How to Repair No Heat Vinyl

Vinyl covered seats can crack with age and can be repaired with no heat involved.

Ripped vinyl can be repaired without having to apply heat. Melting vinyl to repair it may not be practical in the home environment due to potential exposure to toxic fumes. Torn vinyl car seats, luggage, or clothing can all be repaired with a no heat repair kit. No heat repair kits come with a putty-like substance that is used to fill in holes or tears in vinyl. These repair kits can also be used to fix ripped or torn leather as well.

Things You'll Need

• No heat leather and vinyl repair kit
• Rubbing alcohol
• Cotton balls
• Scissors
• Mixing container
• Cotton Swab
• Masking tape
• Cloth or rag
• Vinyl floor wax
• Steel wool

Instructions

1. Put the rubbing alcohol on a cotton ball and clean off the vinyl where the tear or rip has been made. Check to see if any padding has been lost. If there is a small hole or depression in the padding underneath the vinyl, use cotton balls to replace it. Spread the cotton evenly under the rip or hole until it is level with the rest of the padding.

2. Cut off any threads or pieces of vinyl that are loose.

3. Cut the backing fabric into a piece that is a little bit larger than the rip or hole in the vinyl. Slip the fabric into the hole or rip and position it so that it is covering the hole up the from the inside of the vinyl.

4. Take the color match guide from the kit and follow its instructions to pick a color that will match the vinyl. Open the containers of coloring and pour them into a mixing container. Mix them well.

5. Test the mixture to see if it is the correct color by applying it to a test spot on the vinyl. Wait for it to dry. The color should match.

6. Apply the color mixture with a cotton swab onto the hole of the vinyl. Fill it in as evenly as you can and cover the hole entirely. Wait for it to dry as the repair mixture will shrink a bit as it is drying.

7. Finish filling the hole in by applying a thin coating of the mixture onto the repaired area. Place the grain paper onto it and secure into place with masking tape and wait for it to dry. The mixture will take anywhere from 3 to 6 hours to set.

8. Take a small amount of the repair mixture and add 2 to 3 drops of water to thin it out. Paint the entire repaired spot of the vinyl with this mixture. Wait for it to dry. Apply vinyl floor wax with a cloth, and then buff with steel wool.

References

• CIPA USA: No Heat Leather and Vinyl Repair Instructions