How to Fix a Leather Football Puncture

A puncture in your ball can quickly ruin a fun day of touch football. Fixing a puncture or tear is quick, easy, and cheaper than buying a new football. You can easily extend the life of a football and repair it to like-new condition with a leather patch.

Things You'll Need

  • Leather repair patch
  • Leather glue
  • Tweezers
  • 320 grit sandpaper
  • Leather conditioner
  • Saddle soap
  • Masking tape
  • Blow dryer
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Instructions

  1. Large Puncture

    • 1

      Clean the football with saddle soap. The area around the hole needs to be free of any dirt or debris.

    • 2

      Cut a piece of the leather patch big enough to cover the puncture in the football. The patch should be 2 inches bigger than the puncture on all sides.

    • 3

      Apply leather glue directly around the punctured area of the football. Use a hair dryer to make the glue tacky.

    • 4

      Place the leather patch on the glue and hold in place for three minutes.

    • 5

      Smooth the patch on the football using sandpaper.

    • 6

      Rub the leather conditioner onto the entire football. This will keep the leather supple and prevent tears from forming.

    Small Puncture

    • 7

      Cut two small strips of masking tape.

    • 8

      Apply the leather glue to the inside of the tear or puncture of the football.

    • 9

      Use a blow dryer to add heat to the glued area for 30 seconds. This will cause the glue to become tacky.

    • 10

      Place the masking tape to both sides of the small puncture to hold the tear together until the glue dries. Once the glue has dried, remove the masking tape.

    • 11

      Rub leather conditioner on the football to make the leather supple.