Repairing torn car seat

There's probably nothing worse than a torn car seat. But it happens. And when it does you may be at a lose as to how to repair it. You could take it and have a professional repair the tear or hole, but it will cost you. There are some repair kits on the market to help repair cloth, leather and vinyl car seats, which will cost you minimum. Depending on the size of the repair, the results may be good or bad. These kits generally work better on small tears or holes and may be hard to match on colors other than black and white.

Repairing Torn Leather Seats
You may have paid the extra cash for those leather seats. They look great and there's no need to vacuum or clean them but when they get torn then you have a problem. One solution is to buy a leather repair kit to repair the seat. Here are the typical instructions for using one:
• Buy a standard leather repair kit.
• Scuff the damaged area lightly with the sandpaper provided.
• Clean the area with the alcohol swab that is also provided.
• Secure cuts or holes with a subpatch and adhesive that are provided in the kit. Fill in larger holes first with a piece of scrap leather that is also provided and fasten it in place with adhesive. With upholstery, it may be necessary to separate the tear slightly and slip the leather scrap or a subpatch into place inside the tear.
• Mix the color compound to match the color of the item you want to repair. Follow the color-matching guide that is provided in the kit. Spread the compound over the area and allow it to dry.
Another option for repairing torn leather seats is to sew them yourself. For instance, if the seat is ripped at a seam, you might be able to remove the cover from the seat and repair the seam. You'll need a heavy-duty sewing machine with large needle and heavy thread. Or hand stitching the seam can be done, but it is a challenge since pushing a needle through genuine leather is difficult. This task requires removing the cover from the seat often requires the removal of the seat itself, from the vehicle. After getting the seat out, you'll have to disassemble it, separating the seat from the back.
Repairing Torn Vinyl Seats
There are also repair kits for torn vinyl car seats or you can buy what you need and make the repairs. Here are is what you need to repair vinyl seats:
• Vinyl patch piece
• Vinyl adhesive
• Vinyl color (if you don't have the right color patch piece)
Steps to Repairing:
• Cut around the hole to make it even. This will make it easier to put your patch in.
• Find a piece of vinyl that matches in color and is big enough to over fill the spot where the hole is so that no gap will appear later in your repair.
• Tuck the patch piece of vinyl into the hole gently so you do not rip it and make it bigger. Smooth the patch out so it is spread out evenly.
• Lift the damaged vinyl section up and apply the vinyl adhesive to the original vinyl upholstery. Put the adhesive on the patch piece to secure the adhesion.
• Press the two vinyl pieces together carefully. If you press too hard a gap could appear from the pieces sliding apart.
• Allow upholstery to dry for 24 hours and keep out of direct sunlight or extreme heat.
Repairing Torn Fabric Seats
There are kits available to repair rips, burns and holes in fabric upholstery seats. Here are the steps to repair:
• Kit comes with 7 fabric fiber colors, fabric adhesive, spatula, mixing bottle, screen applicator, color mix chart and complete instructions.
• Fill the damaged spot with clear adhesive.
• Apply color fibers to applicator, lay over adhesive and move gently to disperse color fabric fibers.
• Let repair dry then spray with bonding adhesive.