Leather car seat repair is a job that can easily be done at home with the right tools and supplies. However, if you’re not confident in your ability to do the job properly, or you don’t have the time to do it yourself, taking your car to an auto body shop is a great alternative. They will have the experience and equipment necessary to get the job done quickly and efficiently, and it will likely cost much less than purchasing new leather seats for your car.
If you decide to tackle the leather car seat repair job yourself, there are a few things you’ll need to gather before getting started: leather cleaner, leather conditioner, a leather repair kit (which can typically be found at most auto parts stores), a small paint brush, leather dye (for repairing small areas), leather stitching thread and a leather repair knife.
Once you have all of your supplies gathered together, it’s time to get to work. The first step is to determine the extent of the car seat damage. If there are any cracks or tears in the leather seats, they should be patched up before doing anything else. Use leather cleaner on the leather before applying any leather repair glue or patches with a paint brush to ensure proper adhesion. Also make sure that the patch covers both sides of the crack for best results.
If there are no glaring problems with your leather car seats, they can simply be cleaned using leather cleaner and conditioner applied with a soft cloth before being allowed to dry.
The leather dye included in your leather repair kit is meant to match the color of leather car seats and leather interiors, so it should be used on any small areas that need touch-ups. Not only will the leather dye protect against UV damage and cracking if applied correctly, but it can also provide a bit of added padding for seats that are starting to wear thin. It’s very important to choose the correct leather dye; using an incorrect color will make your leather seat look cheap and tacky rather than like fresh new leather.
To complete your leather seat repair project, all you’ll need is stitching thread (or any other strong string) and a leather repair knife with a sharp blade. Cut around ten or fifteen inches of thread, then tie a loop in one end. This loop will be used to hold the leather while you’re stitching it back together.
Find the tear or hole in the leather seat and use the leather repair knife to make a small incision around its edges. Do not cut too deep – you just need to make a small opening big enough to fit the thread through. Once the thread is through, tie a knot on the underside of the leather so that it’s secure. Then, using a basic running stitch, sew the leather back together using even stitches. Make sure that you pull the thread tight as you go, so that the leather seat is nice and snug once it’s been.
Once you’ve completed all leather repairment stitching, allow the leather seats to dry completely (they may not be fully dry for up to 24 hours) and then apply leather conditioner with a soft cloth. Allow it to soak in, then buff leather car seats with another clean cloth or towel.
If you’re unable to do leather car seat repair yourself but don’t feel comfortable spending the money on professional help, there are still some things you can do. For instance, leather care is important regardless of whether you have leather seats in your vehicle or not; keeping them clean and conditioned will protect against cracking and UV damage.
You can also use these same techniques on leather furniture at home if it’s starting to look worn out after years of wear and tear. With leather car seat repair and leather furniture repair, your leather goods will last much longer and stay looking like new.