Anyone skilled in mending upholstery?

Something terrible has happened. After dutifully serving a succession of owners for 15 years and nearly quarter a million miles, my driver's seat has ripped.

Its half leather, half fabric. Where the leather meets fabric down the bolsters, a stretch about 3 inches long has come away.

So, what I need to do, is somehow stick it back together so that the leather once again meets the fabric.

I thought about stitching it, but that looks impractical having looked at it as it looks like the leather is glued to the foam underneath.

So I thought about glueing it, but I don't want to make a mess. Whatever I try, I have to either get it right first time, or be able to undo my effort ready for a fresh attempt.

Any ideas, tips, recommendations of suitable sticky products etc?

 

I wouldn't go anywhere near it with glue Clueless it may melt the fabric and I don't think it would hold anyway. Has the fabric actually torn or is it the stitching that has gone?

 

It looks like it was stitched to the foam, but its hard to tell because the stitches are tiny and barely visible.

As far as I can tell, nothing has ripped. Just the stitching has come away.

 

Ohhhh, I wish I lived closer, I could sort it for you with 'blind' stitching. I really don't know what to suggest. If you want a professional finish and old fashioned upholsterer is the person to find, they often repair car seats. If your not to bothered about seeing the stitching you could over sew the edges together with small stitches but I suspect you're not a dab hand with a needle. Please don't use glue! Is there any chance you can take a picture of it for me please?

 

I'll see if I can get a decent pic tomorrow when its light, but my camera on my phone tends to struggle with close up stuff.

I can stitch, but you're right that I'm not a dab hand at it. It doesn't have to be a perfect job though, but I just want to fix it before it gets bigger, because I reckon now its started to go, it will just rip quite quickly from here unless I sort it fairly quick.

 

Just be careful not to fidget on it if you have to drive and don't attempt to do a temporary fix as it could tear the fabric. At the moment it's just the stitching that has gone thank goodness!

 

I am a dab hand at sewing having at one time made almost all my clothes (including 3-piece suits) and upholstery having re-upholstered my antique dining chairs and a rocking chair ... but I would not attempt a car seat, let alone the driver's seat, ie, the one most used. I have leather bucket-type seats in my car and last year took it to have the door side 'bucket' piece replaced. I took it to a reputable person who re-upholsters furniture but also convertible canvas roofs (cars/caravans) and also leather work. It cost about €60 which included repairing a small tear between the rear seat headrests. He also replaced the rear plastic window which has to be stitched in for about €160.

Perhaps you could look in the Yellow Pages for Car Upholsterers and see if there is such a person in your area from where you could at least get a quote before tackling the job yourself.

 

There's a company in the square just a few hundred yards from me that claim to be specialist in car upholstery, and even boast that they are specialists with leather furnishings. To be honest I never even considered contacting them because I expected them to charge an arm and a leg, but if it might only be a few quid, it might be worth it to have it done properly.

 

Go down the scrappy and get a replacement seat.

 

^^^ Thats Wot I Would Do or take it to a Upholestrey Place they Should do it for a Drink

 

There's a chap in Scotland who is scrapping the ultimate version of the 940. Mine is the Semi-Posh one, with almost all the options, but this chap is scrapping the all-singing-all-dancing one. His has the full leather interior and electric seat adjustments and everything. I was drooling a bit when I read what car he was scrapping, but I can't go all the way to the far north of Scotland just to have a look at some seats.

The thing about the 940 is that although its not a classic, it has a cult following. That's a good thing and a bad thing. Its good because it means there's a wealth of info about looking after them and lots parts suppliers. Its good because it means these lovely cars will be preserved for a good few years yet. People do what they can to keep them rolling along. That's good for so many reasons, but its bad when it comes to sourcing second hand bits because you can't just walk into the nearest scrappy and find a dozen of them. Instead you have to keep checking eBay and the various Volvo car forums, and put messages out saying what you need, and then wait and wait until someone happens to stumble across your ad at the same time as they just happen to find what you need. I'm still desperately waiting for someone to find me a seat belt buckle because mine is starting to wear out, and just the other day the exact turbo I want turned up, but its in Northern Ireland, and I'm not sure I dare pay to have a large metal object shipped over. Wife would kill me.

 

C1, all of this 'fluff' is not going to get your seat fixed ... stop dreaming and go source ...

 

Send a Courier

 

My seat is going to have to be a DIY job now because a higher priority expense has manifested itself. Got a failed ABS sensor to replace.

 

CL1, Could you opt for this method if it is going to be a DIY job.

http://www.doityourself.com/stry/how-to-do-auto-upholstery-repair-yourself

Hope you get the ABS sensor sorted out too.