How to Repair Leather Sofa Peeling

Over time, leather sofas tend to start drying up, cracking and peeling if proper care and maintenance isn’t provided on a regular basis. This is especially true for the seating parts which endure much stress from sitting and stretching over time.

If your leather sofa is peeling, there are ways to do a simple repair process by yourself, or by booking a professional leather upholstery cleaning company which can deal with peels and cracks too. If you are a DIY person, here are the

Steps you must take to repair peeling leather on your sofa

For minor peeling, as well as for a quick-fix, you can disguise the problem by applying some leather recolouring balm on the damaged area. Add it with the help of a sponge, let it dry and repeat if necessary. Once again, this will only hide the problem and not resolve it permanently if the peeling is more severe.

A more serious and permanent solution is to purchase a leather repair kit, or separate leather treatment and repair products (leather prep and cleaning solution, leather binder, leather filler and leather colourant) and tools as follows:

First off start by cleaning the sofa with a vacuum and then with the leather cleaning solution. Make sure there is no grime or residues on the affected area before proceeding with the repair.

Prepare the leather by using a leather prepping product, an abrasive pad or cloth to remove the original finish of the leather on the place affected. When properly done, you should be able to see the colour of the leather get transferred to the cloth or pad. Wipe the prepped area with some alcohol and wait for ½ an hour for it all to evaporate.

Use a leather binder to strengthen the leather. You may need to apply 3 to 5 coats of a binder, but remember to wait for each coat to dry before applying the next one.

Use scissors to cut off any long fibers on the peeled spot. The job of the leather filler is to fill in the cracks and the peeled areas. It is easier to use a palette knife or spatula to do this. Remove any excess filler after you are done. Smooth the treated area and let it dry for about 1.2 an hour after you are done.

Sand down the filled area with fine sandpaper, until the surface is smooth. Then wipe off any residue with a cotton pad and alcohol. Add some colourant with a sponge and let it dry. Then continue applying layers of colourant with an airbrush. Wait for each layer to dry before applying the next one. After you are done put several layers of the leather finish to strengthen the leather.

If you want your precious leather sofa to stay in its best condition, hire professional cleaners to take care of it once or twice a year.