If your car’s upholstery gets a tear in it, must you take it for an expensive fix to an expert, or can you fix it yourself? With patience, there are some ways that you can fix small tears in your car’s upholstery on your own, saving you time and money.
Fixing a Tear in a Fabric Car Seat
If you have a small tear in a fabric car seat, you can fix it yourself, with some effort and a few supplies. Buy a curved upholstery needle at a craft store, along with extra-strong thread in the color of the upholstery, and a bottle of liquid seam sealant. Stitch the tear on both sides, keeping stitches about a quarter-inch away from the torn edge. Close the tear fully, and knot off your thread, trimming it close to the fabric. Then use your liquid seam sealant and paint over both sides of the repair, especially over any visible needle holes.
Fixing a Hole in Upholstery
Small holes in your car’s upholstery, such as cigarette burns, can also be fixed if you have patience and the right supplies. Find some fabric scraps that match your car’s upholstery and can be used as a patch. Buy some iron-on adhesive, and some cotton muslin a bit larger than the hole. Cut the fabric to match the size of the hole in the upholstery, and cut a piece of the iron-on adhesive to be larger than the fabric. Cut the muslin to the same size as the hole. Use an iron on the silk setting and bond the muslin to the iron-on adhesive’s sticky side. Once it has cooled, tuck the iron-on adhesive into the small hole, with the paper-backed side up and the side with the muslin attached to it down. Tuck the fabric patch into the hole on top of the iron-on adhesive. Place a cloth over the area to be repaired and, using your iron on the silk setting, iron the area and fabric, following the directions that came with the iron-on adhesive. Allow it to cool, and your small hole should be fixed!
Fixing Tears or Holes in Vinyl Upholstery
Is your car’s interior made of vinyl material? Rips in this type of material can still be fixed using a DIY method. There are a variety of leather and vinyl repair kits on the market that will allow you to apply matching colored liquid vinyl to the hole, using heat to cure and set it. This fix will take a few hours to complete.
When Should I Have a Tear Professionally Repaired?
Knowing what type of tear in your car’s upholstery you can fix yourself and which ones to take to a professional for repair is important. For example, if your car has leather upholstery and you try to fix a tear in it yourself, your fix will probably show (and might look worse than the original tear). Take this to a professional leather expert for repair.
If your car’s upholstery has more than a small tear or hole, you should also consult a professional for repair. Larger repairs are not easy for do-it-yourselfers to fix, and will look much better if a professional works on them.
Finally, if you are trying to sell a car and get the most value from it, have all tears and holes fixed by a professional. No matter how hard you try to conceal it, if you fix an upholstery tear yourself, it will show. Professionals can hide these types of fixes much better, as that’s their job.