Iron on patches for seats?
RockVegas
New Wagonist
I don't know what he cloth seats are made from, but they look like they're not going to melt if I hit them with an iron. Has anyone used any form of iron on cloth patch to temporarily fix seat rips on these things? My seat looks like a build-a-bear reject!
Comments
i actually sewed a patch onto my drivers seat, well, my mother did
O' Hoolihan?
Yeah, I'll whip out some thread if I have to. I was hoping they sold large ass swaths of iron on material to make my life easier.
Pat, lookin forward to it.
Haydz, if Pat let's us down, I may have to do just that, lol
must feel very relaxing...
2
Be VERY careful with the velour fabric - it melts quickly and just touching a 'too hot' iron to it will make a mark.
I've fixed several seats this way. Usually one wants to start on the inside at the seam so the raw edge is protected and hidden from view. Weld the patch on starting in the vertical middle working up and down slowly. Too much heat degrades the glue and not enough won't melt the patch in properly... better to little at first then loose spots can be reheated to make them stick.
Once the inside seam is stable, foam or pillow stuffing can be used to rebuild the bolster and cover the metal., sometimes duct tape can be used to hold inner layers in place.
Stretch the middle of the patch over the bolster to check the shape and firmness and tack it a bit below the vertical center - check firmness and shape again. More stuffing can be added or removed before final welding of the patch to the seat. Worst case scenario is reheating and removing a section to reposition the tack for proper fit.
Several horizontal slits allow the upper portions of the patch to overlap lower sections for the curve. BE CAREFUL - making the slits to long will leave a non-overlapping seam! Top sections should overlap lower sections so it all looks nice.
Finding a patch wide enough to go several inches around the bolster and outside is important, since it gives more surface area for the patch to hold. Sometimes a few smaller patches are required, start at the bottom and work towards the top.
Blue jean patches wear like iron, but thin black patches can make the repair almost invisible on black seat fabric.
Sorry, no pics - but the people who bought the cars never mentioned the repaired seats... Iron on patches work perfectly for seat repair!
Dave