Repairing a Tear on a Microfiber Sofa

I have two tears in a fairly new microfiber sofa. One is about 3 inches, the other is 2 1/2 inches. How can I repair this?

Janet from Palm Beach Gardens, FL

Answers:

Repairing a Tear on a Microfiber Sofa

Go to Walmart or any craft or fabric store and buy a bottle of "Fabri-Tac" fabric glue for under $5. It's the brand in a clear bottle. I like it because it's one of the strongest brands and one of the only brands that says it can be machine washed, machine dried, and also dry-cleaned, plus it's the fabric glue that most pros use. (Use it later to hem and patch your jeans!)

Next, you need a small piece of a medium weight woven fabric (like muslin for example). Cut it just a little bigger than the tear. You'll have to tuck the piece of fabric in and under the tear. Then squirt in a "tiny" bit of the Fabri-Tac glue, then wait about 1 minute until the glue is slightly tacky, then carefully press the torn microfiber to the glued piece of (muslin) fabric.

Try to not get any glue on the top side of the microfiber. If you do, you may be able to wipe it off w/a damp Q-tip before it dries. (04/05/2008)

By Cyinda

Repairing a Tear on a Microfiber Sofa

An alternate way might be to take a tiny piece of fusible webbing or fusible interfacing (ask for it in the cutting department of a fabric store). You'd slip this inside of the tear. If you choose fusible interfacing you'd need to make sure the fusible side was "up" (towards the microfiber). Then instead of actually touching it with an iron, you'd need to hit the microfiber with only steam (to fuse it to the interfacing) OR you could use a Teflon pressing sheet.

Do NOT press directly on the microfiber with your iron. You may be able to just barely touch it with a curling iron. But, I'd try fusing the interfacing to the microfiber with steam first.

This may be a lot less messy than my previous post, but it won't be as permanent as the fabric glue method. (04/05/2008)

By Cyinda

Repairing a Tear on a Microfiber Sofa

Cyinda, I have a tear in my loveseat, but it's not microfiber. It's a soft fabric with a velvety feel, but it isn't velvet. I am pretty sure I would not be able to successfully apply heat to it. I am wondering how the Fabri-Tac would work. In my case, the tear is several inches one way and about 3 inches another, so that the foam beneath is exposed. I'm not really concerned about looks since we don't often have visitors, but I am wondering if the Fabri-Tac would look bad or feel hard if I just put a patch of fabric over the outside of the tear? (04/06/2008)

By Lydia Erb

Repairing a Tear on a Microfiber Sofa

Avalinejet: Don't worry, the Fabri-Tac won't dry very stiff. But, don't apply the patch on the outside, do it from the inside of the "velveteen" type fabric. (It'll stick much better and look better too!) Just make sure your inside patch is about an inch bigger than the tear. A cut up old pillow case or sheet will work for the patch. To do a nice job, use a fabric marker pen, acrylic paint, or a permanent marker to color the patch to match the couch fabric first. That way, if part of the patch shows through a bit, it'll still look okay. Then with something sharp (like a knitting needle, crochet hook, or a pen) push the patch inside the tear. (A butter knife might do also the trick to wedge the patch inside the tear.) Next squirt just a little of the Fabri-Tac on top of the patch (a little goes a long way). Try not to get glue on the velvet outside the tear. Then press down on the glue and the patch with your fingers or something like a crochet hook or the tip of a butter knife. You should probably set a thick phone book on the tear while it dries, but make sure to put a piece of tinfoil or wax paper between them so the phone book won't stick to the sofa! (04/06/2008)

By Cyinda