How to repair a leather sofa cushion
When anything gets damaged it can be frustrating, but when larger or more sentimental items are damaged it’s more of a disaster. Like a rip on your beautiful – and expensive – leather sofa. You definitely don’t want to replace it but you don’t want your living room to look scruffy either.
Thankfully, fixing a tear in your leather sofa cushion is easy and won't take too much time. However, to ensure a seamless repair, you'll need to use the right glue for the job - Bostik Leather Repair glue.
Discover how to repair a leather sofa cushion in 7 simple steps with our helpful tips and tricks to get the most effective repair, quickly and easily.
What is Bostik Leather Repair Glue?
Leather Repair Glue is an ultra-strong, long-lasting, flexible adhesive which dries clear. It has been specifically designed to work brilliantly on leather, imitation leather (faux leather) and PVC.
When it comes to repairing leather, any old super glue will not work. Your standard super glues dry hard, leaving a rigid seam that is likely to split again and again.
Instead, the flexible nature of Bostik Leather Repair Glue ensures that once your seam has been sealed, it stays flexible, like leather itself, so your repair will remain intact over time. Plus, our leather glue is water-resistant so it’s the perfect way to help leather remain in good condition for longer.
Let's learn how to repair a rip in a leather sofa cushion…
7 steps to repair a leather sofa cushion
In order to repair a leather sofa, you will need the following:
- Leather Repair Glue - our best glue for leather repairs
- Old newspaper or similar
- Scissors - fine sewing scissors are best, but not essential
- A leather patch
- Tweezers
- Wooden cocktail sticks
- Paper towel
Be prepared
Step 1: Protect work surface and clean damaged area
Before you use our leather glue, remember to protect the work area from accidental drips with an old newspaper or something similar. Ensure that the materials to be bonded are clean and dry and trim away any stray fibres from the damaged area.
Patch it up
Step 2: Create your patch
You’ll need to make a leather patch to support your repair, which will be on the inside of the cushion and won’t be seen. Cut a rectangle that’s around 3-4 cm larger than the tear, then round off the corners to create an oval shape.
Tip: For small tears, you may not require a patch. However, this will be necessary for all larger rips. Inserting the leather patch to your rip will help strengthen the bond, holding the rip together more effectively.
Step 3: Insert your patch
Carefully insert the patch into the ripped leather sofa cushion and smooth it so it is flat, using tweezers to help with any ridges or bumps.
Step 4: Get glueing
Lift up one side of the tear and apply a small amount of glue to the patch beneath. Use a cocktail stick to spread and smooth the glue around the patch in an even layer.
Tip: Ensure paper towels are nearby so you can wipe away any glue that spills quickly.
Repeat for the other side of the rip.
Wait 5 minutes
Step 5: Wait 5 minutes
Waiting 5 minutes will allow the adhesive to reach the right level of tack. Ideally, you want the glue to be almost dry.
Step 6: Pinch the pieces
Pinch the two sides of the rip together, using tweezers if necessary, to smooth out the join and the patch below.
Tip: If your tear has ripped edges or is uneven, take care piecing them back together with your fingers and ensure the edges are fully connected.
Step 7: Press to bond
Press to seal the joint, using tweezers if necessary. Allow to fully dry before using.
That's it. Congratulations, you’ve now learnt how to repair a leather sofa cushion using glue and you’re an official #REPAIRHERO!
Clean up
Now that you know how to restore a leather sofa using Bostik Leather Repair glue, it’s time to clean up.
- Wipe off any glue that gets onto the leather with a paper towel.
- Simply remove surplus adhesive with nail varnish remover or acetone.
For full information for removing your leather glue, please see the Technical Data Sheet.
If there’s a repair or DIY job that needs doing in your home, you can bet there’s a specially designed glue that’ll make it easy to do, and it’s surprisingly satisfying too. Bostik has expertly designed glues for many materials from leather, to fabric, to soft plastics, metal and more. Shop the full range today!
