Leather glue: Can do!
Repairing torn and damaged leather is possible if you have the right leather glue. Get the details and tips from the pros right here.
The basics: What glues leather together?
Leather has long been valued for its beauty and durability, but of course, it can tear if subjected to too much stress or if a sharp object happens to catch it.
Thankfully, most leather items can be quickly repaired with glue. However, not just any glue will do the trick - you’ll need to use a specially-designed leather adhesive. The wrong glue might crack, fail to hold, or even discolour or damage the leather. So, what is the best choice?
Obviously, you’ll need a flexible glue for leather repairs, but there’s more to it than that. Leather is a porous natural material, so certain chemicals used in some adhesives might damage it. Go with a glue made for leather.
An excellent choice would be a rubber-infused super glue (more on this below), since it has the ultra bonding strength of a super glue with the flexibility of rubber.
How to make repairs with leather adhesive—step by step
Follow these steps to quickly repair tears in leather clothing, furniture, and other items:
- Choose a workspace with good ventilation and wear latex or nitrile gloves while working with the leather glue.
- If necessary, clean the leather to remove any dirt, grease, wax, etc. and make sure the surfaces are close fitting. Trim away any fraying material.
- Apply a small amount of super glue for leather to one surface. Just along the edge of the tear is sufficient in most cases.
- Press the surfaces together and hold them steady until the glue sets. If necessary, you can tape the repair together with masking tape until the glue fully sets.
- Replace the cap on the glue and store the glue in a cool, dry place out of reach of children.
One big advantage of super glue for leather is that it bonds in seconds and the bond is generally stronger than the material itself.
For very long or multiple tears, glue a piece of cloth or repair mesh to the back of the leather (where it won’t show) as well as gluing the tear itself as directed above. This will greatly increase the strength of the repair.
Choosing the best glue for leather repair
Always choose a glue rated as a leather repair adhesive for repairing leather goods. The best we’ve found for this application is Loctite Super Glue Power Flex Control Gel. This rubber-infused formula enables super strong precise bonds on flexible materials. It can withstand weather and extreme conditions and is shock resistant.
Super Glue Power Flex Control Gel dries transparent for invisible repairs, and its thick gel-like consistency means no drips or runs, just long-lasting durability. You’ll also love the precision applicator.