Renovating a leather sofa: the professional 5-step method

The renovation on video: customer testimonial

Renovating a leather sofa in 5 steps

Renovating a damaged leather sofa is perfectly doable yourself, at home, by following five steps in order.

Here is the step-by-step procedure, following the Sofolk method: each step addresses a specific problem and is dealt with at the right time, with its own dedicated page and products, whatever the type of leather, from aniline to pigmented leather.

1. Clean and degrease

It all starts with perfectly clean leather: as long as sebum, grease and dust clog the surface, no treatment penetrates the material and stains stay trapped.

That is why you must first clean the leather of your sofa thoroughly, area by area, before any repair.

Leather that is dirty but intact stops at this step; if it is also scratched or split, the cleaning simply prepares the ground for the next one.

2. Repair the damage

On a clean base, damage that affects the material is dealt with before the colour: recolouring does not fill a crack, a scratch or a hole.

You therefore need to repair the leather of your sofa to rebuild a smooth, even surface, using a liquid leather or a paste.

This step rebuilds the material, whereas the next will simply restore its colour.

3. Recolour or dye

Once the material has been repaired, the shade often remains uneven: the paste leaves a light mark and the contact areas have faded over time.

Now is the time to recolour or change the colour of the leather, to even out the surface, restore the original colour or adopt a new one, chosen from the colour chart.

Recolouring gives the furniture its look back; it is the next step that will make it last.

4. Protect

A fresh shade and a renewed leather grain remain fragile as long as no barrier covers them.

You then need to protect the renovated leather with a lacquer or a wax, which seals the colour and withstands everyday rubbing and UV.

This protection works on the surface, like a film; the last step nourishes the leather from within.

5. Nourish and care

Leather remains a living material: without nourishment, it dries out, hardens, then starts to crack again.

The result therefore lasts only if you remember to nourish the leather regularly with a suitable oil, which restores its suppleness deep down.

Unlike the four previous one-off steps, this one is repeated: it is care that preserves the result in the long term.

Should you nourish your leather sofa BEFORE or AFTER any leather renovation?

Whatever the leather, we advise applying Sofolk 100% natural Nourishing Oil 15 to 30 days before, or 30 days after, repairing heavily cracked leather.

By penetrating the leather fibres, the nourishing oil allows the leather to regain all its suppleness and preserves the colour of your sofa for longer. You thus keep all the good looks and comfort of this centrepiece of your lounge, for several years.

It is therefore essential not to underestimate the importance of this treatment in the care of your leather sofa, and to apply it allowing the necessary soaking-in time for an optimal, quality result.

Complete kit or individual products: which format should you choose?

The choice between a complete box and buying products individually depends on the extent of the damage and the size of the furniture, which dictates the quantities to plan for.

The box brings together the right products in the right proportions from the outset, from cleaning to protection, and is the obvious choice as soon as several steps follow one another.

Buying individually still makes sense for an isolated touch-up, on a single seat or an armrest, when a single step is enough to restore the leather.

Please note: on a very soft leather covering, especially where there are tears, new padding is strongly recommended. Foams generally need replacing every ten years.

Renovating a leather sofa yourself or leaving it to a professional?

The choice between the box and the professional depends above all on the condition of the furniture: as long as the frame remains sound, a complete box lets you redo the leather at home, with the details on our page dedicated to complete renovation kits.

Which product should you use to renovate a leather sofa?

Sofolk has developed several quality products and so offers you reliable items for each step of your leather sofa renovation:

• The Sofolk Sebum Cleaner: naturally produced by the skin, sebum seeps into the leather and eventually leaves greasy films or rings at neck and armrest level. This item therefore gives you a deep clean, without fading your leather.
• The Sofolk leather healing glue is ideal for scratches, small cuts, splits and snags. It lets you glue the edges of the damaged area back together, preventing it from deteriorating further. It does not need recolouring.
• The Sofolk Repair Paste, for major damage, fills cracks, scuffs, cuts and so on. For areas with no material, use our texture-impression paste to recreate the texture of the leather. Recolouring will then be necessary.
• The Sofolk pigment leather colourant is easy to use and available in a wide range of shades. You can also customise the shade of your recolouring by sending us a sample of your sofa.
• The Sofolk Silky Lacquer for leather or the Sofolk protective wax protect your leather and preserve its quality. Available in gloss, matt or satin finishes.
• The Sofolk Nourishing Oil: an oil to protect and nourish the leather of your sofa, thus preventing premature wear.

Why choose Sofolk products to renovate your leather sofa?

For over 30 years, Sofolk has been designing products inspired by the techniques used in tanneries. Developed on the same principle as the material being treated, our items therefore let you renovate the leather of any sofa durably, with a remarkable result.

By following the Sofolk method, you are guaranteed a recolouring that lasts at least five years, and a quality commitment that enhances your leather sofa every day.

Our products, made in France near Bordeaux, are delivered quickly. They make restoring your leather sofa easier thanks to a professional range. Renovation is simple thanks to items accessible to everyone.

Our Sofolk products bring your leather sofa back to life, so that you can once again enjoy your high-end lounge.

Some examples of leather lounge suite renovations

To illustrate, here are photos of leather lounge suite renovations. Also see our forum in the "testimonials" section to discover the results with the Sofolk method.