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Leather Repairs ...
How To Quickly & Easily Make Minor Damage Disappear!

The good news is, the methods I'm going to show you on this page will work on any top-finished leather whether it's your:

scuffed leather car seat
You can repair scuffed leather car seats
scuffed leather jacket
The same techniques can be applied to leather jackets
  • Lounge suite
  • Car upholstery
  • Office furniture
  • Or your leather jacket.

The techniques used are exactly the same.

On this page, I'm going to show you my simple techniques for repairing:

  • Scuffs and Abrasions
  • Cat scratches and nicks

Now, in the pages, how leather hides are made, and, understanding your leather upholstery, I talked about the leather colour being a thin film over the surface of the leather.

One of the great benefits of having leather is that any damage can be repaired and made virtually invisible. Unlike fabric, once it is damaged, you'll never be able to match the colour.

Here's An Example Of A Leather Repair ...

leather  in need of repair graphic
leather after repair graphic

This is a leather couch that came to my workshop for repair. As you can see in the first photo, there are a series of scuffs running across the front of this leather seat cushion.

I used the techniques I'm going to show you (below) to repair this couch..

The second photo shows the leather couch AFTER the repair. And as you can see, the repair is virtually invisible.

Bear in mind, that this type of work is usually done by a trained professional . . . but depending on your level of expertise and your confidence, there is no reason why you can't achieve good results yourself.

IMPORTANT: If you would like to see these techniques demonstrated on video, I highly recommend you sign up for my FREE Tutorials.

Okay, let's get started . . .

BEFORE Starting Any Repair Work,
Here's What You'll Need ...

1

"Leather Repair Kit". Full details here.

To Purchase The "Leather Repair Kit", go to Leather Shop.

leather repair kit
2

For BEST RESULTS, I highly recommend you also purchase the "Pelle Master Kit". Full details here.

To Purchase The "Pelle Master Kit", go to Leather Shop.

leather care kit

Here's how to turn your damaged leather into a masterpiece!

By the way, if you have access to spray equipment, the "Scratch Repair" resin can be thinned down with water to spraying viscosity and lightly sprayed.

How To Repair Scuffed Leather

For this demo, here's a scuff we're going to repair, on the back of this couch. The first thing you need to do is give your leather upholstery a good clean using the "Pelle Leather Cleaner". (In "Master Kit".) This is very important, especially in high wear areas.

scuff before repair

Clean the damaged area with "Leather Prep" (In "Leather Repair Kit") and allow to dry. This will etch the surface of the leather to improve adhesion.

prepping scuffed leather

If the damage feels 'fluffy', apply a small amount of "Leather Glue" (In "Leather Repair Kit") on to the scuff and allow to dry. This causes the 'fluffiness' to crystalise when dry. (If the damage feels smooth, the glue is not necessary, so go to step 5)

applying leather glue to scuff

Lightly sand the glued scuff with sandpaper supplied (In "Leather Repair Kit") to make the repair smooth.

sanding scuff

If the damaged area looks 'pitted' or 'rough', apply a small amount of "Leather Filler" (In "Leather Repair Kit") by lightly wiping on to damaged area with your finger. Wipe off the excess with a damp cloth, and allow repair to dry. You may need to do this 1 or 2 more times to get the desired effect. Allow to dry (about 1 hour)

applying filler to scuff

Lightly sand the filled scuff with sandpaper supplied (In "Leather Repair Kit") to make the repair smooth.

sanding the filler

Apply a small amount of "Scratch Repair" (In "Leather Repair Kit") by dabbing on to the repair with your finger, and allow to dry. You may need to do this 2 or 3 more times to get the desired effect. To finish off, lightly 'feather' around the edges, the allow to dry.

appling scratch repair to leather

After overnight drying, apply the "Pelle Leather Conditioner-Protector" over your leather upholstery for added protection. (In "Master Kit")

leather after repair

How To Repair Cat Scratched Leather

Here's some cat scratches we're going to repair. The first thing to do is clean your leather upholstery with the "Pelle Leather Cleaner". (In "Master Kit".) As with ALL repair work, this is very important, especially in high wear areas.

cat scratched leather

Clean the damaged area with "Leather Prep" (In "Leather Repair Kit") and allow to dry. This will etch the surface of the leather to improve adhesion.

prepping cat scratched leather

Lifting up the little flaps of leather, apply the "leather glue" into the holes and then press the leather flaps back into position, and allow to dry. You can wipe off any excess with a damp cloth. Allow to dry.

gluing cat scratch

Once dry (about 1 hour), Lightly sand the glued scuff, with sandpaper supplied (In "Leather Repair Kit") to remove any sharp edges.

sanding cat scratch leather

Apply the "Leather Filler" into the repair cavity and wipe off the excess with a damp cloth, and allow repair to dry. (1 hour) You may need to do this 1 or 2 more times to get the desired effect. Allow to dry

filling cat scratch

Lightly sand the filled cat scratches with sandpaper supplied (In "Leather Repair Kit") to make the repair smooth.

sanding leather repair

Apply a small amount of "Scratch Repair" (In "Leather Repair Kit") by dabbing on to repair with your finger and allow repair to dry.

You may need to do this 2 or 3 more times to get the desired effect.

To finish off, lightly 'feather' around the edges with the cloth supplied, then allow to dry.

scratch repair compound
finishing repair

After overnight drying, apply the "Pelle Leather Conditioner-Protector" over your leather upholstery for added protection. (In "Master Kit")

repaired cat scratched leather

What About Leather That Is Cracked, Ripped
Or Torn?

cracked leather
torn leather

Now we've come to an area that is a lot more specialised!

If your leather is ripped, torn or cracked, I would have the damaged leather panel or section replaced with new leather and then I would colour match the new leather to match in with the original.

Can rips, tears and cracks be repaired using the processes in the above examples?

I really don't recommend it because once the leather substrate has been broken, it has lost its strength and a 'repair' will only be temporary.

For me, personally, I go for 'long term' results. That's why I don't hesitate to have the leather panel or panels replaced.

If you have a look at leather restoration, you'll see examples of this type of work.

 

My Leather Trade Secrets Revealed!

Would you like to know how to Restore Leather using the exact same techniques and products I've been using for over 27 years for professional results?

Interested in being able to . . .

turn this . . .
into this?
or this . . .
into this?

The information and tutorials I provide FREE on this website, will show you how to take care of the basics, such as leather care and simple repair work, but if you would like to take it to the next level and learn how to fully restore leather for fun or for additional income, then have a look at my "Leather Restoration Workshop Manual" and tutorials.

This sort of knowledge is usually kept under lock and key behind expensive franchises . . . but not any more!

For Full Details . . .

 

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