Leather Crack Repair in 10 Minutes?

[AlpineM345]

I found this on YouTube. I'm tempted to try this to my car with Dove seats. Thoughts?

[TostitoBandito]

I would not do this, no. He's basically spray painting his seats.

If you want to try and repair, get a product like Leatherique with matched OEM colors. However, none of those fixes are very durable, from what I've read.

If you have really worn out seats with the bolsters starting to tear like I do, the permanent solution is to bite the bullet and buy new seat covers and get an upholstery shop to replace them and make any necessary repairs to the foam underneath (or DIY it if you're adventurous). http://www.autoberry.com/details.php?products_id=144 is probably the way to go for leather. There are other options if you want to go with cloth or other materials.

[Braymond141]

I would not do this, no. He's basically spray painting his seats.

If you want to try and repair, get a product like Leatherique with matched OEM colors. However, none of those fixes are very durable, from what I've read.

If you have really worn out seats with the bolsters starting to tear like I do, the permanent solution is to bite the bullet and buy new seat covers and get an upholstery shop to replace them and make any necessary repairs to the foam underneath (or DIY it if you're adventurous). http://www.autoberry.com/details.php?products_id=144 is probably the way to go for leather. There are other options if you want to go with cloth or other materials.

Actually what he did was a million times better than Leatherique. Leatherique is like plastidip, it is garbage. I don't care what you have seen online, it is NOT a quality product.

FYI; modern leather seats are pigmented (painted) and then a matte clear coat is applied. Products like what Furniture Clinic have to offer match this.


This video is horrid.

[LockDots]

OP, that's not crack repair. That's crack camouflaging. He's using the new and existing dye/paint mix to paint the cracks.

[MParallel]

That's also what he explains. He's not filling in the cracks, as that is what leather does.

[NeonStatus]

Leatherique was the choice of many on the forum years ago. I am sure other/better options have been found since then. You can see the results of Leatherique DIY's from the past by doing a quick search. Try bumping an old DIY thread of someone who is still active on the forums and ask them how it has held up over time. Braymond seems to do his research, so you might want to look into the Furniture Clinic option he mentioned. Whatever product you decide to go with please post before and after pictures of your results.

[typed by ben]

Actually what he did was a million times better than Leatherique. Leatherique is like plastidip, it is garbage. I don't care what you have seen online, it is NOT a quality product.

FYI; modern leather seats are pigmented (painted) and then a matte clear coat is applied. Products like what Furniture Clinic have to offer match this.


This video is horrid.

That's interesting- I am in the middle of dying my seats and did not know about the clear coat. That would explain why the finish looks so flat compared to OEM

[kevinwilly]

That's interesting- I am in the middle of dying my seats and did not know about the clear coat. That would explain why the finish looks so flat compared to OEM

It's really more of a sealer than a clear coat. But as mentioned above- leather cracks a bit. it's PERFECTLY acceptable to re-dye the cracked parts to get them to match and then re-seal the leather. But for the dye to be really consistent you'll need to use a leather stripper to break down the surface finish, re-dye, then condition and re-seal the leather. It's an incredibly time consuming process and requires a TON of elbow grease to do well. A lot of people in the leather business end up having chronic shoulder injuries because of how physically intense it is.

In my opinion, just buying new leather covers for several hundred bucks is DEFINITELY the way to go. My wife is VERY into leatherworking, which is why I know as much as I do about these things. She somehow has the patience to do these types of things. I get bored very quickly. I'll buy the pre-made covers EVERY time.

[typed by ben]

It's really more of a sealer than a clear coat. But as mentioned above- leather cracks a bit. it's PERFECTLY acceptable to re-dye the cracked parts to get them to match and then re-seal the leather. But for the dye to be really consistent you'll need to use a leather stripper to break down the surface finish, re-dye, then condition and re-seal the leather. It's an incredibly time consuming process and requires a TON of elbow grease to do well. A lot of people in the leather business end up having chronic shoulder injuries because of how physically intense it is.

In my opinion, just buying new leather covers for several hundred bucks is DEFINITELY the way to go. My wife is VERY into leatherworking, which is why I know as much as I do about these things. She somehow has the patience to do these types of things. I get bored very quickly. I'll buy the pre-made covers EVERY time.

It took me about 35 hours to do my driver's seat. I have an unusual leather color (light champagne) so buying new covers is not an option... to my knowledge

[AlpineM345]

Thank you for all the replies. I will just keep the way it is for now and may consider doing something different down the road.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using Tapatalk

[Braymond141]

That's interesting- I am in the middle of dying my seats and did not know about the clear coat. That would explain why the finish looks so flat compared to OEM

I'm unsure what you OEM leather you have seen. All factory new leather is MATTE.

I said the OEM leather process is pigment and top coat (a MATTE clear coat). That doesn't equal glossy like old beat up BMW seats.

[typed by ben]

I'm unsure what you OEM leather you have seen. All factory new leather is MATTE.

I said the OEM leather process is pigment and top coat (a MATTE clear coat). That doesn't equal glossy like old beat up BMW seats.

It's not glossy, not looking for glossy. My rear seats, untreated and in good condition, are what I would consider matte. My front driver, newly dyed, is not just matte but completely flat. There is a perceptible difference. I believe that is more due to the dye I used than anything else. I ordered that matte airbrush kit from the furniture repair site. Looking forward to using it on a test piece.

[Braymond141]

It's not glossy, not looking for glossy. My rear seats, untreated and in good condition, are what I would consider matte. My front driver, newly dyed, is not just matte but completely flat. There is a perceptible difference. I believe that is more due to the dye I used than anything else. I ordered that matte airbrush kit from the furniture repair site. Looking forward to using it on a test piece.

Well again, factory new leather is matte (by your definition of "flat"). There is zero sheen to new nappa. Your rear seats have age to them and I guarantee they are nothing like new.

If you are wanting to match the aged rears, I get that. I just wanted to be clear that that isn't like new.

[coolvegase34]

I saw that same video and was wondering how well it would work out. I ended up getting new front seats but I am tempted to try it on the rear seats

[HBpredhunter]

I tried leatherique years ago, what a joke- peeled in weeks. Trashed the seats.

With that being said, I would think spray paint is gonna rub off fast. But whatever, might not be as bad a leatherique.
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