How To Fix Peeling Leather Office Chair

Peeling faux leather office chairs is a very unfortunate sight. Excess flaking could be due to heavy wear and tear, a poor care schedule, or direct exposure to sunlight for prolonged periods. With faux leather, the combination of the low-end base fabric and a polyurethane coating could be hard to maintain. To help prevent such issues, choose the best office chair you can afford, preferably those known for their durability and quality materials.

Key Takeaways_

• Fixing peeling faux leather or vinyl office chairs should take no more than 30 minutes (not including drying time).
• You may use leather filler or leather paint to even out areas where faux leather is peeling.
• Wait at least 40 minutes between each coat of paint or filler for the best results.

How to Fix Your Peeling Office Chair

Fixing a peeling chair is not as complicated as learning how to fix a broken office chair base. Here are steps you can take to fix your favorite office chairs, with a focus on repairing cracking faux leather or vinyl. For another DIY solution to a common office chair problem, check out our guide on how to fix an office chair that leans back.

STEP 1 Peel Off the Pieces

Slowly peel off the peeled pieces using a damp microfiber cloth. Keep a trash can nearby to discard all of the pieces.

STEP 2 Apply Leather Paint and Let Dry

Apply leather paint to the affected areas with a small paintbrush. If the peeling goes across your sofa’s back and sides, start there before making your way to the seating. Let the paint dry for no more than 40 minutes. If applying multiple coats, wait at least 30 minutes between each coat to prevent smearing.

STEP 3 Apply High Gloss Paint Finish

Using a new brush, apply a high gloss paint finish.. Be sure to apply even horizontal strokes to make it appear as clean as possible. Apply more coats of finish as needed, but no more than three.

You may also substitute leather paint for leather filler. Be careful not to introduce any leather filler within the seams of the sofa or run the risk of distorting it. You may also want to check out how to fix the popping noise in an office chair if this is your problem.

What are the different types of leather?

Note, that there are different types of leather, including bonded leather (a cheaper alternative to top-grain leather with a polyurethane (PU) overlay) and genuine leather. The above instructions apply to faux leather only, which is the weakest type of leather of the bunch. If you can afford it, we definitely advise going with genuine or bonded leather over faux leather. Additionally, if your chair is leather and you need to fix it, we have a great guide on how to fix leather office chair scratches. However, if it’s not in your budget, no worries since there are solutions for even an office chair under $300. 

Expect a decent faux leather office chair to last up to seven years if properly maintained. Note, that there are different grades of faux leather, some more loaded with polyurethane coating than others.