Leather Hero leather filler (Fill No.14) is a flexible, sandable, water-based, air-drying compound with excellent adhesion properties for filling surface imperfections in leather. It has a white base and comes in a variety of colours. It is designed to be used under leather paint to create discreet repairs and surface corrections. It is suitable for use under opaque finishes (leather paint) and generally unsuitable for use under transparent finishes (leather dyes).

- Cosmetic filling of scratches, scuffs, pits and troughs

- Fill remaining gaps after gluing or stitching rips back together

- Skim coat delaminated areas

- Can be stippled to mimic leather grain

- Can be tinted with leather dye or paint to create coloured filler

Filler is compatible with the Repair & Recolour Kit.

Good surface prep is an important part of successful results, including filled repairs.

1) Clean the leather surface with Spot & Prep (No.4)

2) Glue closed any loose tags or open tears with Glue (No.16) and allow drying.

3) Sand the area using a 400-800 grit sandpaper.

4) Load some filler onto the back of a palette knife then drag the knife on a 20-45 degree angle across the repair area, pressing firmly and evenly so that a neat, thin layer of filler is deposited.

5) Allow drying then sand as needed. Continue applying filler in thin layers until the desired effect is acheived. Use a stippling technique if a textured finish is required.

6) Sand to smooth.

Repeat until the desired surface correction has been achieved.

Bind the surface first: Apply leather Binder (No.33) before applying Fill (No.14) to stabilise loose, flaking, open and porous leather. Once dry, Binder can be sanded, helping to seal and smooth a rough and unstable surface before filling.

Prime before filling: Prime (No.5) can be applied before and after filler to maximise adhesion.

Tint to create coloured fill: Mix around 10% Leather Paint into white filler to create coloured filler.

Stipple to mimic grain: For your last 1-2 coats of filler, use a dabbing motion to create a textured effect that mimics leather grain. When cured, sand lightly to soften sharp peaks and render soft mounds.

Insert a sub-patch: When repairing rips and tears, try inserting a sub-patch for extra reinforcement. Glue the patch behind the tear. When the glue has cured, fill any remaining gaps with leather filler. Use a palette knife or similar to flatten the patch so that it lies flat under the leather. Suitable sub-patch materials include leather, vinyl, mesh, interfacing, silk, calico or other fabrics

- Leather filler is not designed for rebuilding missing leather. Using a patch then filling to cosmetically improve the joins is preferable to attempting to lay in large, deep areas of filler.

- Oil repels adhesion. In leather it prevents coatings and compounds from forming a bond. If your leather is very oily, it may appear dark in colour and soggy or spongey to touch.

- Filler that it applied too thickly, may not cure. Thin layers are recommended.

- Filler that is not dry, doesn't sand well. Allow full curing. This can be anywhere from 30 mins to a few days depending on environmental factors, the nature of your job and how much filler has been applied. .

- Repaired area looks smooth. This is normal where a lot of filler has been used or where the grain is coarse. Try stippling to mimic leather grain if needed.

- Repaired area feels a little stiffer than the surrounding leather. This can happen. Repairs may relax as the leather flexes with use.

- Tears in load bearing areas such as seat cushions. Filler has good adhesion and tensile strength. It can hold and conceal small joins and cosmetic corrections in non-load bearing areas indefinately. When it comes to torn, cut or ripped leather that carries human weight, foundational repair work is needed before cosmetic filling is done. First insert a sub-patch, then stitch the tear back together. Apply glue behind, between and over the join. Allow to cure. Use filler to cosmetically conceal the repair.

- The type, quality and condition of the leather impacts repair results. The better the substrate, the higher the chance of a good repair. Where the leather is thin, weak and fragile, repairs are more challenging and may have reduced durability.