Furniture Repair: How To Repair A Rip In Your Leather Couch
Posted on: 27 January 2015
A high quality leather couch can easily cost several hundred or even several thousand dollars. Consequently, it is quite easy to understand why you may not want to simply get rid of this furniture if it becomes ripped or torn. Unfortunately, professional leather repairs can also be quite expensive. Thankfully, it is possible to save money by performing these repairs yourself. Following the steps outlined below will allow you to accomplish this task.
Your Leather Repair Kit Will Need To Include:
- leather cleaner
- sub patch
- leather glue
- leather filler
- leather touch-up dye
You Will Also Need:
- a dry sponge
- tweezers
- small putty knife
- small pair of scissors
Step 1: Clean The Damaged Area
The leather glue used in completing these repairs will not bond properly to a dirty surface. Consequently, it is incredibly important to ensure you have thoroughly cleaned the damaged area before you move forward with your repairs. This can be done by applying a small amount of leather cleaner to your dry sponge. Using gently circular motions, clean the entire area surrounding the rip or tear in your couch.
Using a small pair of scissors, carefully trim around the edge of the tear in order to remove any strings or other lose materials.
Step 2: Insert Sub Patch And Secure Ripped Material
Begin by cutting a piece of sub patch that is slightly larger than the rip in your couch. Using a pair of tweezers, insert this patch beneath the ripped material and spread it out as flat as possible. This will provide your repair with a strong backing in order to ensure it is able to stand up to the test of time.
With the sub patch in place, use your putty knife to spread leather glue along the bottom side of the ripped material. Apply firm pressure to the material in order to secure the patch in place. Using a dry sponge with a small amount of leather cleaner, simply wipe away any excess glue that escapes from beneath the material.
Step 3: Fill The Gap And Apply Finishing Touches
Using your putty knife, apply a small amount of leather filler to close the gap between the edges of your ripped material. Carefully, use the flat side of your putty knife to smooth out this filler material until it is even with the rest of your leather.
After allowing the leather filler to dry for at least one hour, you will be ready to apply the finishing touches to disguise your repairs. This is done by using your leather touch up dye to create a dye that perfectly matches the color of your leather. Once you have the color just right, use a clean sponge to gently apply the dye to the repaired area using a dabbing motion. Continue dabbing the dye into place until you are no longer able to see a difference in color between the recent repairs and the rest of your couch.
If the damage is too severe to patch, or if you run into problems, contact a professional furniture repair company.
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