Restoring the upholstery of a La-Z-Boy couch

March 30, 2022 9:05 AM

The cushions and one armrest of our 12-year-old La-Z-Boy couch look a little shabby. Do you know of any options for restoring them besides reupholstering, or is it too far gone?

Here are close-ups of the cushions: left and right. The couch has been used relatively little, so the rest of it is in good shape. We live in a dry environment, which probably means we should have been periodically treating the upholstery with something, but that was then.

posted by davcoo to Home & Garden (5 answers total)

I've never tried it myself, but I lurk in some decorating groups on FB and painting upholstered furniture is a thing. I just Googled "painting faux leather couch" and came up with a ton of results, so that might be worth a look.
posted by Serene Empress Dork at 10:15 AM on March 30, 2022

Not really. Once the leather starts cracking/flaking like that, it’s pretty much too late. You might be able to hide it via painting, but you’ll be able to see where the repairs are, and it won’t stop the cracking spreading. Time for a slip-cover.
posted by Thorzdad at 10:48 AM on March 30, 2022

Lengthy vid on filler & dye repair for a cracking/peeling sofa
Quick fix with matte acrylic craft paint (she does mention using a leather conditioner the day after)
Tandy leather supplies (Leather paints are acrylic-based paints created specifically for work on leather and faux leather)
Counterpoint: It's rarely worth your time and money to repair peeling bonded leather
posted by Iris Gambol at 5:37 PM on March 30, 2022

When I was in a similar situation, I painted coats of this stuff all over the peeling parts. I kept up with it, and it helped somewhat, but was not a permanent solution. It's worth a try if you want a semi-temporary fix. Upon recollection, I think what I actually did was use markers on the mis-colored fabrics and then used a clear version of the above paint. (That was easier to color-match than to find a paint that matched.)
posted by hydra77 at 5:45 PM on March 30, 2022

To avoid abusing the edit window...

It may also be worth investing in a good slipcover. Matching the style of your sofa will get you something that improves the look and protects the couch.
posted by hydra77 at 5:48 PM on March 30, 2022