Furniture, clothing & Boat

Leather technology · VILOU · Leather-Doc

Original Leather Technology · Made in Germany since 1999 · Development and production in Germany

Furniture Leather Repair Assistant

Repairing leather sofas, armchairs, chairs and boat leather

Find the right solution for color abrasion, scratches, cracks, small holes, faded areas and heavily used leather on sofas, couches, armchairs, chairs, boats, bags and leather clothing.

Select the visible problem. You will find out whether leather dye, liquid leather, or a complete leather repair kit is needed, and what minimum quantity is recommended for your application.

✓ Leather sofa & couch ✓ Armchair & chairs ✓ Boat leather ✓ Bags & Jackets ✓ Pigmented smooth leather

What problem does your leather have?

Click on the relevant damage and jump directly to the recommended solution.

Leather dye, liquid leather, or leather repair kit?

Furniture leather color

For color abrasion, fading, light scuff marks and superficial scratches, provided the leather is not deeply torn.

liquid leather

For tears, cuts, nicks, indentations and small holes. The area is then matched with the appropriate leather color.

Leather Repair Kit

For combined damage and multiple work steps: prepare, repair, color, seal and – depending on the set – care.

Repairing color wear on leather sofas and leather furniture

Color abrasion occurs particularly often on seating surfaces, front edges, armrests, seams, and areas that regularly come into contact with clothing or skin. The leather appears lighter, patchy, or faded, even though the surface is not yet deeply damaged.

Liquid leather is usually not needed for simple color loss. The surface is cleaned, thoroughly degreased, carefully matted if necessary, and then refreshed with several thin coats of the matching leather dye.

Suitable solution: Apply leather dye to furniture in a matching color. For heavily used areas, use a leather sealant afterwards.

Repairing scratches on a leather sofa, armchair or chair

Superficial scratches can be caused by zippers, keys, pet claws, clothing, or moving objects. As long as the leather isn't deeply torn and no material is missing, the damaged color layer can usually be repaired.

After cleaning and degreasing, the area is carefully smoothed. Then, the leather dye is applied in thin dabs. Several thin coats result in a more even and elastic finish than one thick application.

Repairing a tear in a leather sofa or leather armchair

Cracks often appear on seat edges, armrests, creases, and heavily used seating areas. If the surface is already torn or significantly deepened, leather dye alone is not sufficient.

The damaged area is sparingly filled with liquid leather. After drying, the repaired area is smoothed, color-matched with a suitable leather dye, and then protected.

Liquid leather 10 ml

For a small tear, individual nicks, or a spot repair.

View 10 ml

Liquid leather 20 ml

For multiple cracks, larger depressions, or a higher material requirement.

View 20 ml

Important: Liquid leather does not replace leather dye. The repaired area is color-matched and sealed after smoothing.

Repairing a small hole in a couch, armchair, or chair

Minor material defects can be caused by sharp objects, animal claws, mechanical stress, or advanced wear and tear. Small, superficial damage can often be repaired with liquid leather and then color-matched.

In the case of large holes, missing backing fabric, open seams or severely brittle leather, a specialist company should check whether a stable repair is possible.

Recommendation: Liquid leather 10 ml for a small, localized defect or 20 ml for multiple or larger repair areas.

Repairing worn leather sofas and leather couches

Leather sofas often suffer from multiple types of damage simultaneously: color abrasion on the seat cushions, lightened edges, scratches, small tears, and faded armrests. It is crucial to assess each area for the depth of damage.

Leather dye is sufficient for simply refreshing the color. For cracks and indentations, liquid leather is also required. If cleaning, degreasing, repair, dyeing, and protection are necessary, a complete leather repair kit is usually the easiest solution.

Small area

Localized paint abrasion or a small edge defect.

Leather dye 50 ml

seat or armchair

For larger color refreshes on contiguous surfaces.

Leather dye 150 ml

Multiple damages

For abrasion, scratches, cracks and multiple work steps.

View repair kit L

Dyeing and repairing leather armchairs and leather chairs

The seats, front edges, armrests, and backrests of armchairs and chairs are particularly subject to wear and tear. Before dyeing, all skin oils, furniture polish, silicone residue, and dirt must be completely removed.

For a single chair or a small armchair repair, 50 to 100 ml of leather dye is often sufficient. For a complete armchair, depending on its size and condition, at least 150 to 250 ml is usually recommended.

Detailed instructions: Dyeing and repairing a leather chair →

Repairing boat leather and seat cushions

In the boating industry, terms like leather, imitation leather, and vinyl are often used interchangeably. Therefore, before any repairs, it's essential to determine the exact material of the surface. Not all boat or yacht upholstery is genuine leather.

Pigmented smooth leather can have color abrasion, scratches, and minor tears repaired similarly to furniture. Artificial leather and vinyl must always be tested for adhesion and material compatibility in an inconspicuous area.

Important: Do not apply products indiscriminately to unknown boat upholstery. First, determine the material, conduct a covert test, and wait for complete curing.

Which leather repair kit do I need?

The designations S, M, and L represent different repair scopes. Always check the complete scope of delivery for your chosen size on the product page.

Leather Repair Kit S

For minor repairs and color refreshes.

  • localized paint abrasion
  • small scratches
  • individual cracks or depressions
  • smaller furniture areas

Leather Repair Kit M

For multiple damages and a more extensive repair.

  • Paint abrasion and scratches
  • small cracks
  • Seating area or armchair area
  • additional preparation and protection

Leather Repair Kit L

For the entire repair chain and multiple work steps.

  • clean and degrease
  • fill cracks
  • dye and seal
  • larger or more complex repairs

Furniture Leather Dye Quantity Advisor

How much leather dye do I need?

The amount depends on the surface area, condition, absorbency, color difference and number of paint layers.

These figures are practical minimum recommendations for refreshing the color in the same or a similar shade. For severe fading or discoloration, more material should be planned for.

Application Minimum quantity Recommended product
Small scuff mark, edge or localized paint abrasion 30 ml Leather dye 30 ml
Several small spots or a chair seat 50 ml Leather dye 50 ml
A larger chair or parts of an armchair 100 ml Leather dye 100 ml
An armchair or larger sofa seat 150 ml Leather dye 150 ml
Small sofa or multiple seating areas 250 ml Leather dye 250 ml
Two- to three-seater sofa, major refurbishment 500 ml Leather dye 500 ml
Large living room area, complete color change or commercial use 1,000 ml or more Leather dye 1 liter
A notice: For complete color changes, highly absorbent surfaces, or areas with very high contrast, the amount required may be significantly higher. It's best to plan for a sufficient reserve so that all surfaces can be treated with the same batch.

Repairing leather furniture – the correct procedure

The exact steps depend on the damage and the product. Generally, the repair process follows this order:

01

Check material

Determine the type of leather, color, depth of damage and stability of the surface.

02

Clean

Remove dirt, care residues and surface contaminants.

03

Degreasing

Remove skin oils, silicone and care product residues particularly carefully.

04

fill damage

Sparingly fill cracks and small depressions with liquid leather.

05

Dye thin

Apply leather dye evenly in several thin layers.

06

Seal

Protect the completely dried painted surface from abrasion and maintain it later.

Suitable for

  • Pigmented smooth leather
  • Many leather sofas, armchairs and chairs
  • Paint abrasion and faded areas
  • Superficial scratches
  • Minor cracks, notches and depressions
  • Many bags, jackets and boat leather products undergo material testing

Not suitable without testing

  • Alcantara and microfiber
  • Suede, buckskin and nubuck
  • Open-pore aniline leather
  • Brittle or severely hardened leather
  • Large holes, open seams and strap damage
  • Unknown synthetic leather, vinyl, or coated textiles

Instructions for sofa, armchair, chair and liquid leather

Why leather technology?

🇩🇪

Made in Germany

Development and production of our leather products in Germany.

1999

Experience since 1999

Extensive experience in leather care, leather dyeing and leather repair.

150,000+

Customers worldwide

Proven solutions for vehicles, furniture, clothing and boat leather.

Frequently asked questions about leather furniture repair

Can you repair a leather sofa yourself?

Many types of damage to pigmented smooth leather can be repaired at home. Color fading and superficial scratches can be refreshed with a suitable leather dye after preparation. Cracks, cuts, and small indentations are first filled with liquid leather.

When is furniture leather dye sufficient?

Leather dye is sufficient if the main problems are color abrasion, fading, light scuff marks or superficial scratches, and the leather itself is not deeply torn.

When do I need liquid leather?

Liquid leather is needed when cracks, cuts, nicks, indentations, or small material defects need to be filled. The repaired area is then color-matched with the appropriate leather dye.

Which leather repair kit is the right one?

Set S is suitable for color refreshing and minor repairs. Set M is designed for more extensive preparation and protection. Set L is the complete solution for cleaning, degreasing, repairing, coloring, sealing, and maintenance. Always refer to the specific contents of your chosen product variant.

How much leather dye do I need for a sofa?

For a small repair, 30 to 50 ml is often sufficient. For an armchair or individual seat cushions, at least 100 to 150 ml is usually recommended. For a two- or three-seater sofa, depending on the size, condition, and number of layers, 250 to 500 ml is often needed.

Can I completely change the color of my leather sofa?

A complete color change is more complex than a refresh in the same or a similar shade and requires significantly more material.Before a complete color change, the type of leather, its condition, the original color, and the desired shade should be carefully examined.

Is the leather dye suitable for synthetic leather?

Not all synthetic leathers are constructed the same. Therefore, adhesion and material compatibility must always be tested first on an inconspicuous area. Adhesion may be limited on surfaces with high plasticizer or silicone content, or on damaged surfaces.

Can cracks in a leather couch be repaired?

Small and medium-sized superficial cracks can often be filled with liquid leather, smoothed, and then dyed. For severely brittle leather, open seams, or damaged backing material, a specialist should assess whether a permanent repair is possible.

Can I also dye leather chairs and leather armchairs?

Yes, pigmented smooth leather on chairs and armchairs can be frequently cleaned, prepared, refreshed, and protected. Seats, armrests, and edges that are subject to particularly heavy wear should be carefully degreased.

Can boat leather be repaired with these products?

Many pigmented smooth leather surfaces used in boating can be repaired and refreshed. However, the material must be clearly identified. Vinyl, synthetic leather, open-pore leather, and heavily weathered surfaces require separate assessment.

For which types of leather are the products not suitable?

These products are not suitable for Alcantara, microfiber, suede, nubuck, and open-pore aniline leather without prior testing. Always test each product on an inconspicuous area first.

How long does leather dye need to dry?

Several thin coats dry more evenly than one thick coat. The exact drying and curing time depends on the product, room temperature, humidity, and coat thickness. Refer to the specific product instructions and do not subject the surface to any stress until it is completely cured.

Select the right solution for your leather now

Choose according to damage, extent of repair, and surface area. For simple color refreshing, use leather dye; for cracks, use liquid leather; and for multiple repair steps, use a coordinated leather repair kit.

Not suitable for Alcantara, suede, nubuck, and open-pore aniline leather. Always test products on an inconspicuous area first. Quantities are approximate and not binding.