Chelsey and Robert Pegram

Fibrenew Hampton Roads - Peninsula: Chelsey and Robert Pegram

Mobile restoration service to your home or business!

3 WAYS TO REQUEST AN ESTIMATE: 1Online Request 2Call or Text: 757.303.3052 3Email: hrp@fibrenew.com

Cracking, peeling and flaking leather!

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so you bought a sofa and loveseat set and absolutely loved it! the price was high but not astronomical. they were so comfortable to sit on and you just love the color! then one day you notice some cracking in your favorite spot on the sofa. no big deal, it does not seem to be bothering anyone off to the side. next thing you know the cracking seems to have taken on a life of its own and spread throughout the sofa, springing up here and there. it doesn’t look too bad, it looks like it’s just the color cracking, just a cosmetic issue you can live with. then it happens: when you get up from your spot you notice a piece of the sofa came up with you. when you look down you see some little spots along the cracks are beginning to flake off. upon further inspection you see little spots are peeling off with relative ease. what does all this mean!? unfortunately the words: cracking, peeling and flaking are the telltale signs of both pu leather and bonded leather. these types of materials were not created with the intent to last a lifetime of use. on average you can expect your pu or bonded leather piece to last between 3 and 5 years before you start to see signs of age. 

now what?

 

unfortunately not much can be done to correct cracking, peeling or flaking leather. the process of how pu and bonded leather is made was not created with intent to last or fix. the cracking, peeling, and flaking is occurring because the adhesive that is applied to keep the material to the fabric backing is failing, so it is no longer keeping everything together. this happens due to the age and the wear that has been put on the piece. now the life of a pu or bonded leather piece does vary, it is possible to have a piece last longer or not last at all. it all comes down to each unique situation the piece is put in. here at fibrenew we cannot correct this issue with our repair products because every part of the process needs heat. heat will exasperate the issue and create an even bigger problem potentially.  sometimes on a younger piece (less than 3 years old) there may be some options available for repair. our technicians would have to evaluate the overall condition of your piece before making any recommendations. there is always the option of reupholstering certain parts of your piece or purchasing a new replacement piece; but that is for you to decide what works best for you and your situation. 

so should i buy pu or genuine leather pieces

 

the short answer: it depends. 

it truly depends on what your needs are when looking for a piece. things you should consider when purchasing anything with either of these materials are: will this piece experience a lot of wear,  will it be in direct sunlight (be in a heated environment), and what is my budget? when considering wear: is this a sofa the whole family will enjoy or a statement piece that hardly gets touched. for sunlight, you really need to be thinking about what type of heat environment your piece will be in. as mentioned earlier heat will exasperate any issues that may arise as the piece ages. if your piece is in constant sunlight, like in an rv or as a seat cover in a vehicle, your material will potentially age quicker and need replacing sooner. the most important thing to consider is your budget. the truth of the matter is that polyurethane leather and bonded leather have created a way to have beautiful pieces that feel nice, at a fraction of the cost of a full grain piece that looks exactly the same. by having cheaper manufacturing prices companies are able to keep the overall purchasing cost down for consumers, which is nice when you have small children like we do and don’t want or can’t afford the investment piece. 

think you may have bonded or polyurethane leather? check out our article let’s talk pu and bonded leather 

 

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