How to fix cracked vinyl seats

If there’s anything that’s the bane of the inexperienced boat owner, it might just be vinyl. True: vinyl is a durable, waterproof, valuable material. It’s great for marine upholstery because of how well it handles water and how long it lasts. But it won’t last forever. It can sometimes crack, exposing the cushioning inside your upholstery. If you want to know how to repair cracked vinyl boat seats, here are the tips you’ll need to keep in mind.

Vinyl Repair Prep: The Basics

It starts with preparing the vinyl you’re working with. We recommend that you do the following:

• Clean the surface of the vinyl. It’s tempting at this point to use something like a general cleaner. But if you’re repairing (and not replacing) the vinyl, you’ll want something that cleans and protects in one swipe. That’s why we recommend VinyLIFE Vinyl Cleaner & Protectant. This will help prepare the area
  you’re about to repair and provide protection against UV rays.
• Get rid of any adhesives and sealants. This will help clear the area for effective vinyl repair. If it sounds like a pain, don’t worry—you can use Release Adhesive & Sealant Remover to help dissolve the adhesive and remove any old stickers or sealants that might be getting in the way.
• Inspect the vinyl. A small tear in the seam of your vinyl can lead to a bigger issue down the road. You don’t want to have to repeat this process in the future. Just give your seats a once-over inspection after you’ve cleared out the debris and cleaned the vinyl itself.
• If your vinyl cracks while you’re boating, you can use duct tape as an emergency “repair kit.” As useful as duct tape is, however, you’ll want to avoid using it as a long-term solution. This is unsightly, of course, and it’s not as effective as simply repairing the vinyl.

As they say, beginning is half the battle. With your seats adequately prepped, you’ll find the next step far easier.

Vinyl Repair For Boat Seats

Now that you’ve got an idea on how to prep your seats, it’s time to take the next step: the actual repair.

• A vinyl repair patch kit is your ally here. This is especially true for “cuts” in the vinyl that are easy to patch up. They’ll be much simpler to handle and will likely mean you can avoid all out vinyl replacement.
• The best practice here isn’t to follow any standard procedure that might not apply—instead, you should look to the instructions on your vinyl repair kit for the best way to move forward. This will help you understand the steps necessary for using your specific tools, rather than going out to the hardware store to buy unnecessary products that may have nothing to do with
  your kit.

Want more ways to clean and repair your boat? We recommend that you browse the boat cleaning and maintenance products available right here at BoatLIFE.

The vinyl seats in my car have begun to crack and flake apart in some places. I know I could get them reupholstered, but I don’t have the money for it right now—how can I fix a cracked vinyl car seat myself?

Andrew (Andy) Biro

Vinyl can be a bit difficult to repair. It may not look exactly as it did before, but you can fix cracked vinyl yourself for less money than getting the seat reupholstered.

Before you begin, you’ll need the following tools:

• Razor
• Heat gun
• Grain paper
• Vinyl repair kit

Use the razor to carefully remove any sharp edges that have started to curl or peel away from the surface. The smaller and hard-to-remove edges can be melted with the heat gun set to 550 degrees from a distance of 2-6 inches away, then pressed down with the grain paper.

Once the cracked surfaces have cooled to room temperature, wipe them down with rubbing alcohol. Use the filler from the vinyl repair kit and build up a thin layer over the cracks, remove the excess, and let it all dry.

Repeat this process until the filler is even with the original vinyl covering, then press down with the grain pad to texturize the filler as it starts to dry.

Your cracked vinyl should look much better now!

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Like leather, vinyl cracks as it ages and desiccates (dries out). Unlike leather, however, the cracks often create sharp edges that curl upward and stand above the surrounding surface. These must be carefully shaved away or melted with heat. Even the most skillful repairs often result in a slightly elevated mound, and they cannot be expected to perform better than the original material.

While you can use an air-dry putty like our Soft Filler, just as you would real leather, the superior method for cracking vinyl is to use a heat-cure compound along with graining papers. This requires a heat gun. If you plan to make this a hobby or vocation, invest in a graining kit to make your own, as the papers crease over time.

The graining kit is comprised of a compound and a catalyst. Mix these together and pour onto an undamaged horizontal surface and allow to cure (about 20-30 minutes). You’ll have a strong, floppy, heat resistant pad with a negative of the material’s grain for embossing the heat-cure putty as it cools. Buy only as much as you need, as the compound and catalyst spoil within a few months. Or commit to making a variety of grains, as they will last decades.

Here’s how to repair cracking vinyl with a heat gun and grain pad. This method also works for leather, but take care with the heat gun. Leather can shrink and pucker if it is overheated.

1. Subpatch and glue any holes.
2. Holding a clean, new razor blade almost parallel to the surface, carefully shave away any sharp, curling edges that stand high above the surface.
3. Those too low-profile or risky to shave can be gently melted with the heat gun ~550°F at a distance of 2″-6″ for 5 to 15 seconds (we’ve even ‘nuked’ some heavier duty vinyls with 1000°F and a reducer nozzle, but be cautious). The vinyl will begin to get more glossy.
4. Remove the heat gun, and immediately apply the grain pad. Use a small board or block to apply even pressure and avoid dents in the upholstery. Hold for 10 to 15 seconds.
5. Repeat as necessary. The vinyl needs to be room temperature and as level as possible before filler is applied.
6. Clean the vinyl with denatured or rubbing alcohol.
7. Apply a thin coat of heat-cure filler just as you would our air-dry filler, using a palette knife or needle tool. Level and remove excess with a plastic spreader.
8. Use the heat gun ~550°F at a distance of 8-10″ from the repair and warm until the filler begins to change from a glossy white cream to a more translucent, frosted appearance. If it gets very hot, it will go become glossy again and better receive the grain, but careful not to melt the surrounding area.
9. Immediately apply the grain pad and wooden block using gentle, even pressure. Hold for a 5 to 10 seconds. This will emboss the filler as it cools.
10. Allow the surface to return to room temperature before continuing. Some pros invest in a chill block, but water and a few minutes will do the trick.
11. Repeat steps 7-10 until the surface feels even.
12. If necessary, apply a final thin coat of heat-cure filler and texturize with a gloved hand to blend any lines or inconsistencies in texture. Heat and emboss with grain pad once more.
13. You can also use a spray grain like SEM Chip Guard to further blend texture.
14. Apply Rub ‘n Restore® color and Clear Prep+Finish™ if desired.
15. If the repair needs, re-working, use our Flite™ cleaner or rubbing alcohol to remove the color before applying more heat-cure filler.