Asked on Oct 19, 2016

Peeling faux leather chair

Jenna A
by Jenna A
My favorite chair is peeling and Im not ready to get rid of it. Is there anything I can do? I am open to anything.
  27 answers
  • Coolfurniturelady Coolfurniturelady on Oct 19, 2016
    Next time you buy leather furniture, avoid any called bonded leather as this is what will eventually happen. Unfortunately, there is not much you can do besides re-upholster the cushions. If you wanted to experiment, sand off the top layer, clean, and spray with a paint made especially for vinyl or leather.
  • William William on Oct 19, 2016
    That is a problem with fake leather. Over time it cracks and peels. The amount of damage you have, nothing can be done to save it.
  • Tan7146703 Tan7146703 on Oct 20, 2016
    Hello This could be worth a try. It has worked for me on a handbag and also on shoes. Buy a couple of small tubes of acrylic paint, blend them to get a colour match then add a little less amount of PVA adhesive. Paint/stipple and leave to dry. Add more coats as needed. You can finish off with a top coat of diluted PVA. My paints were from a very cheap children's painting set Ann UK
  • Marj Meakin Marj Meakin on Oct 20, 2016
    You could paint it with Frenchic paint lots of people have done this look on there web site on Facebook x
    • Angela T Lott Angela T Lott on Oct 02, 2020

      Thanks, I paid $2000 for a sofa, didn't know it was faux leather, Maybe sat on it about 10 times now it is peeling, It's off white, any other suggestions

  • Savonniere Savonniere on Oct 20, 2016
    I'd probably try painting it with chalk paint. I've seen leather chairs painted thus way and the result is pretty cool shabby chic. There are several recipes on line to make your own chalk paint. It can be quite pricey in the stores.
  • Charro Charro on Oct 20, 2016
    I would sand the peeling bits and then chalk paint it.
  • Kca11578356 Kca11578356 on Oct 20, 2016
    I would buy some Naugahyde and cut it to fit and use tacky glue to hold it in place.
  • Sophia,M.,McConnery Sophia,M.,McConnery on Oct 20, 2016
    Go to Walmart.They have the actual repair kits there!
  • Rc Shoe Rc Shoe on Oct 20, 2016
    If the damage is at the head area, I had the same problem. I found a men's golf shirt X-large in a complimenting tiny argyle print. The waistband stretched wide enough to slip over the top of the chair. I cut off and hemmed the top, and VOILA... my desk chair looks great again.
    • See 1 previous
    • Jayne Jayne on Aug 11, 2020

      This is what I was planning on do with our treater white lounge chairs

  • Hersh Hersh on Oct 20, 2016
    Get it a cover. Try the sofa /chair cover from UXCELL on amazon.com . It worked pretty well for us.
  • Peter Kovak Peter Kovak on Oct 20, 2016
    If you really love it than renew its upholstery and that's it, you'll go on loving and enjoying it.
  • Lu Ann Sieber Lu Ann Sieber on Oct 20, 2016
    depending where this damage is....try a piece of stained, decorative wood
  • Joanne Rios Joanne Rios on Oct 20, 2016
    If you're able to peel off all of the faux leather you can try this. It's been proven to work well by this article written by the interior designer whose sofa was the test subject. Yes...painted her sofa with latex paint. Please read it..you'll be glad you did.http://www.addicted2decorating.com/painted-sofa-update-13-months-later.html
  • Sharon Sharon on Oct 20, 2016
    You can get neat patches from sewing stores (Joanne fabrics) and use them or for larger areas, find brown or wall color fabric to match your decor and make your own patch addition. Get creative as lots of things can be a patch!
  • Kim 'Kiewatt' Waknitz Kim 'Kiewatt' Waknitz on Oct 20, 2016
    Following this as the arm of my leather couch if peeling also. It's leather on the parts where you sit but faux leather other places.
  • Deanna Nassar Deanna Nassar on Oct 20, 2016
    For true leather use saddle soap to clean. Neats foot oil may help but it could also rub off on clothing if you use too much. Looks like material has dried out. For vinyl try smoothing back those hanging pieces and use some mod podge or other clear drying glue. For fill in you may have to resort to acrylic paint. Match as close as possible. For discolored parts you may be able to put some light brown/tan shoe polish. To cut down on further peeling throw a blanket, sheet, other piece of material big enough to cover it. If it's the back you can sew something that looks like a large pillow case.
  • Rod Rod on Oct 20, 2016
    There are a lot of people that upholster and they don't have to do the whole chair. The color probably won't be the same. But they are pretty reasonable.
  • Bobbie Bobbie on Oct 20, 2016
    I went to the fabric store and color matched my chair and make the "patch" the whole back of my chair.
    • Linda Kayler Linda Kayler on Oct 26, 2016
      Can u give me pic or more details how to repair my peeling recliner ? Thanks
  • Rosy Rosy on Oct 20, 2016
    Question. Where on the chair is this peeling? It appears to be where your head would rest, if that is the case I would try to match the fabric if that isn't possible then I would try to find something that would coordinate with other furnishings and put a strip down the middle to cover it. Would this peeling come from hair spray or some type of lotion that caused the peeling?
  • Annadele Annadele on Oct 20, 2016
    I have two Barcelona chairs with this same issue on the bottom seat. Couldn't even come close to matching the fabric - besides, there is too much missing. I am going to use sandpaper to remove all the other loose or about to be loose material, and paint it. The fabric under the split leather has a suede feeling to it. And think I'll even change the color from your basic black to something less predictable..
  • Hon12586263 Hon12586263 on Oct 22, 2016
    I have no clue. I have the same problem
  • Bobbie Bobbie on Oct 26, 2016
    I found a piece of tweed upholstery fabric that blended perfectly with my chair. I made a paper pattern of the top front of the chair, cut the fabric to size. I used Fray All around the edges of the fabric to prevent it from raveling out. I then used a good glue to glue it to the front back of the chair. Taping it to hold it in place until dry. At least 24 hrs. The chair was used for a couple more years until we purchased new. I'm sorry I couldn't find any pictures of the chair anywhere. It was about 20 years ago.
  • Sue C Sue C on Oct 26, 2016
    You might try Annie Sloan chalk paint. When you use the directions and do the wax application the finished surface looks a lot like leather. Or try contacting upholstery paint companies.
    • Lauri Lauri on Dec 29, 2020

      Absolutely chalk paint! My brown sofa looked the same with damage on arm rest and back. From brown to gray and mostly repaired the damage areas!

  • RaeAnn Dunbar RaeAnn Dunbar on Mar 26, 2018

    Rae8912@gmail.com

  • Lisa Lisa on Aug 27, 2019

    For my sectional and chair, I lightly sanded the peeling area and then just applied a fabric adhesive (Aleene’s OK To Wash It @$5 on Amazon). I just used a paper towel to rub the adhesive in. I then quickly went over it with a slightly damp paper towel (which removes some of the excess) and then continued to rub it in with a dry paper towel until it was absorbed. They obviously don’t look new but I am really pleased. They certainly look better, feel better and (best of all) no more flakes on my carpet!

  • Ncs51688574 Ncs51688574 on Jul 13, 2021

    I have invented a really cool product for this exact “peeling “ problem just starting to promote it. I have before & after pictures and a tutorial on The ReThink Fabulous FB page if you want to check it out

  • Johnavallance82 Johnavallance82 on Oct 13, 2021

    Make a Head rest cushion. Attach at back on straps and flip over to cover the area.