The Ingenious, Easy Amazon Hack That Will Make Old Leather Sofas Look Like New Again
We’re proud to be able to recommend DIY cures for a lot of furniture ailments. Sagging sofa? Refill it and it will feel rejuvenated. Scratched side table? Refinish or recolor it to give it a second life. But some furniture mishaps are so tricky to fix that you’re better off calling an expert. This used to be the case with damaged leather until we discovered a miraculous solution that is somehow both inexpensive and effective.
This leather repair tape, which costs $21 for a 1 ft. by 4 ft. roll, is an incredibly inventive and cost-efficient way to make rips, cracks, and distress marks disappear for good (while also giving your furniture a fresh start). It’s made from synthetic materials that do a fantastic job of replicating the look and texture of real leather, and it’s available in more than 30 color options — so you can find an exact match for your furniture. Honestly, it’s one of the most clever furniture repair tools we’ve seen in some time.
If the damaged area is tiny, say from a pet’s claw accidentally causing a small tear, you can cut out a small shape of this leather repair tape a little larger than the tear and apply it on top. While you can help the repair tape blend in by picking the right color and aligning the grain of the tape with the natural grain of your leather furniture, the small patch will be somewhat noticeable, so this approach is best for spots that aren’t super visible or can be hidden with a blanket or throw pillow. Of course, if you’re up for adding a little flair to your furniture, you can choose a non-matching color and cut out a design — dots, stripes, and animal figures are popular options — and use the patch as a decoration.
The other main approach you can take is using a large square of the repair tape to essentially reupholster part of your furniture. This is a smart way to take care of big distressed areas, such as seat cushions or armrests that can discolor over time, because the patch can cover most of or all of the area and look like it’s part of the original furniture. You may have to use more than one square of tape, but as long as you match up its ends with the furniture’s existing seams, you can achieve a refreshed look that’s rather seamless.
With over 16,000 5-star ratings on Amazon, shoppers overwhelmingly approve of this clever tool as a worthwhile way to extend the life of your leather furniture. One reviewer who reported they found an almost perfect color match for their sofa wrote that the tape is “very sticky and adhered nicely to the couch.” They were pleased to fix their worn-out seat cushion without spending much money at all: “My couch is really old but I don’t want to replace it yet so this is a good temporary solution.” Another reviewer whose dogs wore a spot into their sofa wrote that the tape “seems thick and durable, yet still comfy enough to sit on and not be noticeable.”
Whether you have a favorite leather sofa, armchair, or recliner that could use some cosmetic assistance, this repair tape is here to help. You can also use it on car seats and your car’s steering wheel (either to cover up damages or give it a material upgrade). Even if this isn’t a permanent solution for your situation, it at least gives you more time to look for replacement furniture and make sure you get the best price — for that extra shopping time, $21 is a bargain.
Buy: ONine Leather Repair Tape, $20.98