A vinyl office chair can be very comfortable and stylish in the office, the only problem is that the material is more likely to split open. If your vinyl armrest starts to tear, you can easily fix it on your own.
To repair your vinyl office chair armrest, you will need either vinyl patches or liquid vinyl to seal up that crack. The best solution is to purchase a vinyl repair kit because it will have the majority of the items needed to get the job done.
Don’t worry; your vinyl office chair isn’t ruined. It’s easy to fix the wear and tear on your own. Keep reading to learn how.
Table of Contents
How to repair a vinyl armrest
Vinyl is a very comfortable material for office chairs that is made from plasticizers that have an incredibly soft texture that is also stretchy. In order to keep the soft vinyl texture of the chair, there is a unique coating to prevent the materials from wearing down. However, after many uses of your chair, the coating is expected to wear down.
It will most likely wear down quicker on the armrest as opposed to other areas of the chair because of how often you move your arms when you’re working. When you repair the vinyl chair armrest, you are essentially repairing the coating so you can keep the armrest nice and comfortable.
What is needed to repair?
There are quite a few materials that you will need when you want to repair a vinyl armrest. The easiest way to approach getting what you need is by purchasing a vinyl repair kit. Most repair kits will have the following items:
- Liquid vinyl or vinyl patches
- Adhesive
- Backing fabric
- Sanding paper
- Alcohol swaps
- Waterproof paint
There are a few other supplies you will need that aren’t included in the repair kit. If any of the above items weren’t featured, you will need to buy them additionally. These are the other supplies you will need to fix the vinyl armrest.
- 320-grit sandpaper
- Washcloth
- Hand soap (liquid)
- Cotton swabs
The following items are optional, but they make the process easier:
- Hairdryer
- Rubbing alcohol
- Heating lamp
- Finishing spray (can be substituted with finishing oil)
Instructions
Do you have everything you need to repair the armrest?
Follow these instructions to complete the repair.
1: Wash the armrest
Start by saturating the washcloth with hot water. Make sure all of the excess water has been squeezed out before you start. Add a small amount of hand soap to the damp washcloth. Locate the spot that is torn and cleanse it thoroughly to get rid of any dirt and debris.
Using a second wet washcloth, wipe away any soap that is on the armrest. You will likely need to do this a few times to remove all of the suds. Once all the soap bubbles are removed, use a dry cloth to wipe them down. Always allow the armrest at least 10 to 15 minutes to dry before the next step.
2: Sand the armrest
Using the sandpaper, you will need to lightly sand the affected area. It is also recommended to sand down approximately 1/2 an inch around the area as well. Don’t sand the area too harshly, as it may ruin the coating.
Make sure you brush away any sandpaper debris before proceeding.
3: Use the vinyl repair kit
The vinyl repair kit will have either patches or liquid vinyl.
Patches:
- Patches are very easy to use, as you will need to cut a patch slightly larger than the affected area
- and cover it completely.
Liquid vinyl
- With liquid vinyl, you will need to spread it across the affected area one layer at a time.
- Make sure you cover the area going in all directions.
- Always allow 15 minutes between each layer to dry.
- The hairdryer or fan can be used to speed up the process.
Next,
- Mix the provided adhesive with the waterproof paint.
- Spread this mixture over the patch to match your chair.
- It doesn’t hurt to spread it a little bit further than the area.
4: Clean up
Once your armrest is dry, use the rubbing alcohol to sanitize it. You should sand the area one more time to fully smooth it out. Once it looks good, use the finishing spray or oil to create a protective coating.
Final thoughts
If you own a vinyl office chair, it’s a good idea to keep a vinyl repair kit on hand. Always allow the armrest to dry before you use the chair again next. This will prevent you from ruining the protective coating. We recommend using an alternate chair to work in for the day to allow the finishing product to completely dry.
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