Leather Car Seat Repair – 2 Ways to Do-It-Yourself

July 6, 2023

A tear or crack in your leather car seat not only looks bad, but it can also continue to tear and increase in size. The damage may have been caused by wear and tear, or maybe it is puncture damage. While large holes or tears are usually best handled by a leather car seat repair expert, in many cases you can repair smaller sized damage yourself. If you think the steps of the project through before you start, and be patient to not rush the process, the results can be quite good. If you are wondering how to fix a tear in a leather seat, consider these two DIY restoration techniques.

Leather Tear Repair Kits

Leather tear repair kits are available for leather car seat repair and are one of the most popular ways how to fix a tear in a leather seat. The kits are a system that uses leather glue, leather filler, leather colorant, and leather sealant. A piece of canvas is inserted underneath the tear, between the leather and the underlying cushion, and the leather glue is used to adhere it. Leather filler is then applied with a palette knife to fill in the crack. It is best applied in several thin layers, with dry time in between each layer, to slowly build the filler up. When dry, the filler is sanded until it is flush with the leather surface. A colorant is then painted onto the filler to match the leather as best as possible. A clear sealant is then applied to help keep the colorant from coming off.

Leather Patches

Another leather car seat repair method is to glue a leather patch over the damage. This way how to fix a tear in a leather seat takes less time than using leather tear repair kits and is much simpler. In some cases, the repair kits can yield a better result, but in other cases patches work better. Especially in less noticeable areas. Leather for a patch can often be found in a fabric store, or crafts store. There may be a color that is close enough to use, or the leather patch can be recolored with a leather paint to match.

Matching the leather grain can be one of the most challenging aspects of how to fix a tear in a leather seat. Leather for a patch with a matching grain might be found in the car. If a rear seat cushion is pulled up there could be loose leather available where it attaches to the underside of the seat cushion. There one might be able to cut out a small patch without causing problems. The patch needs to be slightly larger than the hole or tear so that it keeps the patch as small as possible while making sure there is enough patch surface area for glue to strongly anchor it in place around the damaged leather.

Tip: Sharp scissors are best when cutting the leather, so the edges are clean and straight. Leather glue is used to adhere the leather patch. A high-quality glue, preferably one intended for leather car seat repair, is recommended for use. Care must be taken not to apply too much glue as it could leak out past the edges of the patch when it is pressed into place. Which can leave an unsightly mess.

Cadillac Eldorado seat painted with ColorBond LVP

Color Matching the Repair

The final step in how to fix a tear in a leather seat is to color match the repair. Whether the leather car seat repair was done with a leather tear repair kit or with a leather patch, the color of the repair may not match well. In these cases, exact color matching of the repair can be done with ColorBond LVP leather paint. With ColorBond, the repairs can be blended in to match the leather of the surrounding seat. ColorBond is available in over 205 colors and includes OEM correct colors to match the leather colors of cars and other vehicles from manufacturers including:

Mercedes headrests color matched to the interior with LVP Refinisher

Again, in many cases you can handle a leather car seat repair project yourself. If you think the steps of how to fix a tear in a leather seat through before you start, be patient to not rush the process, and use the right materials, the results can be excellent.

If you would like to learn more about how to fix a tear in a leather seat with ColorBond LVP, please let us know. We can be reached at info@colorbondpaint.com.