Best Glue For Leather 2023-Reviews and Buyer’s Guide

If you’re someone who does a lot of leather DIYs, and craft projects, or appreciates leather products, you know how much the adhesive matters.

Leather products often require intricate sewing to enhance their quality of the product. And using adhesive on the seam of the product to make it more durable isn’t a rare sight.

Best Glue for Leather

The ideal glue for leather needs to be strong, durable, waterproof, and has the right amount of viscosity. There are tons of glues available in the market. It’s why finding an ideal leather glue can be a quite confusing process.

In today’s article, we’ll be talking about the top 8 best glue for leather. Each of these glues are handpicked and selected after thoroughly judging their performance, strength, precision and quality.

Be it repairing a leather couch or a leather boot, the selected adhesives in this list will not let you down.

ImageProductFeaturesPrice
Tandy Leather Eco-Flo Leather Weld AdhesiveTandy Leather Eco-Flo Leather Weld Adhesive
  • super strong bonding power
  • eco friendly
Check Price
Tear Mender Instant Fabric and Leather AdhesiveTear Mender Instant Fabric and Leather Adhesive
  • Waterproof,
  • Flexible and UV resistant
Check Price
Aleene's Leather & Suede GlueAleene’s Leather & Suede Glue
  • fringes and beadwork to leather
  • clear and flexibl
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Fiebing's Leathercraft CementFiebing’s Leathercraft Cement

easy to use

Non-toxic and Non-flammable formula

Check Price

Table of Contents

10 Best Glue For Leather

We’ve rummaged through all the available leather glue in the market and found out these top adhesives that perform excellent on leather Each of these adhesives offers top-notch durability, Super finish quality that will ensure your project turns out perfect. 

1. Tear Mender Instant Fabric and Leather Adhesive

Tear Mender Instant Fabric and Leather Adhesive

If you check the tear mender review online, you’ll be able to understand how loved the Tear Mender Instant Fabric and Leather Adhesive is.

This clear finish glue creates a durable latex bond within the leather pieces, which makes it flexible as well. It starts drying down within 3 minutes of application.

It’s washable for 15 minutes within applying, last-minute changes are no longer a pain in the neck.

Despite being UV resistant and waterproof, tear mender is actually a water based, nontoxic leather adhesive.

Due to its multipurpose usage, it can be used on a wide range of surfaces. Be it your leather couch, leather jacket, or even a horse saddle, tear mender can fix it all.

There’s also a tear mender leather repairing kit available, but if you already have all the other items available at home, just buying the adhesive will do. 

Pros:

  • Tear mender leather glue is UV resistant and waterproof.
  • Tear mender glue is washable within 15 minutes of application. 
  • It’s non-toxic and fast drying.
  • Comes in a leather repairing kit as well.
  • One of the most flexible and durable leather adhesives.
  • Provides clear finish once dried.

Cons:

  • This glue doesn’t have a long shelf life.
  • Tear mender doesn’t adhere to wood and metal.

2. Aleene’s Leather & Suede Glue

Aleene's15594 Leather & Suede Glue

Aleene’sleather and suede glue that dries clear and offers a very flexible, bendable, and foldable finish.

If you want to fix your favorite bag, jewelry or jacket that requires a lot of flexibility, then this glue is the perfect fit for you.

This glue is also used on leather shoes, bags, belts, etc. Fast tack leather glues are better as they don’t soak to the leather and dry really fast.

This glue is a fast tack flexible leather glue that dries really fast, doesn’t soak to the leather, and doesn’t leave a stain.

Since it doesn’t absorb into the leather, the leather won’t harden up or get ruined either. Aleene’s leather glue is the perfect adhesive to accompany a material as expensive as leather.  Another great quality of this glue is that you can remove it after it’s cured to do it over. 

Pros:

  • Fast tack, flexible leather and suede glue.
  • Doesn’t soak into the leather or leave a stain.
  • Dries clear.
  • Easy removal once cured.
  • Aleene’s leather glue comes with a customizable tip to control the flow of the adhesive.

Cons:Cons

  • Since it dries really fast, it may not be beginner friendly.

3. Fiebing’s Leathercraft Cement

Fiebing's Leathercraft Cement

Looking for a safe, non-toxic cement that works great on leather?

Your search ends with fiebings leathercraft cement adhesive. Cement adhesives are considered the strongest glue to use on leather. Once applied to the surface, it won’t come off unless you want to.  

The best quality about this adhesive is that it can adhere leather to non-porous surfaces easily. So, if you need a leather to metal adhesive to make leather jewellery, this can be a great choice.

This glue dries down clear, dries down within minutes, and can be washed away while wet to make last-minute changes. Although it’s a water-based cement glue, this one is considered as one of the most durable cement adhesives for leather.

This flexible cement glue is non-inflammable, making it a very safe choice. The fiebings leathercraft cement adhesive is the best choice when it comes to repairing leather sofa, leather jackets, etc.

Pros:

  • Fiebing’s leathercraft cement adhesive is non-toxic and non-inflammable.
  • You can just wash this glue with water while it’s wet.
  • Great leather to metal adhesive.
  • Dries clear so overapplying or stains isn’t an issue.

Cons:

  • Although it’s a very strong glue, its not suitable for outdoor projects.

4. Barge All-Purpose Cement Rubber Leather Glue 

Barge All-Purpose Cement Rubber Leather Shoe Waterproof Glue

The Barge Cement is the best choice when it comes to sealing leather pieces together for good.

Barge all-purpose cement is a strong and durable adhesive that adheres to a wide variety of materials including leather.

If you’re looking for the best glue for leather shoe repairing, then barge leather glue is your answer.

This glue works great with rubber as well, so you can trust your loved shoes with this one. It’s waterproof which makes it more durable and resistant.

Pros: 

  • Barge leather glue is extremely strong, and can be a sewing alternative.
  • Waterproof formula makes it suitable for outdoor usage.
  • Great for repairing leather shoes.
  • Adheres to rubber and a wide range of surfaces.

Cons:

  • This glue is not non toxic.

5. Gorilla Super Glue

Super glue is a trusted adhesive in many households. So, when it comes to leather repair jobs, people often seek super glue for leather. However, unless the super glue is specifically made to be used on leather, it won’t work on leather.

Because, super glue has a hard and brittle finish, and it also hardens leather once dried.

If you want the best glue for faux leather, then the Gorilla super glue is the ideal choice for you. This glue is very durable. It expands 4x once applied, which makes the bond stronger.

Due to its gel formula, it’ll adhere to the leather with precision, but it’s not flexible. So, it’s better if you don’t use it on leather garments or projects that require bending and folding.

However, this can be used in leather projects that doesn’t require bending, for example, a knife sheath.

It dries within seconds making it one of the fastest drying adhesives to ever exist. Due to its fast-drying formula, this is ideal for small tears instantly.

Pros:

  • The Gorilla super glue gel has a gel formula making it easier to apply.
  • This glue won’t dry in the bottle due to its anti-clog tube. 
  • Expands to 4x to make it more durable and stronger.
  • Dries down within 10 to 45 seconds of application.
  • Precise application.

Cons:

  • Gorilla super glue isn’t flexible.
  • Since it’s a fast drying formula, once applied changes can’t be made. 

6. Leather Restore Leather Glue Adhesive

If you’re in search of the best glue for leather car seats, then the leather restore leather glue is the perfect choice for you.

Often many types of leather glue don’t work great on car seats due to the rough usage it goes through on a daily basis.

But with this adhesive, it doesn’t matter how much your car seat’s been used, it’ll stay right in place.

Whether it’s a scratch that you need to fix or want to change a huge chunk of your car seat, this glue has got your back.

It’s a non-toxic, non-inflammable formula that’s also waterproof. It also dries down clear so rest assured about it looking unnatural on your car seat. 

Pros:

  • Leather restore glue is great for car seat repairing.
  • This glue is waterproof. 
  • It’s non toxic and non in flammable.
  • Leather restore glue dries clear, so overapplying isn’t an issue.
  • Dries within minutes.
  • Works on a variety of surfaces.

Cons:

  • Application might be a little messy.

7. Professional DIY Leather Repair Kit

A leather repair kit will fix tears, gaps, and holes in your leather products making it look as good as new.

The fortivo leather and vinyl repair kit is considered as one of the best repair kit available in the market. This kit offers everything you’ll need to do at home leather repairing.

It comes with 7 different mixable pigments that can be mixed and applied to leather products for repair purposes just like putty. Except this putty will dry and give your product a leather like finish.

From car seats to your favorite leather jacket that needs to fix, this kit will be able to make them look as good as new within minutes of application.

The feature that made us fall in love with this kit is that if you have that one leather jacket that requires shading and a different colored finish, you can create it by yourself with it. This kit is great for fixing cat scratches on your chair, sofa, etc. 

Pros:

  • With the fortivo leather and vinyl repair kit, you can fix any tears or gaps in leather.
  • 7 mixable colors with leather like finish makes it extremely user friendly.
  • Waterproof formula
  • Unlike other vinyl repair kits, this doesn’t require heat to dry
  • Fast drying formula

Cons:

  • Mixing the pigments might be a hassle to some.

Next Read: Details Instruction for 3M Leather and Vinyl Repair Kit

8. Black Leather & Vinyl Repair Solution

If you’re in search of a leather repair solution that offers a neat and precise black finish on your black leather jackets or shoes, then the black leather and vinyl repair solution adhesive is for you.

This glue is the perfect mix of black paint and leather glue. Once applied to the surface it looks and feels a lot like leather instead of sitting like an adhesive.

With this adhesive, you can just apply it to the surface and let it harden on its own. It doesn’t require heat to dry down. This can be an excellent black vinyl repairing kit that’ll help you to fill in holes in your car seats or gaming chairs. 

Pros:

  • Comes with a black vinyl repairing kit.
  • Gives a leather like finish.
  • Great for repairing holes and tears.
  • Doesn’t require heat.

Cons:

  • Only comes in one shade, black.

Type Of Glue For Leather

It goes without saying that using adhesives specifically made for leather is a must. But a lot of the time, people prefer using a multipurpose adhesive, for example, superglue.

While using an adhesive that claims to adhere to leather is fine, we recommend using glue that is made specifically using on leather. Some multipurpose adhesives might not even adhere to the leather.

This is why we recommend opting for glue that is made to be used on leather, has a finish that won’t ruin your leather goods, and will stay adhered to it for a long time.

There are mainly 4 types of glue that adhere to leather. Each of these serves a different purpose and has a different performance.

1. Super glue: Super glue that’s specifically made for leather is one of the most durable adhesives for leather.

Superglue dries within seconds and is ideal for using to fix small tears and leather projects that need a quick fix. However, superglue isn’t flexible, hence shouldn’t be used on anything that requires a lot of folding.

It also shouldn’t be used to fix large gaps or tears either. Superglue dries within seconds, so it’s not a great choice if you’re a beginner.

2. Contact cement: Contact cement adhesives are known for the strong and durable bond they provide. Contact cement adhesives are a multipurpose adhesive that can be used to bind tiles to floors, drywall, etc.

But these can provide an excellent bond if applied with leather. Contact cement adhesives don’t soak into leather, and thus doesn’t leave a stain or hardens the leather once dried either.

If you’re not planning to sew your leather product, then applying contact cement is a great idea. Contact cement adhesives are suitable for adhering heavy leather pieces together due to its stronghold.

3. PVA glue: PVA glue is used to bond leather and suede. This type of adhesive works great with suede shoes, and bags. PVA glue is usually non-toxic.

Since it’s water-based, you can wash it off while it’s still wet once applied. This quality makes PVA glue a great glue for beginner usage. With PVA glue, you’ll require clamping. Curing requires time hence clamping ensures the leather pieces are staying in place.

4. Polyurethane glue:  Polyurethane glues are used to fill up and patch big gaps and tears in leather products. Polyurethane leather glue is basically vinyl repairing adhesives.

These create a strong bond once dried and is incredibly flexible. Due to its flexible nature, you can use this to fix leather garments, leather couches, car seats etc.

In Simpler words, if you’re looking for leather glue to repair cat scratches on your leather couch, this is the one!

Things To Consider Before Buying Glue For Leather

Leather is a very expensive material. The perfect leather craft requires a lot of hard work, and buying flimsy glue for a leather project will only end up ruining the material for you.  Choosing the perfect leather glue requires knowing a lot of things.

The type of leather glue you should get depends on its usage. A small tear in your leather sofa doesn’t require the same durability as a handmade leather project.

Some leather repairment requires repairing kits to fix the tears and gaps, while some glues are used with patches. This is why choosing the “right” leather glue can be confusing.

This is why I’ve written an elaborated buyer’s guide on the best glue for leather. 

Here’s what you should remember while buying glue for leather.

1. Durability: When it comes to choosing the best adhesive that’ll adhere to every type of material and fiber, durability matters the most. Most glues that promise to work on leather end up breaking apart within a few months or so.

If you’re looking to use glue temporarily to hold the pieces together before sewing, opting for clear glue is ideal.

On the other hand, if you’re planning to use glue only, cement adhesive or adhesive is specially made to be used on leather.

Cement adhesive is considered as one of the most durable and strongest glues for leather. Once applied, it’s not going anywhere.

2. Finish: Some glue dries down clear, while some dries down opaque.

Some can provide a colorful finish as well. If you have a project that requires a colored adhesive finish, then opting for a clear glue that can be painted over is ideal. 

Most leather glues can’t be painted over, so be sure to check before buying one. You can also use a mixable repair kit. Using these types of kits to fix colorful leather projects is easier.

3. Flexibility: Some adhesives can provide a hard and brittle finish once dried.

This can ruin the project entirely. Most leather glues provide a bendable, and flexible finish once dried. Most leather glues mention whether it’s flexible or not, so be sure to check it out.

However, the flexibility also depends on the usage. For example, leather garments are folded and bent a lot. This is why while fixing a leather garment, opt for flexible leather glue. But if you’re fixing a knife sheath, you don’t require flexibility. All you need is durability.

4. Drying Speed:

The drying speed of the adhesive matters more than you think. Yes, even with a fast tack adhesive, you may need to keep the project clamped for 24 hours. But with a fast tack formula, the chances of the adhesive staining are quite low.

When the adhesive sits on the surface for too long without drying, it can get absorbed into the leather and leave a stain after drying. This is why opting for a fast tack formula is recommended. It’ll start to dry fast, won’t absorb to the material, and won’t leave a stain.

5. Resistance: Leather adhesives are used on shoe repairs the most. There are leather adhesives that are made specifically for shoe repair.

Whether it’s a leather jacket or a leather shoe, if the adhesive you’re using is not water-resistant, UV resistant, then it won’t stay adhered for a long time. However, heat and moisture resistance doesn’t decide how durable a glue is.

for example, if you’re fixing a leather couch that stays inside the house, you don’t really need a water-resistant adhesive. But for leather jackets, leather shoes, leather car seats or any leather goods that is used outdoor, opt for a heat and moisture resistant leather glue.

6. Application: Most of the leather glues come in a squeeze tube. Making a mess with these bottles isn’t that hard.

Even overapplying can happen due to the runny formula. The glue you’re opting for should come with a customizable tip to control the flow.

7. Leather Weight And Surface: The leather surface and even the weight matters when you’re buying an adhesive. Sounds unbelievable, right? As we’ve said before, some leather glues might not perform well depending on the surface.

For heavy leather projects like repairing a heavy leather jacket, or a bag, you should use contact cement. This’ll ensure all the weight from the leather doesn’t hamper the bond of the adhesive.

Some leather glue might not work on the smoother side of the leather. As some adhesives require a rougher surface to stick to, it’s better you choose a leather adhesive that’ll stick to a non-porous surface for the grain area.

A good tip to avoid this problem is to use a knife or sandpaper to roughen up the smoother side of the leather before applying adhesive.

Frequently Asked Questions on Leather Glue

1. What is Leather Glue?

There are many types of adhesives used to adhere different types of materials together. Leather glue is a type of glue that is used to adhere to leather pieces. The usage might vary from one to another.

While some use leather glue to adhere two different pieces of leather together permanently, some prefer to use it as a temporary adhesive before proceeding to sew the pieces together. 

2. What glue to use for leather?

The best leather glues are Tear Mender Instant Fabric and Leather Adhesive, Aleene’s Leather & Suede Glue, Fiebing’s Leathercraft Cement, Gorilla Super Glue, Leather Restore Leather Glue Adhesive, Barge All-Purpose Cement Rubber Leather Glue, Leather and Vinyl Repair Kit, Black Leather & Vinyl Repair Solution.

These leather adhesives are the best in the market for both professional usages on leather and for DIY projects. They’ll do the job effectively and with utter precision. 

3. Can gorilla glue be used on leather?

Gorilla glue is a very useful adhesive that can be used on various different surfaces and materials. Of course, leather is not excluded from this list either.

Gorilla glue can be used on leather for professional work and at home craft projects too. It will adhere to the leather pieces strongly and keep the bond tight.

4. Does fabric glue work on leather?

Fabric glue will work on leather, but for a short period. Fabric glue will adhere to the leather just for a while until you sew the pieces together. If you are looking for a glue that will hold on to the pieces while you’re sewing them together, using fabric glue might be a great choice. 

Read Next: Top Fabric Gule List

5. Can you use super glue on leather?

Super glue is known for its unbreakable bond and effective adherent nature. Super glue can be used on leather. However, leather is a natural fiber. Super glue can dry hard on natural fibers providing a very unnatural finish.

Super glue can be used as a quick fix to adhere to tears within the leather. Opting for a leather super glue for permanent usage is the best answer.

6. Does super glue work on leather?

Yes, super glue works on leather, but only for a short period and as a quick fix. But super glue that’s not designed to use especially on leather shouldn’t be used permanently.

Super glue provides a hard and brittle finish, which will look very unnatural on the leather surface. On top of that, if it’s a leather garment that requires stretching, it won’t stay adhered to it very long. 

How to Glue Leather

A leather piece has two sides. The side with texture and roughness is called the flesh, and the smooth and finished side is called grain.

If you’re gluing flesh to flesh sides of leather, apply the smallest amount of glue on one of the pieces, and put it on top of the other piece.

Applying glue on one side is enough and will ensure you don’t overapply. Once applied, clamp it together for at least 24 hours. If the glue you’re using doesn’t require clamping, then skip this step.

If you’re applying glue to the grain side, then follow the same process. But before gluing the smooth side, roughen it up a little using sandpaper. This will make sure the glue is adhering to the leather properly.

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Conclusion

Whether it is a small repairing job at home, or making a leather jacket by yourself, the best glue for leather is a must.

All the leather glues mentioned in our article are the best in the market, which provides the best durability, flexibility, and resistance. When you’re working with a material as expensive as leather, the finish is the most important part.

These leather glues will ensure to provide your projects the smoothest finish and stay adhered to for years as well. 

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