Leatherette products are firmly rooted in human life. Upholstery, clothes and shoes made of this material are found everywhere, as it is more accessible for people with modest means.
It often happens that a hole appears on your favorite thing, but you don’t want to part with it. Here, glue repair methods often come to the rescue. And so that the repair is successful, you should know the advantages and weaknesses of adhesives made by domestic and foreign manufacturers. And also how to do the job of restoring your favorite thing correctly.
Glue review
The first of them is sufficiently strong when bonding leatherette parts with other surfaces. Among the shortcomings, a sharp and unpleasant odor is noted, which does not disappear for several weeks. The cost of glue varies around 230 rubles.
Another popular domestic glue is Moment. This universal composition has good adhesion. If you apply it on both surfaces to be joined, then after 10 hours it will be difficult to tear them apart. At the same time, manufacturers guarantee the maximum effect in a day. Another advantage is the absence of a specific smell 24 hours after completion of work. Attracts and the budget price of the composition: 190 rubles.
In addition to the common glue for fixing leather products or its substitute in stores you can find other compounds. So, Mars glue sold in 50 ml tubes at a price of 70 rubles. It retains its properties at temperatures from -40 to +80. But it should be used in work at a temperature of -10.
So, GTA Botern glue, produced in Poland, can be ordered for 1, 500 rubles in the amount of at least five cans. With the purchase of 10 or more, the cost will drop to 1200 rubles. Although it is difficult to find it in Russia, in other countries it is widely used to work with imitation leather products and other materials.
High rates of strength and reliability and German glue Mah. You can order it at a price of 1, 500 rubles per half liter. It retains its qualities at the highest temperature of +160 degrees. This differs from most of its counterparts.
What to look for when choosing glue
Since all formulations differ in color, consistency, method of application and adhesion, several factors should be considered when choosing a product:
- Does the glue have an unpleasant odor and how long it has been weathering;
- whether the composition has the ability to stain the fabric, this factor is especially important if the product is made of leather in light tones;
- whether the adhesive lays evenly, or lumps are formed that create an unpleasant visual effect on the leatherette;
- what is the lowest possible temperature for applying the composition;
- adhesion quality, which is necessary to repair things that are regularly subjected to mechanical stress;
- temperature threshold at which the adhesive retains its properties.
All this must be taken into account when choosing the composition for work, as well as to determine how to eliminate damage to the product from a skin substitute.
Liquid skin as an alternative to glue
In this way, it is not recommended to repair things made from dermantine. Vinyl, which is part of this fabric, does not allow liquid skin to be absorbed. Therefore, the surface treated in this way after a short time will give delamination.
If a car case or jacket is made of a better substitute for leather (polyurethane, nitrocellulose or another coating), the use of liquid skin will give a better result than in the case of cheap leatherette. But he still can not compare with the natural skin for which the product is intended.
How to seal a hole on a leatherette jacket
In the first case, the joined surfaces are cleaned of dirt and degreased with acetone. For ease of operation, the lining is torn open, and the damaged area of the product is leveled and smoothed.
The patch should be larger than the damage it closes. The allowance is about a centimeter on all sides. A small piece of material is usually attached to the jacket along with extra buttons. If not, you can take any dense fabric of a similar color. If the process is carried out from the inside of the jacket, the surfaces can be treated with sandpaper to enhance adhesion.
Most of the compositions require application in 2 layers. First, the surfaces are coated with an even layer of glue for the first time and left for 20 minutes until dry. After the second layer is applied. Now you need to wait a couple of minutes for a thin film to form on top of the treated leatherette.
Now it remains to connect the patch with the jacket, aligning the boundary of the gap and pressing the edges of the cut. In conclusion, it remains to process the seam on the front side. To do this, its edges are slightly pushed back, additionally lubricated with glue, and then pressed back. The remains of the composition can be carefully removed with your fingers.
When fixing the patch on the front side, the principle of operation is the same, only the requirements for the fabric used in this way increase.
General recommendations for the work
- the room in which the work is carried out must be well ventilated;
- do not leave the tube open, as the substance will retain its properties longer.
To apply the composition in an even layer, often use a brush. If this tool is planned to be used in the future, it will need to be cleaned of glue immediately after completion of work. Otherwise, it will be impossible to do it later.
