How to fix peeling faux leather couch? This is the question that many owners of faux leather couches face. Genuine leather differs by the high and long-lasting quality and great appearance. However, it is quite expensive and not animal friendly at all, so many people prefer to purchase furniture made of this material.
We will deal with such problems and questions as “What is the reason why faux leather peels?”, “How to repair peeling leather couch?” and “How to prevent faux leather peeling?”.
The information from the article is applicable not only for those who want to learn how to fix leather couch that is peeling, but also for all owners of faux leather goods: you will be able to learn how to fix peeling purse strap, how to repair faux leather jacket and how to decide the peeling problem with all kinds of faux leather furniture, whether it’s a vinyl couch or a naugahyde couch.
Of course, the easiest to perform decision is to reupholster leather couch, but it is also quite expensive and it may not be worth it when the damage is insignificant.
2 ways allow fixing faux leather peeling:
The 1st way. Leather paint.
- Remove all the peeled leather fragments
- Use the paint
- Wait until the paint gets dry
- Use a leather finish
- Put additional layers of finish
The 2st way. Leather filler.
- Remove all the peeled leather fragments
- Use a leather filler
- Wait until a leather filler hardens
- Put some extra layers of a leather filler
- Make texture on your couch
This description gives only a general overview of the ways of fixing the problem. The method you should use depends on the kind of leather your couch is made of.
More detailed information on how to fix peeling faux leather couch can learn from the next paragraphs.
Let’s begin!
Why Does Faux Leather Peel And How To Prevent It
The feature of faux leather to peel is connected with the fact that as a bonded substance, it includes a synthetic coating. The coating gives the leather more similar to a real leather appearance. However, the same coating also starts to peel due to rubbing after some time sooner than in the case of genuine leather.
You won’t have to learn how to fix peeling faux leather couch if you know how to treat your couch to prevent the process of peeling. To escape faux leather peeling, you can use olive, coconut, or baby oil. It will help leather not to dry and not to crack.
One more method you can apply is to use a leather conditioner. Thanks to it your leather furniture will get moisturized.
Techniques on how to fix peeling faux leather couch
Before you read about how to fix peeling faux leather couch, it is vitally important to check if the products you use for cleaning and recovering your leather furniture can’t harm the material.
Here’s the list of things you can use:
- Plastic packaging
- Vinyl or fabric adhesive
- Smoothing card
- Leather paint
- Leather conditioner
- Razor blades
- Leather filler
- Scissors
- Putty knife
1 Method how to fix peeling faux leather couch: Use Leather Paint
Step 1. Remove all the peeled leather fragments
The first step you should do is to delete the leather pieces that are torn off. For hardly accessible areas such as places under the cushions, it is better to use a wet microfiber cloth. However, it is not necessarily that you will need to do it, it depends on the condition and material of the leather couch.
Be careful not to take the pieces that are still connected to the couch in order not to get things worse. Don’t forget to take a trash bin before you start the procedure.
Step 2. Use the paint
It is quite simple to find paint for leather. It is usually sold in hardware, art, and furniture stores.
Before you open the paint jar, shake it a little bit to mix the paint. Then open it and plunge a small paintbrush in the jar. Paint a small place where the couch is peeling.
To test if the paint is suitable, it is necessary to begin to paint a part that is usually unseen, the back part or the sides of the couch. In case the paint you bought doesn’t suit the couch leather by color, you can mix 2 paints of different tones.
Move from the left to the right if you are right-handed. Otherwise, move in the opposite direction, of course. Paint step by step coloring small pieces of the couch taking a small quantity of the paint. Paint the seams properly, it can occur to be a little bit more complicated.
Step 3. Wait Until The Paint Gets Dry
It takes about 30-40 minutes for the paint to get dry. In case you need to cover the couch with several layers of paint, make a break in 20-30 minutes between painting the layers. It is necessary to escape mixing the layers and dirt in the place of painting.
To check if the paint is dry, touch a painted piece. If it is a little bit clingy, you should wait 10-20 minutes more.
Step 4. Use A Leather Finish
The next step is to cover the couch with a high-gloss paint finish. You can buy a paint finish in the same store where you buy leather paint, a hardware store, an art store, or a furniture store. Finishes are not really expensive, so there’s no sense in economizing on them.
An important moment is to wash the paintbrush properly or to change it in order not to mix the leather paint and the paint finish. Make horizontal strokes while you paint the couch: it will help to avoid brush lines. The time of the finish drying is about 20-30 minutes.
Step 5. Put Additional Layers Of Finish
If there’s a necessity, put some additional layers of the finish, but no more than 2 or 3. Thanks to these layers the paint will keep longer. While painting, stick to the following technique.
Put the finish generously, rub it properly and of course equally and watch that the finish doesn’t dry on the top.
Eventually, the finish layers have to become unnoticeable and the whole painting surface has to look approximately the same as the other parts of the couch.
2 Method how to fix peeling faux leather couch: Use Leather Filler
Step 1. Remove All The Peeled Leather Fragments
This way how to fix peeling faux leather couch starts the same. To get rid of peeled pieces of leather, use either scissors or a razor blade. Besides, a wet cloth will suit to gather fallen off parts. It is really important not to cut the pieces that are still attached to the couch.
Escape using your nails having in mind this detail. Removal has to be done only in relation to exfoliated and already fallen-off pieces of leather.
Step 2. Use A Leather Filler
In general, the filler has to cover the surface with an equal and smooth layer. Work with a putty knife, handle small areas putting on the putty knife not the amount of the filler, not more than a tablespoon can contain.
Just like in the case with leather paint, begin to cover the couch from the back or the side that is usually unseen to check if everything is all right and to train a little. Don’t touch the areas that haven’t suffered. Prepare a dry cloth to remove the filler from the undesirable areas.
While covering the couch with the filler, handle the back and seat cushions even more properly than the other parts. To remove surpluses of the filler in the seams, you can apply for an index card or a business card.
When using a putty knife for this purpose, escape worsening the situation with the damaged areas. Don’t forget to flatten the layers of the filler with a putty knife until the surface is absolutely smooth. Also, feather the edges of the couch with your instrument to get an indeed complete look.
Step 3. Wait Until A Leather Filler Harden
The time during which the filler hardens is 20-30 minutes. It is necessary to abstain from touching the painted surfaces not to damage the layers and not to get an unequal surfaces with holes and stains.
Don’t forget to warn your household about the worn leather couch repair and take children and animals out of the room.
Step 4. Put Some Extra Layers Of Filler
Next, put 1 or 2 more layers of the filler. The procedure of putting the next layers doesn’t differ from putting the first layer. You should remember that you have to paint only damaged parts of the leather.
Step 5. Make Texture On Your Couch (If Needed)
If you want to have even more perfect results, follow this step. All you will need is plastic wrap. Don’t wait until the last layer has dried. It should be just a little bit clingy. First, twist a 10 to 12 inches piece of plastic wrap around your hand. Then press your hand to the painted zone of the couch. Handle each zone in the same way.
How Long Should A Faux Leather Couch Last?
The expiration date of leather is connected with what grade the concrete leather belongs to. However, if we speak about some high-quality leather, on average, it lasts about 5-7 years and even more if they are treated well.
Why Do Bonded Leather Crack And Peel?
The reason is that the bonded leather in contrast to the genuine one doesn’t have a feature to stretch a lot. So, when you call a strong stretching of the leather, it comes off the backing of the couch.
Bonded leather vs faux leather, what is the difference? Bonded leather is something between faux leather and genuine leather. Small pieces of genuine leather are recycled with synthetic materials.
Can You Fix Peeling Bonded Leather?
There is no unambiguous answer. If the degree of the damage is low and the quality of the leather is quite good, then you can fix the problem using the described methods, a filler, and paint.
How Long Will A Bonded Leather Couch Last?
The extension date of a bonded leather couch varies from 2 to 4 years. The duration of the term is dependent on how often you use the couch and how you treat it.
The Bottom Line
That is all. We would be glad if you learned everything you need to know about how to fix peeling faux leather couch. Good luck in peeling leather couch repair.
The article tells about 2 methods of how to fix peeling faux leather couch: using leather paint and using a leather filler.
