How to Repair Leather at Home

Check the leather repair kit, which can be purchased at many department and hardware stores, for the correct color that will most closely match your leather piece.

Prepare the surface around the tear by gently sanding it with 240-grit sandpaper. This will help the products used in the kit adhere to the leather more effectively. The kit may also contain a solvent intended to prepare the space. This can be used instead of the sand paper, if desired.

Trim the torn edges of leather piece with a scalpel. This will help the finished repair look clean.

Place the piece of canvas cloth supplied in the leather repair kit into the torn area with a pair of tweezers. Lay the small piece of cloth against the underside of the leather piece.

Place a dab of the adhesive included in the kit onto the underside of the leather piece where it meets the canvas cloth with a cotton swab. This glue will be used to adhere the cloth piece to the underside of the leather.

Apply pressure to the leather in the area the glue was applied for 15 seconds. This will help the adhesive bond more effectively. Allow the adhesive to dry, which could take several minutes.

Apply a thin layer of the leather filler from the kit to the torn area with a small knife. Allow this layer to dry and apply a second and third, or until the tear is three quarters full.

Place a last layer of the filler onto the torn area. The filler should be evened out with a palette knife so it lies flush with the original leather surrounding it.

Allow this final layer to dry.

Sponge on a thin layer of the leather coloring found in the kit. Allow it to dry and add a second layer.

Allow this second layer to dry and add a third layer spread a few inches around the area of the tear into the original leather. This will help the color blend more effectively.

Lightly sand the newly colored area with 1,200-grit sandpaper included in the leather repair kit.

Soak a soft cloth with the leather finish. Place a layer of the finish over the previously torn area and allow it to dry before using the leather piece. The leather finish will help protect the piece from further damage and restore shine.