How to Fix Torn Upholstery Without Sewing It Up
Good news for those of us who can’t sew: if you tear your cushion or seat, you won’t have to re-upholster the whole thing. You can usually fix small tears yourself, but how you do it (and for how long) depends on the material you’re dealing with. Here’s how to fix tears in vinyl and fabric without pulling out the needle and thread.
How to fix torn vinyl
The first step in repairing torn vinyl is to clean the area around the rip with a mild cleaner and a towel. Then, if the vinyl flexes a little or the tear is small, try joining the sides of the tear together, use a clip to hold them together, and just use glue (Gorilla’s heavy duty glue should work just fine). Do not remove the clip until the adhesive has dried, and if it seems unstable, try applying a second or third coat before releasing it. Here’s our complete torn vinyl repair guide .
IFixIt has another method worth trying as well: take a piece of fabric and cut it just large enough to cover the hole, leaving an extra half inch of space on each side. Insert it under the tear with a small stick, then use vinyl repair adhesive (the color to match your seat) to coat the fabric. After a few hours, use some rubbing alcohol to buff and blend the area.
How to fix fabric tears
When the tear is on corduroy or heavy cotton, your approach to repairing it should be the same, but slightly different from what is described above. According to SFGate , you again want to cut a piece of fabric larger than your hole (for a patch, consider whether you can select suitable fabric from a less visible area of the torn item; for example, if your tear is on your sofa, try taking fabric from the back of the sofa or slipcovers armrests). Then carefully fold back the torn area and tuck the patch underneath, using something small and hard to smooth it out there and pin. Lubricate the patch with a thin layer of latex fabric adhesive, making sure to get a little on the edges of the tear. Remove the pin and press the flap against the patch, then add pins along the edges of the tear while the glue dries.