Your sofa has a tear? Does your favorite bag have scuffed spots? If artificial leather is strained, you can see it at some point. Then the material should be repaired as soon as possible. We tell you How To Repair Faux Leather.
As in real leather a bit of patina can also make imitation leather really beautiful. But there is often a fine line between “character” and wear and tear. As soon as imitation leather products begin to show tears or holes, you should take action to prevent things from getting worse.
How To Repair Faux Leather
Various products and methods
There are various products on the market for repairing imitation leather. Depending on the damage, you can use liquid leather or leather patches. The best product to use depends on the type and size of the damage: large tears and holes are best repaired with patches, while a little liquid leather from a tube is usually sufficient for smaller blemishes. Imitation leather repair kits that combine several products can also be useful.
Repairing artificial leather with liquid leather
Liquid leather is useful for repairing chips, scratches, or small holes. The commercially available product from the tube can be compared to putty, whereby the material remains elastic after hardening – just like the artificial leather itself. The liquid leather is applied to the damaged area, spread with a spatula and then has to dry. Faux leather comes in a variety of colors, so you might be lucky enough to find a tube the color of your sofa or bag.
Pay attention to the drying time of the imitation leather. Hardening can take several hours.
Repairing artificial leather with leather patches
Is the tear already larger or is there a lot of pressure on the damaged area – such as on the seat of a car couches –, liquid leather alone will not help. Then a leather or synthetic leather patch is a better option to close the hole. Patches are available online or in hardware stores in various designs and colors.
Some patches need to be heated with a hair dryer or attached with leather glue. Others are self-adhesive and all you have to do is peel off a protective film and stick them in the damaged area. The patches can be cut to the right size with scissors. If the hole is larger, you can slide a piece of power tape in and apply it to the edges of the damaged area from below before gluing the leather patch. This strengthens the repair.
Repairing artificial leather with patches and liquid leather
A combination of patches and liquid leather is often recommended: Larger tears or holes are first closed with the patch in a stable and reliable manner, then the liquid leather is used to create good transitions and seal fine tears and bumps.
When is a repair kit worth it?
Some repair kits contain patches and liquid leather of the same color for a combined repair as described above. Sometimes a spatula, brush or sanding sponge is also included. A post-treatment liquid to fix the repair may also be included.
For a black sofa, you will probably easily find both liquid leather and leather patches on the market. If the damaged object is a rare color, you can buy a faux leather repair kit with several tubes of paint in it and mix the perfect shade yourself.
How to prepare faux leather for repair?
The area to be treated should be clean and free of oil, so that the leather patch adheres well. Use a damp cloth and, if necessary, a synthetic leather cleaner. If the spot is very dirty, you can first treat it with a vacuum cleaner or remove dirt particles with adhesive tape. Then the area is best sanded smooth with a fine sanding sponge so that patches and liquid leather adhere better.
