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How to redo a leather couch


How to reupholster a leather sofa

It’s a great idea to reupholster a leather sofa, simply because leather sofas always add the right amount of class and sophistication in a room. The only downside is that new leather sofas often come with a hefty price tag. Good news is, theres’s no reason for you to throw your old sofa away and churn out money to achieve the look.

At Comfort Works we believe in breathing into your old sofas and if you think it’s difficult to reupholster a leather sofa – fret not. It’s easier than you imagined. A basic rule of thumb: “Anything with straight lines” can most likely be upholstered successfully by a beginner.

Things you’ll need:

DIY Steps to Reupholster a Leather Sofa

1. Remove existing fabric

Firstly, you will need to remove the old leather or fabric from your sofa. If you have a slipcover then this part is easy. However if your sofa is upholstered, you will need to remove the old leather by flipping your sofa and carefully removing the staples.

A flat head screwdriver is the easiest and most sturdy way to remove the staples. Once all the staples are out, the leather or fabric should be easy to remove. If some parts are sewn together I recommend using a seam ripper to carefully separate the fabric from the chair.

It is important not to rip the fabric out of shape as you will be using this as a template. Remove fabric one section at a time.

2. Trace out your new template

For this step you will need to spread out your new leather on the floor and use the older cover as a pattern to cut the fabric. You can do this by laying the old cover over the new leather and securing them together by clips.

Depending on how confident you are with scissors, you can either trace out the pattern using chalk and then cut the leather, or cut directly along the pattern itself. It’s also good to allow leave about about 2.5cm / 1 inch seam allowance.

3. Staple the leather to the bottom of the sofa frame

Once you have your new leather cut out, it’s time to go to town with the staple gun. Start aligning the leather at the back of the sofa and stapling from underneath. Be sure to pull the leather snug as you would not want to have any excess.

At this step you can also replace any padding on sofa, if it has been worn down or doesn’t offer enough support.

4. Tuck the fabric into the sofa frame

After you have made your way across the back, pull the leather over the front of the sofa and locate areas on the frame where you can staple the leather.

Follow the creases of your sofa and tuck in the extra leather fabric enough that you can grab it from around back and staple it to the frame.

5. Lastly, pull the leather taut on the edges

Once you have tucked and secured the leather to the frame, it’s time to secure the front part of the cover. Smooth down all and pull the fabric taut to the underside of the sofa.

Try your best to align the leather to where your old seams ended and make sure none of the staples are visible.

6. Create cushion covers

Create slipcovers for your cushions by creating a pattern and cutting out the leather. You will need to sew these pieces shut. You can hand-sew your slipcovers or use a sewing machine.

Adding a zipper will let you easily remove the slipcover and wash it.

Alternative to reupholster a leather sofa

Now if this seems like way too much work, we have got you ‘slip’-covered. Slipcovers are an affordable and easy way to revamp your sofa. With 5 different beautiful leathers to choose from you will be able to achieve the Pinterest look you’re after without breaking a sweat.

IKEA Soderhamn Comfort Works Slipcover  in Savannah Saddle Leather

IKEA Karlstad 3 Seater Comfort Works Slipcover in Urbanskin Chestnut LeatherIKEA Stockholm 1.5 Seater Comfort Work Slipcover in Savannah Saddle Leather

Verdict

If you are someone who enjoys being crafty and experimenting, then you should definitely try reupholstering your sofa. If it ends up looking good, it will definitely be rewarding.

Although if you’re after a leather sofa with a friendly price tag and a tailored fit, slipcovers are definitely the way to go! Luckily, Comfort Works specialise in slipcovers for IKEA, Pottery Barn, Muji as well as almost any other sofa in the world.

As long as it’s not too curvy, your sofa (leather or fabric) would pretty damn good with a leather slipcover. Learn more here: https://comfort-works.com/en/content/the-luxurious-bycast-leather-collection-201

Or if you have any other questions whatsoever, just drop us an email and we’ll help you out 🙂

Happy designing!

How to repair a leather couch – and restore it to its best

(Image credit: DFS)

Knowing how to repair a leather couch is essential if you own one and have a busy family home – and especially pets who might sneak on it occasionally. 

Due to its durability and longevity, leather is a firm favorite when it comes to upholstery. Leather also ages beautifully making it the perfect investment piece. A leather couch is always on trend and picking a neutral shade ensures it will always go with your scheme.

However, leather can be prone to damage – including scratches. We've asked the experts and collated their advice to ensure that you know how to keep your couch looking its absolute best. 

See: How to clean a leather sofa – so that it looks as good as new

How do you repair a damaged leather couch?

'Although leather is pretty tough, it can of course be cut, torn or punctured. This can obviously be upsetting as leather is a fairly expensive fabric, and replacing damaged covers might be a significant expense. Fortunately, that is very rarely necessary as cuts and tears can usually be repaired at home with a little care and the right tools.' says John Darling, founder of luxury upholsterers Darlings of Chelsea .

However, before you embark on repair projects, it's important to establish the condition of the leather and the age of the couch. 'Just like tire wear on a vehicle, leather furniture can get worn down and sometimes degraded beyond the point of repair.' says Jesse Johnstone, president of Fibrenew

So can leather upholstery be repaired? Yes, leather upholstery can be repaired. Read on to find out how.

How can I restore my faded leather couch to color?

(Image credit: Darlings of Chelsea)

You can restore your faded leather couch by spot-touching specialist dyes and finishes, that are simply applied with a sponge and allowed to dry – it is very easy to do yourself, plus it's a lot more cost-effective than purchasing a new leather sofa.

Lesandre Holiday, CEO of Rub 'n' Restore says most touch-up projects 'only require a 2 to 8oz color  (US$16 to $48) and 2 to 4oz clear finish (US$8 to $14). All genuine leathers are candidates, even lesser quality corrected grain. The exceptions are nubuck and suede.'

However, when it comes to spot-touching, the main challenge is matching the color. Lesandre advises picking a company with a color matching service, and while this does add to the cost, it ensures that your touch-ups will be hardly noticeable. 

'We offer a service that requires sending a sample and may cost up to US$60 with an 8oz color minimum.'

How to soften old leather?

You can soften old leather by investing in a specialist conditioner – ideally one that contains lanolin – to keep the material supple. 

'To protect your leather, using a specialist conditioner from a quality care kit will help to clean and condition your product, reviving the sheen of the leather and preserving its soft suppleness. To prevent the leather losing its rich color or from becoming dry, apply this conditioner twice a year,' says Suzy McMahon, buying director Sofology .

There are several DIY methods that include using petroleum jelly or coconut oil, but these have been shown to have mixed results and may stain your couch. It is worth selecting a specific leather conditioner to ensure that the product is compatible with leather couches and will achieve your desired effect.

Can you fix a leather couch that is peeling?

(Image credit: Philip Lauterbach)

You can fix a peeling leather couch quite easily. However, genuine leather does not peel or flaking off. This is instead a clear indication that your couch is made of bonded or blended leather which is also known as faux leather. You can temporarily improve the look of your faux leather sofa with a filler and color but this will be a short term fix. It is worth considering replacing it with a genuine leather sofa which, while more expensive, will last a lot longer.

Genuine leather will crack rather than peel. 'This happens due to the desiccation of the fiber, as its natural oils evaporate,' says Lesandre Holiday. 'This causes the leather to shrink and stiffen and then become damaged with stress and use.' You can prevent this by using a conditioner which should be applied once or twice a year at most.

If it's already too late to prevent cracking, thankfully you can fix a cracked leather couch by using a filler. Rub 'n' Restore's water-based leather filler kit costs from $23 and is simply applied to cracks, then treated with a color to conceal them. 

How do you repair a rip in a leather sofa?

(Image credit: Future)

You can repair a rip in a leather couch with super glue, a canvas or leather sub patch, some sandpaper and a sharp knife. You may also need some filler and a leather dye that matches your sofa. All of these items are available online or from DIY or home stores

'The basic process is to clean up the tear by carefully trimming it with a sharp blade, then place the patch underneath the tear and super glue both sides of the torn material to it, placing the edges of the tear together if possible so there is no gap,' says John Darling founder of luxury sofa manufacturer Darlings of Chelsea. 

'In many cases, this is sufficient and, with a high-quality patch and good super glue, will hold firmly for the lifetime of the sofa and be almost invisible.'

If the patch or join is still visible, then push heavy leather filler into the gap, building it up into thin layers. You can then color the filler and the patched area to make sure it blends in. 'As always, it is best to test any dye you use on an inconspicuous area first to make sure it matches,' advises John.

If the damage is severe then DIY repair may not be possible and you should consult a professional. 'An expert upholster can remove the ripped panel and replace it with one cut from matched leather,' advises Greg Miller, leather technician from Blenkinsop Leathers Ltd .

'How cost effective using a professional would be is doubtful, especially with a lower budget sofa. The most economic option might be to simply replace it, though of course not the most environmentally-friendly.'

How do you repair a split seam on a leather couch?

When it comes to repairing a split seam on a leather couch, in most cases it is best to leave this to the professionals. 

'Leather is thick and can be tough to stitch by hand. It requires special needles, threads, tools, and know-how in order to do it properly, have it match the rest of the couch, and ensure it holds up over time. ' says Jesse Johnstone, president of Fibrenew 'Professionals will be able to match the seam to the same pattern as the rest of the couch and make sure that it will hold together.'

How much does it cost to repair a leather couch?

The cost of repairing a leather sofa will depend on the extent of the damage. If you are looking to repair a small area of cracking or a single scratch on a DIY basis then it can cost as little as $20 for a patch repair kit. 

Be sure to fully research a product before committing as there are lots of budget options that can cause more damage than good. Magic Mender or Rub 'n' Restore both have lots of advice about finding the best DIY kit as well as offering personalized advice to help you with your specific problem. 

See: How to restore wood furniture – an expert guide

For larger repairs, it is worth consulting a professional but this does come at a price. Larger professional repairs can cost between $500 and $1,200 – and in some cases it will cost less to replace the piece rather than repair so be sure to get a selection of quotes before you decide on whether to repair or replace.  

Having graduated with a first class degree in English Literature, Holly started her career as a features writer and sub-editor at Period Living magazine, Homes & Gardens' sister title. Working on Period Living brought with it insight into the complexities of owning and caring for period homes, from interior decorating through to choosing the right windows and the challenges of extending. This has led to a passion for traditional interiors, particularly the country-look. Writing for the Homes & Gardens website as a content editor, alongside regular features for Period Living and Country Homes & Interiors magazines, has enabled her to broaden her writing to incorporate her interests in gardening, wildlife and nature. 

How to reupholster a sofa - step by step instructions with a photo, reupholstering a sofa with your own hands

If, for example, household appliances have become unusable, most often it is easier to replace them than to repair them. If the external component of the furniture has become unusable, then there is a chance to update it with not the most difficult and costly means. For the most part, it is enough to change the upholstery to restore the look and properties of all furniture. In the article we will tell you how to reupholster a sofa yourself, how to choose the right materials and filler, describe the features of this process and give step-by-step instructions for reupholstering. nine0003

Benefits of do-it-yourself sofa upholstery

It is better to drag a sofa with a high-quality base than to replace it with a modern analogue. Whatever one may say, very reliable mechanisms were made earlier that could serve the owner and his children / grandchildren for many years.

Obvious bonuses of self-tightening:

Damage and repairs

Of course, all damage can be different: from minor to more complex. This depends on the specific scope of work.

Material selection

Before you pull the sofa yourself, you need to decide what materials you will use. This applies primarily to upholstery and filler.

Filler

Advice. To fill the sofa, it is best to combine several materials. A good option is struttofiber + felt + polyurethane foam.

Upholstery materials

Advice. One of the most important conditions for the durability of a sofa is the quality of the upholstery. Therefore, when choosing, consider not only the price of the material, but also the conditions of use: frequency, the presence of children and pets. nine0003

How to reupholster a sofa at home: step by step instructions

All work on the upholstery of the sofa can be divided into several stages: calculate the materials, prepare the tools, remove the upholstery material, remove the old filler, and so on. Let's take a closer look at each of them.

Step 1. Calculate the required amount of material

The volume of the filler is easier to calculate, for this you need the dimensions of the sofa. To calculate the amount of upholstery, it is important to consider several nuances: nine0003

Step 2: Prepare the tool

When removing old upholstery, you cannot do without at least a clerical knife, scissors, a hammer, a screwdriver, a construction / furniture stapler, a set of open-end wrenches.

Step 3: Remove upholstery/filling

The upholstery material is removed with a clerical knife. By the way, if carefully removed, it can be used to calculate the amount of new tissue. Remember that often the upholstery is attached with staples to the back of the sofa, and removing each of them is problematic even for a specialist. Therefore, sometimes it is easier to tear the fabric out of the staples, and then gently drive them back into the wood. nine0003

Even if you really want to save on replacing the filler, it is better to dispose of it. Even the highest quality materials, over the years of use, accumulate dust and dirt, microbes, cake and sag.

Step 4: Inspect structure for problem areas

The sofa is in pieces. This stage is especially important when you are dealing with rather old furniture. It is important to notice fasteners and mechanisms, the integrity or functioning of which is impaired. To do this, inspect the wooden parts - if damaged, they will need to be replaced with the same ones. Also lubricate the places where the metal touches with silicone - this way you can get rid of the squeak. nine0003

Step 5: Cut and fasten the new material and core

First you need to fix the upholstery to the wooden base.

Before that, we mount the filler. If several layers are planned, then it is especially important to fix them with glue - a special, odorless one. Such a layer of filling is fixed with brackets - perpendicular to the plane of the wooden beams for good adhesion.

For the correct cutting of the new material, you must either take measurements from the old upholstery, or measure the parameters for the filler that has been fixed. The last option is the most accurate. When cutting the material, leave a margin of 2-4 centimeters in case of an error. After preparing the cutting, the covers must be put on the parts and straightened to the maximum. The seams of the cover should be parallel to the edges of the parts, the corners should be in contact with the corners of the frame. Next, the cover is fastened with staples starting from the middle - this way it will be possible to remove excess fabric without visible defects, sewing the edges manually, for example. nine0003

Step 6. Assemble the sofa

This process occurs in reverse order. That is, at the end, the back and seat are assembled. Before assembly, inspect all the details again: fabric, bonded structure, individual parts.

Stage 7 Decoration

An optional, but important step for those who start with small repairs and end up with large-scale work with updating the entire room.

If the sofa is already stretched and looks like new, you can update the area around the furniture with “small losses”. For example, change the wallpaper, decorate the wall with photo wallpapers or picturesque prints. nine0003

Picturesque prints are also appropriate on pillows. The easiest way is to replace the covers with new ones, contrasting in comparison with the main upholstery of the sofa. Moreover, brighter solutions are located in the center of the sofa, neutral ones - on the side.

Constriction features: what to look for

Upholstery fastening quality. The most important thing when reupholstering furniture is how secure the upholstery is. The fabric should not be too tight, but not loose. To check the correctness of the manipulations performed, press on the material with your hand: if everything is done correctly, then the fabric is pressed through without effort and returns to its original position. In the presence of squeaks and crackles, the upholstery is stretched too tightly, and therefore there is a high risk of damage over time. nine0003

There are also nuances when hauling corner, spring, leather sofas. More about them:

Corner sofa. Here it is very important to correctly combine the pattern. The marking of the upholstery material starts from one of the edges - to the opposite. First, sheathe the corner, then the bed, and lastly, the back.

Spring sofa. We need a supply of cloth here. Indeed, it is often necessary to put an additional layer of fabric between the metal frame and the fine upholstery. Such a layer minimizes the risk of tearing the upholstery on both sides of the sofa, where there is no soft filling layer. nine0003

Leather sofa. If the upholstery material is genuine leather, then it is important to consider a few points:

Replacement parts

After removing the old cover, you can find a lot of damage, which, of course, must be corrected for the cleanliness of all work. Here are some of them:

How to reupholster a sofa with your own hands at home

Benefits of reupholstering a sofa

What is more profitable: reupholstering a sofa or buying a new one? Here is a list of reasons why restoration work will be beneficial:

Modern materials allow you to realize any ideas, and as a result you can get a unique piece of furniture that will decorate the interior. nine0003

Types of damage to the sofa and constriction

Before starting work, it is worth diagnosing the number and nature of problems. The most typical deficiencies are: