how to fix leather seats

How to Repair a Tear in a Leather Car Seat

by Larry Simmons

convertible car interior image by Christopher Dodge from Fotolia.com

Leather car seats can last years without damage, given proper maintenance. As long as you keep the leather moisturized, you'll have few issues with drying or cracking. Unfortunately, even the best maintained leather seats may still develop tears. Repairing these tears yourself is possible with the use of a leather repair kit, which contains everything you'll need to repair a tear of any size, restoring the beauty of your leather seat for a fraction of the cost of a professional.

Step 1

Find a repair kit containing a colorant that matches the color of your leather seats. Repair kits can be purchased at an auto parts store.

Step 2

Clean the leather surrounding the tear with mild liquid facial or body soap. Place a dime-sized amount of soap in the center of a damp rag and work it into a lather. Wipe the torn area with the lathered soap, removing any dirt from the surface. Rinse the soap from the seat using a second dampened rag, then pat the area dry with a lint-free cloth.

Step 3

Examine the edges of the tear for the level of damage. If the edges are cleanly torn, repair can proceed. If the edges are ragged, or curl outward, cut off the ragged or curled edge with a pair of scissors so that the flat of the tear can be placed against the repair backing.

Step 4

Place the canvas backing cloth from the repair kit beneath the tear in the seat by lifting an edge of the tear and sliding half of the backing beneath. Lift the other edge and slide the second half beneath that edge as well. Center the canvas piece beneath the tear so that all edges lie on the backing piece.

Step 5

Spread a thin layer of the adhesive from the repair kit onto the bottom edges of the tear with a palette knife. Press the edges against the backing piece and glue them into place.

Step 6

Use the palette knife to spread the leather filler from the repair kit to the backing canvas between the torn edges. Build up the filler in layers until it slightly overlaps the leather seat. Allow each layer of filler to dry completely according to the time suggested by the manufacturer.

Step 7

Sand the last filler layer until you achieve a smooth, continuous surface with the surrounding leather on the seat.

Step 8

Wipe away the filler residue left from sanding with a clean cloth and apply the repair kit colorant to the surface of the filler. Rub the colorant on using a cloth until you have solid coverage on the filler that matches the color of your leather car seat. Allow the colorant to dry completely to the touch.

Cover the repair site with a coat of leather seal to protect the repaired tear from damage. Rub the seal on with a cloth until the area shines slightly. Allow the sealant to dry before using the seat.

References

Tips

Substitute a larger canvas cloth purchased from a fabric or art supply store if the tear is too large for the canvas backing cloth in the leather repair kit.

Things You'll Need

Mild liquid facial or body soap
Water
Clean cloths
Leather repair kit
Scissors
Palette knife
Fine sandpaper

Writer Bio

Larry Simmons is a freelance writer and expert in the fusion of computer technology and business. He has a B.S. in economics, an M.S. in information systems, an M.S. in communications technology, as well as significant work towards an M.B.A. in finance. He's published several hundred articles with Demand Studios.