How to Repair Peeling Bonded or Faux Leather, Why It Ain't Worth It & An Affordable Solution
Peeling is a sign of bonded or faux leather and may not be worth repairing. See why, as we test our flexible leather repair putty alongside FlexSeal's rubberized coating, and take it for a month-long test drive. Learn more and see all your options here: www.rubnrestore.com/how-to/bo....
Shop our products here: rubnrestore.com/leather-resto...
0:00 - Intro
0:28 - Prep peeling!
0:57 - Applying Soft Filler vinyl and leather repair compound
3:47 - Ugh, more peeling!
3:58 - Applying Flex Seal rubberized coating
5:13 - Comparing Soft Filler and Flex Seal
5:45 - Time to paint!
6:22 - The final result after painting
6:40 - The verdict after a month of use
7:19 - Our recommendation
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See all your options, and learn more here: rubnrestore.com/how-to/bonded-leather-blues/ Shop our products here: rubnrestore.com/leather-restoration-products/
great video, thanks for taking the time to come back and film a month later.
It's so exciting to see big KZheadrs commenting on the random video I'm watching haha :D I love your videos!
ann!!! 😱💜
I like your video because all other videos don't show how repaired bonded leather will wear after month or two. And I know that most repairs on high use areas will not hold. I have more than 20 years of experience in furniture repair. Thank you for your honesty.
This is a well-done vid! No annoying music or fancy lights or camera angles, just straight on shots!
thanks for doing the one month later.
Love that your video doesn't overload the listener with background music. Straight forward. Thank you.
Thanks for uploading this video! I have a faux leather recliner that's peeling like a skin with a bad sunburn. The chair is still functional and comfortable so I thought it was worthy of repair. I've been doing research and the possibility of repairs looked hopeful until I saw your video. After watching your video, I decided to buy a slip cover which isn't a perfect fit, but good enough. Again, a *BIG THANK YOU* for saving me time and money from doing a DIY repair that was doomed for failure.
Thanks a lot for this, your instructons are clear and your honesty is apreciated. My grandpa got me a faux leather jacket some time ago and after it started peeling i wondered if it could be saved but after watching this i realized it's probably not worth the effort. I guess you can't compete with real leather.
thank you for posting this, i know you said it isn’t worth it but the chair i’m fixing was a gift and i certainly don’t like the idea of so much plastic going to a landfill without getting some real use. my wife is also very attached to this chair already ^-^ it certainly will be worth the time to me even if i have to redo it regularly and end up redoing the whole thing w fabric paint later. i didn’t really care how it looked and expected the fix to be ugly (it’s sentimental not a particularly great chair, and i personally believe in self repair and don’t care too much for aesthetic of furniture or dishes, although i’m picky about clothes) so seeing that filler’s final result was a shock, i’m sure she’ll appreciate it looking nicer than expected even if it does end up looking patched! tangent aside my point is that even though you didn’t think it worked out it was really cool to post it and 1) help people who are persistent and 2) help people who would have ended up trying this themselves and been disappointed. your channel in general seems like it will be a gift and i’m definitely gonna check more videos out since i’m trying to get better at this stuff. anyways my point is thank you haha
Thank you for a great demo! Very good to know that a small tear can be fixed. I will not bother to reupholster a nice chair I have with anything other than leather. Good advice, many thanks!
Hmm, the repaired patched actually did pretty well except for where the owner's metal pocketknife clip continued to scratch it. The other sections started to peel, not the repairs.
Thank you for saving me a lot of work in trying to repair an old recliner.
I appreciate the time skip test at the end. I was skeptical of the review till that(im naturally a skeptic) thank you, good video. I may try to save some faux boots I have.
Even when they say it’s real leather a lot of it is not these days. Everything seems to be cheap or a scam these days
totally
Yeah, lots of people just throw the word leather about these days when it isn't real leather.
If it's cheaper it's fake leather
Only use faux and bonded if its an item that no one touches :)
Thulas Mash yes it is. If it does not feel like the leather that’s on my 25 year old leather jacket. Not buying it. The wife still doesn’t realize a couch should last for decades ! Not just a couple years. You could buy 7-900 dollar couches every 3 or 4 years. Or buy a real one and be finished with it. You come out better In the long run spending more on the high end stuff for sure . My Grandpa made furniture and his stuff is still around and in good shape and it’s worth re doing. This crap in most places now you just throw it in the garbage after so long. It Makes no sense at all to even try to refurb all this stuff on the market these days. It’s all disposable and people stay in debt with furniture stores returning to buy more. I’m disgusted with it Ooooh it’s old I’m throwing it away and I’m Buying this new stuff that’s going to be trash in a couple years. I don’t see the logic in it. If it’s ugly and a real piece. You’re better off restoring it. I don’t see why it so hard to understand. Just like with dresser drawers and tables. Solid oak can get scratched and banged up. Stain it. They take and throw it out and sell it to buy veneers and sawdust that you can’t sand and restore. And my wife is the worst for that crap. Ugggh.
Thanks for being honest. I have a down vest that's in great condition except the faux leather that's been stitched on a pocket in the front. I watched a couple videos on how to repair it but it never looks very good. You were the first person that basically said not to bother fixing it.
cover both pockets with something that looks good. it will be a custom designed upcycled vest.
Very good advice! I tried the same method repairing my chair few months back. It didn’t last for a week because it is not real leather. Don’t waste your time and money on this! Save up and get a real leather chair or couch. They’re more comfortable and less work to take care of them.
Thank you...this helped me decide NOT to buy the recliner I was considering that had PU “leather”. It’s gotta be real leather or a good upholstery fabric. And actually, I think a good fabric will stay better looking longer than leather.
I think we figured out the problem.....your friend needs to remove his pocket knife before sitting down. Hahaha
The flex seal was a great idea I think you did a great job also coloring it in too it's just too bad that the bonded leather comes off so easily. I've got a bonded leather jacket I bought from the store which is now peeling. Thanks for posting this video it was very informative.
This was really helpful, thank you for taking the time to share it in such a thorough way!
Thank you for the video. Very helpful! I was searching for just this kind of info and so happy to have the month later results. It made My decisions so much easier! Thanks again!
I appreciate you and this video so very much. I came with a can of Flex Seal in hand and now it gets to serve another purpose. I learned a lot, actually. Thank you for making a "real" video.
Thanks for posting! I have a faux leather jacket that I ADORE and couldn't stand to throw out when it started peeling...but after any attempt at repair, it's gonna be brushing up a lot more than a pocketknife clip, so I can now see I have to mourn its loss.
I have what appears to be the same chair with the same problem. I just keep using it. Feels great to me.
This video was so funny to me. I love how casually she expresses her dislike for the fake leather material. Why not trash this but here’s a video. 😂 gotta love it! ❤️
@@RubnRestore I have a massage table and they NEVER cover them in leather. It's pretty annoying to spend $2000 on something I'll have to ditch. You have any ideas about stuff like that?
Thank you for saving me time, energy and money. I really appreciate you showing that over time it did not hold up.
Thanks for your demo. "bonded leather" - I have a guitar strap where the end pieces are peeling like that. Now I understand what is happening.
Thank you! The greatest joke (on us) is that this is merchandised as "ECO-leather", probably even more so in EU, when it'll disintegrate even without ever been used, often in a matter of months, forcing you to discard the entire item. So much for "green", "protecting the planet" and "environmentally friendly"! Real leather will last almost indefinitely, with proper care, and then if it does wear out, it is completely fully biodegradable, unlike this pathetic excuse for an invention.
Llp]
I have babied mine, just noticed it separating from sitting on it... wow a little upset bought the thing brand new 6 years ago. I don't think I'll ever buy a $330 chair again.
ikr? They also like labelling it as "vegan-leather", when in that case just get another material that isn't pretending to be leather.
Greenwashing allowed by deregulation
Living in UK (EU until recently). Never heard/seen it described as eco-leather before. Sounds like a con.
This is a great video! Very informative & helpful + you saved me a good amount of time, money, and energy; and for that I thank you. There is a gorgeous computer chair with wooden armrests with brown (I suspect faux) leather underneath, and which also composes the entire base and back of the chair. It is ripped, torn, and damaged ALL OVER but is $5 in a local classified ad and I was on my way to go purchase it and then stop at the hardware store to buy supplies for a DIY home repair. Thanks for saving me all the trouble, lol!
You are really awesome. This video saved me a lot of hard work and heartache. Yes I wish I could repair my recliners, but they are the peal away kind and not worth it. Keep up the great work.
Great video - I came here for tips on how to restore the worn areas on a Chala cross-body bag, which is a laminate like this. I used furniture markers and a clear acrylic gel matte from the art supply store - but I love your texturizing method - that's how I need to finish it! But now I've come away with great ideas for adopting free leather furniture that I see on Craigslist all the time - thanks!🙏🏽
Great idea. Body bags take a lot of abuse, even more than furniture, and we'd love to hear how the acrylic gel holds up. Thanks for watching, commenting, and happy couch surfing Craigslist.
This was an excellent video! Thank you for the update.
Unfortunately, I HAVE to. After our rv in storage, we have to do our captains chairs and sofa. I’m crying. Legit. I’m balling my eyes out because we cannot afford to replace. I’m glad I learned something today. Thank you. I also learned to pay more attention to curing this material in the future. Someone send help n materials🙏🏻❤️💪🏼🤗
Thank you! I have so many belts, shoes and purses that deteriorate quickly in FL. I peeled it and am just going to fabric paint and embellish with broken jewelry or glitter paint.
Glad I watched this video! I had faux leather shoes that I got from a thrift store 2 years ago and it started to peel and bubble. I love the shoes but I see it's not worth the time and money to fix them.
Thanks for sharing this with us. I brought a big office chair home. It was getting thrown out at my job site. I thought I could use same-color tape or something to "fix" the tears...NOT!😅 It's okay though. I put it in my basement "man cave". I put a covering over it and still use it. My wife doesn't have to look at it!😁
Thank you so much! Would you take all the same steps for a faux leather jacket?
I invested about $ 50 for a task chair and armrest covers. Now chair is fine and i don’t have to pay hundreds to replace it with a leather one.
excellent video, very informative, thank you
Your breakdown and explanation is thorough and succinct. Thanks VERY much!
I had a faux leather wallet I scraped off the vynil and repainted it with fabric paint I love the result
I’m curious as to whether just peeling the faux leather off (if the color of the fabric base is acceptable to taste) is there any reason you wouldn’t try that? I have a gray sectional that the headrests are peeling and the material underneath is a nice fabric and gray color. What’s the least labor intensive way to remove the plasticky layer? Love your videos :)
thank you for the lesson..I'll be watching for real leather pieces...thanks!
Thank you. You just saved me more headaches.
Great tutorial first of! Does anyone now where i could get a soft filler in Europa? Cheers from Vienna!
Luckily my chair was black so I bought 1 yard of black bonded leather, took off the arms and back, staple gunned the new fabric over the other for about $10. As an artist, I'm always getting paint on everything so I didn't want to purchase a brand new chair but I didn't want the black peeling stuff sticking to the back of my legs either. It worked out really well - as long as one doesn't mind not having any stitching showing on the seat. Also I have enough "leather" left over in case it needs it again in another 8 -10 years
We made the BIG mistake of buying a sofa and recliner made out of bonded leather not knowing the peeling and cracking would be the eventual outcome. I tried repairing it with the kit when I noticed the start of the peeling. Just like she showed in the video ~ you fix one area and three more pop up.
How could you not know? Were you born last year or something?
@@nextbook4494sorry for the late reply but your must be such a loser making comments like that.
@@nextbook4494 Unnecessarily nasty.
Hi there, I really appreciate your video. I have a couple jackets that need repairs... I am curious though as to how long the soft filler would last? I do plan on peeling away all the top layer of th material so there is no future peeling
thank you for sharing this, it was really informative.
Who's watching because their gaming chair is peeling? Never buying a PU leather chair again lol. It's peeling like crazy after 3 years! (akracing chair) Just gonna look for a real leather (or mesh) office chair instead with a similar style shape. EDIT: I bought a mesh style office chair. So much better! Doesn't get hot in the summer too. Sihoo M57
I see you've been at the desk a lot recently, Spider
Yep. DX Racer King Series, it's 5 years old and the peeling started this week, getting worse really fast. Paid $550 in my country for it, which is a lot of money.
me.. hahaha
My killabee chair is peeling! It’s the worst
@@matn7743 Amazing seeing your comment - I've had my King series chair about 6 years and the peeling is getting pretty bad. I contacted customer support and they basically just told me good luck The chairs must only be made to last 5 years. Last time I'll be buying one!
I found this really helpful. Thank you.
I have a pair of clogs I’d like to fix that have some cracks. The substrate seems solid and fairly rigid. Would this process work better for something like that?
Really informative video, especially the 1-month later. I have a couple desk chairs that have been peeling, one is worse enough that repairs seem pointless. I'm curious about the fabric paint idea. I know it was a few years ago but do you remember how that research went? Are there any fabric paints that you would recommend?
Thanks!
What would you think about early placement on an area that doesn't get a lot of physical flexing? Asking because a kitten has been climbing on a chair, putting little puncture wounds. Its on the rigid side parts of a gaming chair, that gets limited to no body contact. Physical damage is right now, only seen with close inspection where you can see the tiny claw punctures. We are trying to decide whether to just wait for it to go to shit, or to try to pre-emptively seal the damaged points with something that dries clear.
Awesome video I learned a lot! Thanks for not having a click bait title
that was helpful and fast advise thank you
Great info. Btw, loved your hairstyles!
Thank you! I was wondering if I could or should my damaged Ikea chair.. Look like better not 😬
Actaully i think flex seal will do nicely for my footstool, cause i already have new leather hood for it. I just wanted to get rid of that messy PU-pieces.
Thank you for saving me potentially 2-3 hours of time and money on purchasing the material to "fix" my chair.
I love how you used a seemingly untraditional leather fixing product like the spray Flex Seal. Gets myself thinking out of the box for creative solutions to a crappy substrate of the faux leather
Excellent tips, I'm going to try to fix some peeling vinyl detailing on a mostly-fabric phone case, using the soft filler method I think --- but I have to pause to say your hairdos are sooo cute!! Love the two braided buns :)
@@RubnRestore Thanks! :)
Yep wasted $1500+ on a couch and love seat because of it delaminating. I used it for two years, then had kids and put it in my basement covered up for another 5 years. Recliners werent kid friendly at the time so i swapped it out for my other leather couch. Moved the couches to my new house and they were in pristine condition. After just a month of use i guess it got brittle over the years and started peeling and flaking everywhere. It was an endless vaccuuming nightmare. I peeled an entire seat section off and sat on it for another month before i had enough and took it to the dump. I cant believe i got duped into thinking bonded leather would be just fine. Still using my parents old leather couch thats 25 years old and still looks awesome for its age. It needs a little bit of leather dye in a few areas but that should be an easy fix. You get what you pay for and i definitely learned my lesson.
What would your advice be on a headboard? I have a nice cali king bed with this material on the headboard and base board. I already started to peel the stuff away but there’s grey residue under the peeled away faux leather. I tried running it off and using a razor blade but it’s not been easy and it’s left it scratched and uneven. Can I paint it or should I cover with fabric? If I paint it, I’m afraid it’ll show the scratches underneath the paint. I need advice 😩
Very interesting!! Nice video! 👍
I have a very thick leather couch that now has scratches from dog's nails. How do you get the scratches out?
See here: rubnrestore.com/how-to/repair-leather-scratches-nicks/
Brilliant explanation and demonstration thank you
I have my late mother's faux leather Chantelle red sun glasses case where the paint or coating has worn away down to a woven base. After stabilizing with watered pva glue, can you suggest how to re coat and what materials - e.g. type of filler to look for here in the UK.
Cool video, and great info..thx for showing your entire experiment! Just an idea I had, when someone has appealing chair like this with faux leather, why not use fabric glue and just glue some nice fabric onto the chair seat to cover the seat?
Worth a try! Round the corners of the fabric so they don't catch and peel back.
What's the best way to tell the difference between real leather furniture and the bonded or faux leather? Thanks
Thankyou! This video was invaluable. I will not be wasting my time trying to repair fake leather furniture. It's just not worth it!
I've had some success with just gluing a sheet of faux leatherette as a shabby chic look, using contrasting colour to create a funky look. Generally, I peel off the bonded/faux leather off in a section and replace it with the faux leatherette or alternative fabric, it certainly works better than the soft fillers which I would only use on very small areas and not in impact areas as it will not last. The spray I would never use as you cannot get a decent finish and it looks like a right bodge job.
I wonder what kind of adhesive you used to fix the new leatherette and fabric over the newly bald areas?
Great video. Saved me a lot of time as I realize it's NOT worth it!!!
Very honest and useful advice. God bless you.
Glad I found this video. I was about to take on a sofa in our RV which 4 out of 4 seats are delaminating. I had it in the back of my mind that just replacing it with another sofa would be easier, provided the sofa rails aren’t structural.
Alas, this is your fate, and you may have to remove a window or door just to squeeze the furniture out and back in. We used to work for the RV industry. Why they still use this stuff is beyond us. They know better by now. It's been 20 years that this polyurethane crap has been delaminating on the lots...
Thanks . Very useful info :)
i love my old Calvin Klien jacket but the faux leather is peeling off of it and it breaks my heart would you recommend trying to repair the faux or trying to paint it after peeling it all off a reply would be awesome but i wont bank on it.
Awesome video! Thanks! We have a fabric sofa which unfortunately has vinyl on the arm rest on one side and on the back. The side back of the sofa is in the middle of the room so always visible and the vinyl is peeling off. Can we upholster it with real leather? The couch itself is amazing and the fabric in great condition.
@@RubnRestore thanks so much! We looked at a second hand leather one. My husband is concerned as we have a dog, a cat and 3 kids. Is leather a bad idea for a family or if regularly treated would it still last well? My great grandma used to have this leather couch and it was like 50 years and every few months she would “feed it” (she would call it that) and it looked amazing still. I do remember us kids having to sit on blankets on the sofa though 🤣
Great video! Thanks - you talked me into just tossing my fake leather coffee table that is pealing on the corners. Loved that thing but obviously not worth fixing.
We have ab RV with pleather seats. Is this the same as you are working on? Pleather issues are an RV industry-wide issue nowadays. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance!
What about making a slipcover for the seat of a pu leather (fake leather) gaming chair? Would that help make the chair last longer?
Thank you so much for showing the truth!
you are very knowledgeable thank you for this video
I have a recliner with the same issue. I have a cover on it, but it’s still peeling and the scraps are all over the floor. I’m just looking for the fastest way to stop the mess.
What if you take off all the leather and spray the whole thing with flex seal?
where do I purchase your products? Thought a link would be in the description. I SUBSCRIBED!
Thanks for the video. I will refrain from repairing my chair now. Save myself some time and money. it was very helpful!!
Awesome video, thankyou. Im aan auctioneer and specialised in selling furniture at auctions , and if unsure if a material is real leather or not , a good way to check is by using a lighter on a non conspicuous area of the item. Leather will not burn or melt, the PU material will. Sometime these days its hard to tell and some furniture will be mixed, a lot of the times where your feet are on a lounge suite will be PU leather that your main seat and your backrest will be real leather so it's always good to check if your after the real stuff.
PU also has more elasticity than leather and a different smell. Try these tricks for discerning real from fake: rubnrestore.com/how-to/bonded-leather-blues/#option-3
wow thank you so much for making this video!!
Thanks for that test knowledge
What is the name of these products? Is it applies on leather jacket ?
Very helpful, many thanks!!
What is this leather filler made of (ingredients)? Is it a kind of liquid vinyl or some PU-stuff? How long does it take to dry and how flexible will it be when ready? Does it have the same touch as the real leather?
This was excellent I just bought a piece and realized that it isn't real leather, I don't think anyway, because it is peeling, is that a sure sign that it's this kind of material?
Thanks for this video ... just had this happen to some really beautiful burgundy couches in our finished basement and was ready to try and fix them but now I know it's not worth it
@@RubnRestore we're going to get custom fitted covers for cushions instead - your videos are awesome please keep making them
Thank you 🙏 Yes the real deal is always best & more beautiful I am opting to fix my handbags & the straps but think i will use textile Will see if i can use shoe conditioner or shoe cream colour 🤔
The term "bonded leather" is a lie. To call something bonded leather all there has to be is 5%-10% leather dust mixed in the coating. Fabric lasts longer, vinyl lasts longer, leather lasts longer. Once a bonded chair starts to peel, it will not stop and "repairing" is a ridiculous notion. Repairing a bonded chair is like gluing hair on your head to stop balding. Never fall for the term "bonded leather" or "PU leather"..they are both the same and not REAL leather.
The image of a bald guy glueing a hair to stop balding gave me a chuckle. :) Thanks for your comment.
I have an old recliner w/ this problem. It feels good to peel it off. Kinda like pealing skin after a sunburn. LOL
"fabric paint"? does this product just dye the fabric the bonded leather delaminated from or does it add fabric?
A neighbor just tossed his "Leather" office chair out, so I grabbed it to replace the VERY small chair I currently use. It is damaged just like the chair you used here, but worse. I figure I'll pick up some Hyde of the rare and beautiful Nauga, but may try one of these techniques instead. Great video !