits contain a compound to apply to the damaged leather after it is washed and sanded. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) forms the main ingredient in the compound, combined with polymers in a water-based formula that forms a permanent bond to the leather.The compound is spread smoothly over the damage and then dried with an applicator iron or a blow dryer. Depending on the kit, the color-matching step either occurs when mixing the compound or as an additional step after the compound is applied.

The Finished Look

• Texture is added to the repair compound to match the original bonded leather by impressing one of the provided texture template papers into the applied compound. Some kits apply the textured paper with a mini iron, while others do it without heat. When peeled away, the texture template paper leaves behind a leather-like surface.

  To finish off the repair, the compound may need a light sanding with a very fine-grit sandpaper to even out any imperfections before polishing the entire surface with a leather conditioner. With a successful application, the area of repair will blend in seamlessly with the rest of the bonded leather couch.