When a car gets used on a daily basis, at some point cuts, tears, holes and even cigarette burns and pet scratches are bound to show up on your vinyl seats. Fortunately, learning how to repair vinyl car seats is fairly simple and if you catch the damage while it’s still small, you can repair the vinyl so it looks like new again. Understand, though, if you’ve got a large hole or long tear (4 inches or more), you’ll be better off taking your car to an upholstery shop. For serious damage, the whole seat cover may have to be replaced.
Vinyl Patches: a Quick Fix
For an old car you don’t want to invest too much in, a patch is an easy way to repair the vinyl car seats. Just find any piece of vinyl that matches the color of your seats and that’s big enough to cover the hole or tear. Trim away any uneven edges around the damaged site. Carefully slide the patch into the hole, using tweezers if needed. You can’t simply lay the patch on top because it won’t have enough flex when someone sits on it. Next, lift up the edge of the original vinyl upholstery and apply a thin layer of vinyl adhesive to both the seat’s upholstery and the patch. Finally, press together the areas where you applied the adhesive, taking care not to push them apart. Let the patch dry for 24 hours away from direct sunlight.
Vinyl repair compound: for a flawless repair
If you’re concerned about durability and appearance, you can learn how to repair vinyl car seats the way professionals do it. Done well, these repairs are completely invisible. To do this, though, you’ll need a good quality vinyl repair kit from an auto repair and restoration shop or you can order a kit online.
Prep the area Using a fine grain of sand paper or, if you don’t have that, a kitchen scouring pad, roughen up an area of about an inch around the hole. This gives the repair compound a porous surface to adhere to. Next, use a damp paper towel to apply a thin layer of primer or prepping solution (whatever your kit calls it) to the damaged area.
Fit the patch
For larger tears and holes, you’ll need a patch. (For small damage sites, you can skip this part.) There are specially coated vinyl patches that, when heated, bond to the original vinyl. You’ll need a heat gun to apply it, though. If you don’t have one, you can just use vinyl adhesive, which provides more flexibility that regular glues. Cut your patch to size about 1/4 of an inch bigger than the damaged area all the way around. The overlap is where you’ll apply the adhesive. Slip the patch under the repair site, using tweezers to position it.
Apply the vinyl repair compound
Now you’re ready to apply the vinyl repair compound. Using a flat pallet knife or ordinary butter knife, smooth on enough of the compound to cover the hole, including the patch, so there’s no raised edge left between the patch and the original vinyl. The layer should be no thicker than this, though. A thick layer will dry slowly and won’t bond as strongly, either. Try not to spread the compound too far outside the repair site.
Typical vinyl repair compounds take about 15-20 minutes to dry completely. You can speed this up with a hair dryer, but keep it at least 18 inches away from the surface of the car seats. In your repair kit there should be a pad that mimics the grain in vinyl and leather upholstery. After you remove your heat source (or, if air drying, before the compound is completely dry) press the grain pad onto your repair site for a few seconds, taking care not to leave a dent.
Dye the area
If you need to dye the repaired area to match the color of your seats, use a water based vinyl dye. Spray on a thin layer of dye, dry with your heat source or let air dry, then apply another thin layer of vinyl repair compound. Keep working like this, applying alternating thin layers of compound and dye, until the repair site blends in with the rest of the car seat. This is how to repair vinyl car seats to get a flawless, professional look. If you need to smooth out the area, use some alcohol on a tissue. Just avoid wiping or applying too much because you could clean the compound right off. When the site looks finished, warm the area again and press the grain pad on. Once you’re satisfied with the results, let the repair dry for 24 hours away from direct sunlight.
If you repair your vinyl car seats using one of the high quality vinyl repair kits on the market today, you can get a look almost as perfect as the pros get. For quickie repairs, though, an ordinary patch is another option. In any case, once you know how to repair vinyl car seats yourself, you’ll save time and money you would have spent at the auto repair shop.
