They're bound to crack at some point, no matter how much care you take in using leather seats.It's relatively easy to repair cracked leather, but you might never get it back to its original condition.The leather seat needs to be cleaned before repairs can begin.If you want to repair seats that are heavily torn and ripped, you can use a leather repair kit.
Step 1: The leather seat needs to be cleaned.
Food scraps and other trash can be picked up from behind the leather seat.If you have a lot of dirt on your seat, you may need to use a feather duster.To remove dirt from hard-to-reach locations, use a vacuum cleaner with a soft brush attachment.You'll end up rubbing the dust and dirt into the leather if you try to clean it with liquid cleaners.
Step 2: The leather seat has to be cleaned.
Drop a few droplets of dish detergent into a spray bottle and fill it with water to make a soapy mix.There is a light layer of soapy water on the seat.If the seat is damp, use a lint-free cloth to wipe it dry.The seat's color lightens by a shade when you clean it.
Step 3: Dust and dirt can be removed with a leather cleaner.
If you're still seeing greasy stains on the seat, you can use a scuff pad to remove them.Liquid leather cleaner should be put on a coarse scuff pad.Rub the saturated section of the pad across the stained leather to remove dirt.You have to keep cleaning until you get rid of the dirt.When you're cleaning the seats, it's okay to apply firm pressure.You aren't likely to damage the leather more than it already is.
Step 4: You can find a paint that matches the color of your leather.
It's easy to repair cracked leather seats with an aerosol can of gloss enamel paint.Take a look at the seat.Many leather seats are dyed red, black, dark blue, or another artificial color.Visit a hobby shop or paint store and look at their paint selection.Purchase a color of paint that matches your leather.If you were to assess the color of the leather before cleaning it, you would probably pick a paint or dye that's darker than the seat color.
Step 5: An old towel should be sprayed with a generous amount of aerosol paint.
You can find an old cotton towel that you don't mind getting dirty, and spray it with the aerosol paint to create a patch about 2 inches in diameter.You don't want to completely saturate the towel with paint, but do apply the paint heavily enough that it will easily rub off onto the leather.An old rag or scrap of cotton cloth can be used.Once you've finished working on the seats, make sure to throw it away.
Step 6: The paint is on the inside of the towel.
The leather would be discolored if you applied the paint directly to the seat.The towel should be folded in half with the paint on the inside.If you have a very thin towel, try folding it twice.If you fold it into quarters, the paint won't bleed through.
Step 7: Put lacquer thinner on the towel.
If you aim the lacquer thinner, you'll be able to pour it directly onto the painted section of the towel.This can be done over a garage sink or a section of concrete floor.Lacquer thinner will help bring up the paint that's already been applied to the leather seats, so that the new paint blends with the old color.If you applied paint to the seat without lacquer thinner, the 2 paint colors wouldn't blend and the cracks in the material would still be visible.
Step 8: Rub the paint on the seat.
The section of the towel that is saturated with paint and lacquer should be grasped with 3 or 4 fingers.You can apply the paint and lacquer mixture to the cracked section of your leather seat by rubbing the towel back and forth in strokes.Put pressure on the towel so the paint and lacquer mix rubs off.Rub the towel across the cracked area of the leather seat.If you want to see the swirls on your seat, don't rub the towel around in circles.
Step 9: Allow the seat to dry for 10 hours after applying a second layer of paint.
Take a look at the cracks after you've applied paint and lacquer to the seat.They won't be fully filled in, but should be less visible.If the cracks are still visible, apply more paint and lacquer to the towel and put on another layer over the cracked portions of the seat.Allow the seats to dry for 8–10 hours after applying the second layer.If you apply the second layer while the first is still wet, the new paint will mingle with the old coloring in the leather.
Step 10: Once the paint is dry, spray a leather conditioner on the seat.
After the leather has dried, the next step is to apply a sealant to the seat to keep it from cracking again.The liquid leather conditioner can be sprayed onto the seat surfaces.Since there is enough to soak into all the leather surfaces, use a generous amount.Plastic spray bottles are where most leather conditioners are sold.If you bought a leather conditioner that wasn't in a spray bottle, you can put it into an empty bottle.
Step 11: To seal the leather, Rub the conditioner into the seat with a rag.
If you want to massage the liquid conditioner into the leather seat, you need a clean rag.Keep wiping the seat until it has absorbed the conditioner.Don't worry about rubbing in a specific pattern, just make sure you rub all of the conditioner in.Don't use the paint- and lacquer-covered towel for this step since it will cause more paint to be spread across the conditioned leather.
Step 12: The backing pad should be larger than the rip.
A backing pad is a standard part of any leather repair kit.To cut the pad into a square or rectangular shape, use a pair of scissors.A piece of backing pad can be slipped into a hole using a pair of tweezers.It's not possible to repair a large rip with a leather repair kit.If they can fix the seat, you can take it to an automotive repair shop.
Step 13: Let the leather fill the rip cure for one hour.
Use the tip of a knife to scoop up a large amount of leather.When the backing pad is no longer visible, use the knife to stab the leather in the rip.Use your fingers to hold the 2 sides of the rip shut until the leather has cured.The filler should be set for 1 hour.The backing pad behind the leather will prevent the filling from soaking into the seat.If you have a rag or fingers, you can wipe off the filler from the rip.
Step 14: Rub the leather on the cracks with a knife.
While you're waiting for the large rip to set, you can patch up large cracks surrounding it by using your palette knife and leather filler.Rub the filler into cracks until they're flush with the un-cracked parts of the leather seat.Give it an hour to set after you've applied it.You don't need to put a backing pad behind the leather because it's not ripped through in the cracked locations.You'll be coloring the entire seat even if you get filler all over it.
Step 15: Use a heat gun to set the filler from 2–3 in away.
Plug in your heat gun and set it to the hottest setting.Once hot air is blowing out, hold the heat gun 2–3 inches away from the leather seat that you've applied filler to.The heat gun should be moved back and forth above the leather seat.To make sure the seat is dry, lightly tap it with your finger.This will help the filler set quickly.Before the leather is completely dry, don't dye it.
Step 16: If you want the leather to be smooth, you have to sand it.
Take a sheet of fine sandpaper and move it across the dried and filled section of leather.Use strokes that are about 6 inches (15 cm) long and only move the sandpaper in one direction.Don't rub the sandpaper around in circles or back and forth.Dust should be wiped away with a damp rag after sanding.600-grit is very fine.This will smooth out the set and dried filler.The sand paper will even out those spots if you apply an excessive amount of filler.
Step 17: Once the leather is smooth, apply a second layer of leather filler.
2 layers of leather filler are needed to smooth out the damaged material on ripped and cracked leather seats.Take your knife and scoop out more of the material.Spread it across the cracked areas.It's important to apply more filler to any repairs you make.Once you've finished applying the leather, let it set for an hour.After the hour has passed, use the heat gun to dry the second layer.
Step 18: Put a coat of leather dye on the seat.
If you bought a leather dye in an aerosol spray can, this will be easy.In a back-and-forth motion, spray the dye across the seat and move the spray canister.Continue to apply dye until the seats are uniformly coated and the entire surface of the leather is the same color.When selecting a paint or leather dye, take a photo of the seat and bring it to the hobby shop with you.
Step 19: Set and dry the paint with a heat gun.
It's time to dry the paint on the leather seat after you covered it with dye.The heat gun should be set to its highest setting.From about 10 cm away, blow hot air onto the leather.When the dye is dry, keep it up for 5 minutes.To make sure the seat is dry, lightly tap the dyed sections with a finger.If you're spraying paint on leather car seats, keep a piece of cardboard behind you.