Almost every happy owner of a leather sofa has faced the need for periodic restoration. Over time, scuffs, scratches and tears appear on the leather, especially if there are pets in the house. Until recently, it was possible to eliminate defects by applying patches of identical material, and in the case of serious damage - complete re-upholstery. But progress does not stand still, and a special material was invented for repairing leather products - "liquid leather".
Content
What is "liquid leather". The most used types from manufacturers
"Liquid leather" is a polymer mixture based on alcohol and water. The sticky adhesive base and rubber resin included in the product help the mixture firmly adhere to the top layer when repairing leather goods, forming an elastic consistency.
After hardening, the restored area is practically indistinguishable from the general surface. In addition, the "liquid leather" retains the properties inherent in natural material.
Another component of this unique product is a dye. Today, manufacturers offer a wide range of colors, which allows you to choose the necessary shade to match the color of the furniture. When working with a complex color, mixtures can be mixed to obtain the desired result.
The main area of use of the product is the repair of leather goods. At the same time, "liquid leather" can be used for products made of leatherette, artificial leather or vinyl. However, it is necessary to take into account the specifics of the material and only small defects can be treated with the product.
The most popular brands are: Liquid leather (Russia), Saphir (France) and Bradex (Israel). The distinctive features of each brand are clearly presented in the table.
| Brand | Min. volume | Complete drying time | Number of colors | Product Pros | Cons of the product |
| Liquid leather | tubes of 125 ml or a set (7 tubes of 20 ml) | 2-8 hours depending on the layer thickness | 7 | dries quickly, is easy to apply, repairs through damage | poor color palette |
| Saphir | 25 ml tubes | up to 24 hours, depending on the number and thickness of layers | 50 | The content of fluorocarbon resins provides long-lasting coloring, the widest choice of colors | high cost |
| Bradex | set (7 jars of 8 grams) | 8-12 hours | 7 | The repair kit contains all the necessary tools and materials for repairs | small selection of colors |
When choosing "liquid leather" for repairing leather goods, you only need to focus on the availability of the necessary colors. Otherwise, the composition and quality characteristics of the product of any brand are practically the same.
Step-by-step instructions for use
Repairing leather furniture with your own hands is not a labor-intensive process, but it is quite responsible. Below are detailed instructions on how to repair a leather sofa.
- First of all, it is necessary to clean the damaged area from fragmentary fibers and bring the edges of the crack or tear closer together. To achieve the best result, the crack can be stitched in several places, and the hole can be pre-glued from the inside.
Damage to light-colored leather upholstered furniture - Using a detergent, degrease the surface of the leather sofa and dry thoroughly.
We wash a leather sofa before carrying out restoration - Choose the appropriate color of "liquid leather". If you need to choose a complex color, then the set comes with a special table of colors and shades. With its help, you can determine the color range that needs to be mixed to obtain the desired shade.
If the cut is deep, you need to glue the inside or make a patch. 
Table of selection of liquid leather colors for the product - Apply the mixture to the prepared area of the leather sofa. You can do this with a paint brush or a piece of foam rubber.
Applying liquid leather with a spatula to damaged areas - Smooth out the layer of product applied to the damaged surface of leather furniture. If you don't have a spatula, you can do this at home using a ruler or an unnecessary plastic card.
After applying the second coat, the upholstery looks better - Avoid any contact with the restored area until the mixture has completely dried.
Helpful advice: To give the repaired area a porous pattern that matches the entire surface of the leather sofa, apply a piece of leather (artificial or natural) of the appropriate texture to the treated surface and press firmly for a few seconds.
If there is no skin fragment, you can create your own template using an ordinary paper napkin. To do this, apply a layer of the mixture to it, and apply the napkin to the undamaged area, where the relief is especially clearly visible. After this, the resulting template must be thoroughly dried. It is used in the same way as in the first option.
There are cases when, when restoring leather furniture, the result obtained does not meet expectations. This is mainly due to the following reasons:
- the leather sofa has a large defect area;
- the skin tone was chosen incorrectly;
- ignoring the recommendations set out in the instructions for use of the product;
- the pattern of the piece of leather used to make the imprint does not match the overall texture of the leather sofa surface.
Advantages and disadvantages of "liquid skin"
The mixture has a lot of advantages. Let's note some of them.
- Easy to apply to damaged areas of leather furniture.
- Short drying times.
Leather repair product available in different colours - The polymerization of the mixture is 15-20 minutes - enough time to select the desired color range. In addition, in case of an error, this time is enough to easily wash off the applied product.
- It is characterized by high strength and elasticity. The skin is able to restore its shape after deformation.
This product does not require heat treatment, has high strength and plasticity. - The unique formula ensures complete penetration into the surface structure of leather furniture and eliminates the possibility of subsequent delamination.
- High resistance to temperature fluctuations allows the use of “liquid leather” in the range from – 35 C° to +70 C°.
- Does not require additional heat treatment.
- Durability – the natural aging period reaches 35 years.
- The product does not contain harmful substances and is absolutely safe for health.
The disadvantages of the mixture include the small area of the damaged surface, which can be repaired using "liquid leather". However, this is the only disadvantage, if you believe the reviews of consumers.
Video: Repair kit for leather repair Liquid Leather Liquid leather glue restorer of leather goods
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4HiXCw3ZY8
