Learn How to Quickly Repair Scratched Leather With a Kit
Pets and leather do not mix. I can’t tell you how many times my cat has scratched my leather armchair. But I wasn’t willing to give up my beloved armchair, or my cat for that matter. I have a quick fix for all of those scratch marks made by pets, kids, or just by accident. By using a leather repair kit I can get all the things I need to fix my chair without having to run all over the hardware store to find them. Want to learn how to do it yourself? Follow my step-by-step instructions and soon your couch will be looking as good as new!
Tools and Materials:
- Beat up leather furniture
- Repair compound kit (I used one from Heirloom Traditions Paint. This kit has everything you need to repair leather)
- Frog tape
- Sandpaper
Lay down a drop cloth to make sure that no paint gets on the floor under the chair. Tape off any wooden parts of the chair. I taped off the legs with Frog tape. This makes it easier to paint without having to worry about accidentally getting some on the wooden parts of your couch.
Then I cleaned my chair. I used a repair kit from Heirloom Traditions Paint which came with a cleaning compound. This compound gets rid of any debris, dust, build-up, or dirt. I wiped down the entire chair with the compound and then I was ready to address the cat scratches.
Take a look at your piece. If there are deep scratches where the leather has peeled up a bit, take a piece of fine grit sandpaper and knock down any bits that might get stuck in the paint.
Using the Bond-N-Flex product and the scraper tool, I spread a layer of the material over the part of my chair with the scratches. Make sure to layer it on thick enough to cover all of the holes so that you don’t have to do this step twice. Be liberal with the product and make sure to really get it in there.
I wet my glove a bit and smoothed down the surface to make sure that there were no bumps or ridges. This is important because if there are any imperfections they will show when you paint the color on in the next step.
Once I had smoothed everything out I let it dry completely.
Using 120 grit sandpaper I knocked down any bumps or raised bits of Bond-N-Flex. This step is super important to make sure that the leather is as smooth as possible. This will help you get that supple leather feel that we’re going for.
Using the Restore Coat Flex Paint from the kit I have, I painted the chair, starting with the damaged parts. Make sure to mix it up really well before you start painting.
I painted the chair with an even coat of the Restore Coat Flex Paint. Because my chair is dark and this paint is light, I needed to apply a few coats of paint to get an even color.
Make sure to get in all of the cracks and creases of the leather. And yes, you need to paint the entire chair! This is a great way to make the color match your decor a bit better if it didn't already. It may take you a day or two, but this is a great weekend project.
Once I had applied a few coats I used a paint roller to roll out the paint. This got rid of any brush strokes from painting with the brush. Do this a few times until you get a good, even coat on the whole chair.
Then let it dry and you’re done! This is a great way to not only fix up a damaged chair, but to also change up your decor a bit if you are looking for a new vibe. Have you ever repaired damaged furniture? Let me know in the comments below!
Resources for this project:
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Comments
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I am excited...😊
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As there are no leather upholsterers in my area and chair covers available are just tacky, I am excited to try this! I sure wish the author would answer the questions, though.
Frequently asked questions
Have a question about this project?
Is the leather stiff after you apply this product. It looks like it would be which makes me wonder if it cracks off over time and use. Is this the case?
Does the leather become stiff with this
product? It looks like it might. This makes me wonder if it cracks and maybe chips off over time with actual use. Does it? If so , how long did yours last?
Can it be put on fake pleather?