Ideas for Repairing a Vinyl Chair

Slight Rips

• You can easily repair slight rips in vinyl chairs by buying a leather and vinyl repair kit. Make sure that you get a color that matches your chair as closely as possible. Wipe off the area you want to repair with a damp cloth. Allow it to dry and spray on the adhesive or brush on the vinyl repair glue, depending upon what type of kit you bought. You'd then apply the grain paper to the designated area, press down and hold. This method really is best for rips no wider than an inch. Otherwise, it's harder for the spray or adhesive of a vinyl repair kit to be as discreet.

Large Rips or Holes

• Large rips or holes, even cigarette burns, are best repaired with a patch. You can purchase a material for a vinyl patch at a fabric store or at certain car repair shops. Trim around the rip or hole so that it is neater and the exposed area is better contained. Cut a patch to match the shape that is only ever so slightly larger. You can purchase iron-on patches or you can apply your patch with upholsterer's glue. Let it dry according to the instructions on the glue.

Unraveling seams and smaller rips

• A strong needle and upholstery thread can fix smaller repairs, such as loose seams and small rips. When you do stitch up the vinyl, you should do so in such a way that each stitch mimics the original needlework and is tight, but not too tight. Too-tight stitches could pull on the vinyl and create another tear.