While it may seem like a daunting task, covering a seat with leather is not an impossible task. With patience, meticulous attention to details and organization, you can cover your car seats with leather. Doing this project yourself can not only save you money but also increase the value of your vehicle. While prefab leather seat covers can be bought to install, you can also make your own pattern and cover the seats completely yourself.
Remove the seats of the car with the ratchet set.
Remove any screws with your screwdriver. The screws may be covered by plastic screw coverings that can be popped off.
Run your utility knife down any sewn seams to cut the threads.
Remove any hog rings or upholstery staples with your needle-nose pliers. Attempt to leave as much of the original upholstery in tact because it will serve as your template for the stencil needed to cut out the new leather.
Remove and separate all leather from the seat frame.
Label each piece according to its placement and its adjoining pieces.
Trace each piece of leather on butcher paper and transfer any labels to the butcher paper. Cut out the stencils.
Use the butcher paper stencils to cut out the new pieces of leather.
Sew the new leather pieces together, if the original seat cover was a slip cover and slide back over the seat frame.
Attach the new leather to the seat frame with hog rings or upholstery staples, if that is how the original seat covers were attached.
Replace the seat in the car, tightening with the ratchet set.
