How to Repair Leather Upholstery

Scratches, Abrasions and Discoloration

• 1

  Apply leather recoloring balm onto the abrasion or discoloration using a sponge or a cotton swab.

• 2

  Work the balm down into the scratch or abrasion, not just on the surface of the leather.

• 3

  Allow the balm to dry for the time recommended on the label. Usually this requires several hours.

• 4

  Apply leather conditioner to the treated areas to replace natural oils and restore flexibility. Conditioner also helps prevent future scratches and abrasions.

Rips and Burns

• 5

  Fill the rip or tear with a light coating of leather filler and allow the filler to dry for the time recommended on the label.

• 6

  Continue applying leather filler in thin coats until the ripped or burned area is level to the rest of the leather.

• 7

  Apply leather coloring balm or dye to the patched area with a cotton swab to blend the color into the upholstery.

Holes

• 8

  Scuff the damaged area with sandpaper provided in a leather repair kit. Don't substitute any other sandpaper for this purpose.

• 9

  Cut a piece of sub-patch material provided with your leather repair kit that is at least 1/2 inch diameter larger than the hole.

• 10

  Push the sub-patch under the edges of the hole using a pair of tweezers. Make sure that the sub-patch is centered and flat between the leather and the padding.

• 11

  Place the nozzle of the adhesive provided with your repair kit between the sub-patch and the leather. Apply a small amount of adhesive around the edges of the patch.

• 12

  Press lightly on top of the leather to adhere it to the sub-patch material.

• 13

  Place a piece of paper over the hole and trace the hole. Cut a piece of the leather patch material provided with your kit to the same size and shape of the hole using the paper as your template.

• 14

  Apply the leather adhesive to the visible area of the sub-patch. Press your cut leather patch onto the adhesive and hold for about 30 seconds.

• 15

  Sand the area with the sandpaper provided with your kit to smooth the edges. Wipe the patch to remove sanding debris and dust.

• 16

  Spread a thin, even coating of the repair compound provided with the kit over the patch using the palette knife.

• 17

  Allow the first coat to dry according to the label recommendations and continue applying the compound until the patch is level with the surrounding upholstery.

• 18

  Dab or blot the final coating of compound with paper towel or a sponge to duplicate the grain pattern of the leather.

• 19

  Apply leather coloring balm or dye to the dried patch to blend the color of the patch with the rest of the leather. Don't sit on or touch the leather until the color has fully dried.