Repairing tears and holes in smooth leather with Fluid Leather

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Small tears, holes or deep scratches in car leather do not always have to require a workshop. With Fluid Leather, such damage can be repaired yourself if it is not too extensive. This article shows how step by step. You will find our product recommendations below.

When is Fluid Leather (liquid leather) the right solution?

Fluid Leather is a tinted, flexible filler for tears, holes, deeper scratches and breaks in leather. It fills and bonds the damaged area and remains soft and flexible after drying.

Not every type of damage needs Fluid Leather: scratches and signs of wear affecting only the colour layer are smoothed with the Colourlock Sanding Pad and colour-matched with Colourlock Leather Fresh; Fluid Leather is not needed there.

If your fingernail catches when passing over the damaged area, you need Fluid Leather.

Preparation

Step 1: Cleaning

Clean the leather around the intact colour layer with Leather Cleaner mild. For heavy soiling or leather that has become greasy, use Leather Cleaner strong. Loosen dirt in the grain with the Leather cleaning brush brown.

Tip: a sponge and brush are the best aids. Remove cleaner residues with a slightly damp cloth.

Step 2: Smoothing

Smooth areas that have become rough with the Sanding Pad without applying much pressure. Then remove sanding dust with Leather Cleaning Spirit.

Step 3: Degreasing

Degrease the areas to be repaired with Leather Cleaning Spirit. This step removes oils, waxes and silicones from care products that the cleaner does not dissolve. This step ensures good adhesion.

Tip: stick masking tape to the surface. If it is difficult to remove when pulled off, the leather has been sufficiently degreased.

Step 4: Back tears and apply Fluid Leather

First back longer tears under tension: cut the backlining cloth into a round shape so that it overlaps the tear by around 2 to 3 cm on all sides. Secure it in the middle with a needle, push the fabric edge under the leather with the spatula and secure it with Leather Glue. Allow the glue to dry for 15 to 30 minutes under pressure.

Fill the damaged area evenly with Fluid Leather in a matching colour and smooth it with the spatula. Depending on the amount applied and room temperature, Fluid Leather takes one to two hours to dry. Since the liquid leather contracts slightly during this process, repeat it until the repair area is filled as smoothly as possible.

Untidy areas can subsequently be softened and smoothed with the GLD-Solvent Pen. Use little pressure and little product so that the repair area does not blur. Allow the liquid leather to dry again in between. This way, you can keep remodelling a repair until the result is satisfactory.

Tip: if the felt tip of the GLD pen is worn, remove the tip and insert it the other way round.

Step 5: Matching the colour

Recolour repair areas and colour damage with Leather Fresh in a matching colour. Shake Leather Fresh well, dab it on with a sponge and dry it with a hair dryer. Repeat several times until the desired coverage is achieved.

Tip: an uneven application can be evened out again with the leather sanding pad and recoloured.

Finding the right colour:

We mix special colours based on the manufacturer's colour name or a submitted sample for a surcharge of CHF 25.- Ask an authorised dealer of your brand for the exact colour name (not the code) using the chassis number, or send us a sample (headrest, sun visor, cover or another part) by post. Of course, you will receive the part back. For older vehicles, it is often possible to cut off a piece of leather from a concealed area (under the seat, behind a trim panel). You will find our address below (please write the sender legibly):

Weidmann & Sohn
Lederzentrum Schweiz
Tämperlistrasse 3
8117 Fällanden

IMPORTANT: when ordering through the shop, select the “send a sample” option in the colour selection for Leather Fresh and Fluid Leather. We will contact you immediately after receiving the sample.

Please note that special-colour mixes, whether based on a manufacturer colour or a submitted sample, take 7–9 working days from the order date to process before they are dispatched.

You can find the colour chart with all standard colours here

You can find the manufacturer list here

Step 6: Care and protection

Finally, the leather should be cared for and protected. Carry out this step only one day after tinting; Leather Fresh should be completely dry before it comes into contact with liquid, and care products should be applied gently, without vigorous rubbing. Apply Leather Care gently and without heavy rubbing. For high stress (e.g. entry areas), then apply Leather Shield.

Tip: first distribute care products sparingly on a cloth, then apply them to the leather in circular movements from seam to seam. Excess care product can be removed with a cloth lightly dampened with water. Regular, sparing cleaning and care extend the life of your leather!

Product recommendations

Note:
(Clicking on products adds them to the shopping basket, after which they can be ordered)

Note on colour selection: after selecting the products you want, click “Add to basket”. You will then be taken to the colour selection.

  • Leather Fresh Colour & Protect Set + Fluid Leather

Contents:

  • 1 x Leather Cleaner mild 250 ml
  • 1 x Leather Care 100 ml
  • 1 x Degreaser 250 ml
  • 1 x Leather Fresh 100 ml
  • 1 x Sanding Pad
  • 1 x Leather Cleaning Brush brown
  • 1 x Foamer Bottle/foam applicator bottle
  • 2 x Viscose cloth
  • 1 x Cleaning & Application Sponge medium (90x55x35mm)
  • 2 x Nitril Gloves

Leather Fresh – Please select a colour:

Fluid Leather – Please select a colour:

“I have tears and holes that I need to back and glue.”

  • Leather Glue Repair Set

Contents:

  • 1 x Leather Glue 20 ml solvent free
  • 1 x Backlining Cloth black 15x25 cm
  • 1 x Mini Brush
  • Complete Leather Repair Set

Contents:

  • 1 x Leather Cleaner mild 250 ml
  • 1 x Leather Cleaner strong 250 ml
  • 1 x Leather Care 100 ml
  • 1 x Degreaser/degreaser 250 ml
  • 1 x Elephant Leather Preserver 125 ml
  • 1 x GLD-Solvent Pen
  • 1 x Leather Shield 100 ml
  • 1 x Leather Fresh 100 ml
  • 1 x Fluid Leather 7 ml
  • 1 x Leather Glue solvent free 20 ml
  • 2 x Foamer Bottle
  • 10 x Minibrush
  • 1 x Leatherbrush synthetic
  • 1 x Sanding Pad
  • 8 x Viscose cloth
  • 4 x Cleaning & Application Sponge small
  • 2 x Nitril Gloves
  • 1 x Backlining Cloth black 15x25cm
  • 1 x Spatula Flat long

Leather Fresh – Please select a colour:

Fluid Leather – Please select a colour:

Videos about product application