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How to touch up leather


Leather Repair: Fix Tears & Punctures in Leather Furniture

Maybe your favorite cat used your leather chair arm as a scratching post. Or the leather has ripped on your treasured recliner, leaving a nice slice that threatens to expand. If the cost of replacing your leather furniture is more than you can bear right now, take heart. Repair it yourself and no one will be the wiser.

Before beginning, make sure your piece of furniture is genuine leather. Genuine leather is the whole skin of an animal. Bonded leather is created by bonding together scraps of leather to form a seamless piece of material. These repair techniques won’t work on bonded leather.

How to tell if your furniture is genuine leather:

  1. Read the label if there is one. It’ll say “Genuine Leather” if it is.
  2. Look for imperfections in the grain. The texture of bonded leather is mechanically produced with a repeating pattern.
  3. If possible, pinch the material between your fingers. Genuine leather lightens in color where it’s folded over.
  4. Does it have that natural leather smell? Synthetic materials have a faint chemical odor.
  5. Finally, look at the edges of the cut—and at the underside of the material. If you see a fabric layer in the middle or as a backing, it’s definitely bonded.

To fix a full-thickness hole or cut, gather the following materials (or purchase a complete leather repair kit):

How to Repair Minor Scratches or Small Tears in a Leather Chair

  1. For minor scratches or tears that don’t puncture the full thickness, clean your chair with a quality leather cleaner.
  2. Once dry, apply a thin layer of leather conditioner and rub it in using a circular motion.
  3. Continue to apply the conditioner until the leather no longer absorbs it, allowing the final coat to sit for a few hours before rubbing it in.
  4. Cleaning and conditioning the leather this way removes a lot of scratches.

How to Fix Punctures & Cuts in a Leather Chair

If the leather is cut all the way through, follow these steps to repair it:

  1. Cut a piece of denim patch a little larger than the cut’s opening.
  2. Even the edges with scissors to help them lie flat.
  3. Using tweezers, insert the denim piece, shiny side up, into the opening. This acts as the substrate for the filler. Feel to make sure it lie flat without any wrinkles.
  4. Squirt a bit of glue on the cardboard. Use a toothpick to apply glue along the edges of the hole, adhering the patch to the leather. Press it down gently with your fingers. Only use glue that dries flexible. Do not use Super Glue.
  5. Immediately apply firm pressure with a piece of 2x4 or another hard, flat object. Hold for a minute or two.
  6. Once dry, clean the surface with denatured alcohol to remove any glue, wax, or oil that will prevent the filler from adhering.
  7. Use the palette knife to fill the opening with the soft filler. Work it into the edges along the perimeter of the tear in case you missed any spots with the glue. Hold the smoothing card at an angle and grade over the fill to smooth it out. Feather the edges outward with your fingers.
  8. Allow to dry for 20-40 minutes. To hasten the process, suspend an incandescent bulb close enough to warm the area but not so close that it would burn your hand. If the filler gets too hot, it’ll bubble and then shrink, requiring a redo. When dry, the color becomes translucent and the area feels solid when you press on it with your finger.
  9. Smooth uneven or rough areas with 220-grit sandpaper. Wipe with a damp rag to remove any dust.
  10. And another layer of filler, swipe with the smoothing card, and allow to dry. Apply as many layers as you think are necessary for a good fill, allowing each one to dry completely before adding the next. Sand a final time and wipe with a damp cloth.

For Leather That Is Worn-Out and Rough to Touch

If the leather is worn-out, follow these steps to repair it:

  1. If you have a large area of worn, rough leather, spread the filler over it, smooth with the card, and then, with your hand inside a plastic glove, pat the filler to texturize it so you don’t end up with a large, noticeably smooth area.
  2. Once dry, gently sand with 500-grit paper. Wipe with a damp cloth before applying dye.
  3. Use a damp sponge to apply the leather dye to the area you repaired. Allow to dry. If you aren’t happy with the color, repeat the dye steps until you achieve your desired color.
  4. If the area is too rough after applying the dye, sand again and apply more filler, working it until you’re happy with the result.

Final Leather Repair Results

When done, the repaired area should feel soft and flexible, and unnoticeable to the casual observer. Congratulations! You now can enjoy your genuine leather chair for years to come.

How to Fix Leather Couch Scuffs | Home Guides

By Kathy Adams Updated February 02, 2022

Your leather couch is prone to wear and tear, such as scuffs, scratches and scrapes, especially if you have pets or children who play on it. Some scuffs or scruffs may be so minor that a simple touch-up with shoe polish hides the damage, while others may require a treatment with a leather repair kit.

Specialty Product Solutions

For light leather scuffs, a leather-hydrating cream sometimes moisturizes the area enough to bring the damaged area's color back to near its original shade. The cream also helps protect the leather from drying, which may cause brittleness or cracking. A clear leather scratch repair liquid rubbed into the area smooths rough scuff spots; some methods require sanding between thin coats with fine sandpaper, which is often included with the filler. Shops selling leather upholstered furniture or even clothing and handbags carry leather care products.

Helpful Household Products

According to the Mahil Leather website, shoe polish wiped over the scuffs hides discolored scuff marks. Use a polish closely matching the couch color for best results, applying a little at a time and working it into the surrounding area. In a pinch, a permanent marker matching the couch color masks a discolored leather scuff, scrape or scratch. Rub the area with a soft white cloth while the marker line is still fresh to help blend it into the surrounding finish and make it less obvious.

Aniline Leather Scuff Repair

Slight scuffs in aniline leather – those barely more than a discoloration – sometimes require only a blow dryer to repair. Apply hot air with a low-heat setting while rubbing the damaged area gently with your fingers, or use a microfiber cloth to warm the leather enough to manipulate the scuff so it seems to disappear. Apply an aniline leather hydrating cream afterwards to help protect the upholstery. If the scuffs are deep or the area is discolored enough that a dye is needed, apply aniline leather hydrating cream, then wipe the area with thin layers of aniline dye matching the couch color, using a white cloth or rag to apply the dye.

The Austin Furniture Repair website recommends using aniline dye only on an aniline leather piece; if the leather is aniline, the dye soaks into the leather, much like dyeing a plain fabric. Other types of leather use a pigment-based dye, which is more like a painted-on protective coating.

Leather Repair Kit for Damage Control

If the leather appears damaged – bits of the leather stick up while other sections are missing, or a scrape from a pet's claw ends with a puncture – you need a leather repair kit. A kit containing several tints allows you to mix up a match for the couch color. Trim loose frays or fibers with the edge of a razor blade or craft knife, returning the sofa to its original texture as closely as possible.

Mix the repair solution and tint together, then apply it over the damage with the tiny spatula enclosed in the kit. Place leather-grain paper, also from the kit, grain-side down over the repair, then iron the paper with a clothes iron set to low heat without steam. Avoid touching the hot iron to the leather itself, which may cause discoloration.

References

Writer Bio

Kathy Adams is an award-winning writer. She is an avid DIYer that is equally at home repurposing random objects into new, useful creations as she is at supporting community gardening efforts and writing about healthy alternatives to household chemicals. She has also written many pieces on landlord and tenant concerns. She's written numerous DIY articles for paint and decor companies, as well as for Black + Decker, Hunker, Kroger and Landlordology, among others.

DIY leather painting

Even the most expensive and high-quality processed leather loses its presentable appearance over time. Scuffs appear, the paint in places of greatest load is erased. And sometimes you just want to stand out and create a unique gradient on a leather bag, belt or purse.

Painting would be a great option. It attracts a large selection of colors and the opportunity to get involved in the creative process. We will tell you how and how to dye leather at home in order to transform your product. nine0003

Colors for leather

There are two main types of leather paint: penetrating and covering.

1. Penetrating

The name is due to the fact that the coloring pigments in the composition penetrate the skin structure. They do not deform it, retain the surface relief and do not form a dense film. Ideal for dyeing nubuck, embossed smooth leathers and suede. The paint retains all microscopic villi, skin irregularities, without violating its authenticity. nine0003

Dyes with a penetrating effect are well suited for coloring bright suede and leather shoes.

Staining with such a dye can only be carried out from a light color to a dark one. It will not work to paint a dark product with light paint.

Penetrating paint bases

The industry produces 3 types of penetrating paints for leather:

Water-based paints change tone a little as they dry, so they are often used when you need to create gradation, fuzzy contours on the material being painted. Alcohol-based paints also have this color-changing effect, but less pronounced.

All types of penetrating dyes require a top coat to close the pores on the skin after coloring.

Brands

We sell paints of our own production under the Tavro brand and aniline paints on a water-alcohol basis by the Italian company IEXI, Fibing, Kenda, Vlotno, Toledo, Tarrago and others are also represented on the Russian market. In addition, we offer adhesives, finish coatings and much more. In stock - high-quality cosmetics of European production. nine0003


2. Top coats

What paint to paint the skin to completely cover the original tone? To do this, choose topcoat paints for leather. Dyes of this category lie on the surface in the form of the thinnest film. They cover the natural texture of the material. They are used to mask serious damage, deep cracks, etc. They can also be used to update smooth leather products. nine0003

They are also widely used for customization - painting leather products according to the requests of a particular customer. This can be painting in a bright color, applying inscriptions or logos, etc.

Dye bases

More often on sale are surface dyes based on the following bases:

When needlework, one of the most frequently asked questions is whether it is possible to paint the skin with acrylic. Yes, you can, but in places that are least susceptible to scuffs or folds. More often, topcoat acrylic paints are used for creative moments: drawing a picture on a selected area, and not for completely coloring the product. nine0003

Features

These dyes can be applied with a brush, sponge or spray. Due to the high degree of coverage, they are good to use as a masking agent for severe damage to the surface of the leather product.

The top coat is applied in several layers. When dried, it almost does not change its shade, unlike penetrating. Differs in resistance to wiping and mechanical damage. It has good adhesion, that is, it “sticks” well to the base. nine0003

At the final stage of painting with top paints, it is recommended to apply a layer of wax or other water-repellent composition.

Brands

Top coats are available under the brands IEXI, Pingo, Crab Apple, Fibing, Vlotno, Toledo, Kenda, Tarrago, etc. From Russian companies, polyurethane paint "Tavro" can be distinguished

Our online store offers high-quality German and Italian dyes for suede, nubuck and smooth leather. nine0003

Other chemicals that might be useful

When working with leather, not only dyes are used. Properly selected composition for cleaning, preparation and final processing of the product is the key to the quality of painting.

Cleaners

Cleaners will help restore the product to its original appearance or prepare it for painting. They contain fast-acting chemicals. They are able to penetrate deeply into the material, get rid of dust and dirt while moisturizing things. Return and enhance the lost natural shine and shade. nine0003

Cleaning products are selected, starting from the weakest in action. In jackets and bags, places that come into contact with hands and on the folds of products are most often salted. Clean them with VELVET SHAMPOO for suede and nubuck or CLEANER LPN for smooth leathers. They will effectively cope with the "fresh" traces of dirt.

If the stain has not cleared, you can try more “strong”, like CLEANER L.G.R, options. It is also necessary to test products in an inconspicuous area so as not to accidentally damage the product. nine0003

Before painting, it is necessary to clean and degrease the surface. It is important to wait until it is completely dry and only then proceed to the next step.

Primers

Apply to previously unpainted leather surfaces before painting. The primer opens the pores, removes excess dust from the surface of the product. On the primed surface, the paint will lie more evenly and will not “wet” the product through (for example, if there is a lining). We begin to paint after the primer has dried (after a couple of minutes). The aforementioned CLEANER LPN is also a primer nine0003

Finishing compounds

After painting, you need to fix the color. To do this, use the so-called "finishes". Their task is to improve the appearance of the product, protect it from moisture and other negative influences during operation. Finishing Benefits:

Fixatives are applied in a thin layer to the painted areas.

A popular auxiliary composition for finishing finished products is dressing. It is a liquid product based on water or alcohol. It contains various film formers - polymers, wax, resin, and other additives.

Many finishing formulations are designed for smooth natural leather to give it an extra sheen. There are also means to give a matte effect. Their main purpose is to hide minor surface imperfections or level out slight uneven coloring. And there are a lot of fans of things with a matte surface. nine0003

After complete drying of the finish, the painting is completed with polishing. Polish the top coat with a soft cloth or natural bristle brush.

Other aids

Auxiliary chemicals also include:

Painting tools

Before painting a leather item at home, you should prepare the following tools: