Professional Consultation & Instructions for Your Leather or Vinyl Project

$15

Lesandre (founder and CEO) will answer these questions:

  • What kind of material is it?
  • How to repair it?
  • What color and materials are needed?
  • The cost?
  • How to clean and maintain it?

The evaluation includes:

  • Response within 1 business day
  • Detailed instructions
  • Links to videos
  • Free color swatches, if applicable

Evaluations are non-refundable.Ā  Click here to see an example evaluation.

Picture of Lesandre of Rub 'n Restore, Inc. teaching and consulting about vinyl and leather repair
Picture of Lesandre of Rub 'n Restore, Inc. teaching leather repair to a group of people and consulting on a brown leather chair.

Before you begin:

  • Test an unworn area with water to see if it absorbs.
  • Submit clear photos with close-ups of any damage. Take at least one photo from 5-8 feet distance in natural daylight. This gives a better rendering of color.
  • Add us to your contacts, so it doesn't land in spam: orders@rubnrestore.com and info@rubnrestore.com.
  • Wait for our response before ordering products.
  • Submit only one project per evaluation.

Please fill out the form below and click the 'add to cart' button.

59 reviews for Project Evaluation

  1. Picture of scaly leather repaired with leather filler putty and refinished with a RubnRestore Custom Color
    Picture of scaly, worn leather
    Picture of leather sectional repaired and restored with RubnRestore
    Picture of worn, dingy off-white leather sectional
    after
    Picture of scaly leather repaired with leather filler putty and refinished with a RubnRestore Custom Color
    +3
    Chantal
    5 out of 5
    January 31, 2022
    Thanks, ladies!
    It worked great. The custom color was perfect!

    I paid once to have it professionally done and honestly this is way better and so much less expensive.
    Carole
    5 out of 5
    January 24, 2022
    I was amazed at how wonderful the whole project went, all the guidance from Rub&Restore and the product was great. So thankful.
    Project Evaluation photo review
    Project Evaluation photo review
    Project Evaluation photo review
    First Coat of Ash
    Project Evaluation photo review
    +2
    Donald Storrusten
    5 out of 5
    January 20, 2022
    Color Change of Justin Roper Cowboy Boots
    First time using Rub n Restore. I wanted to change the color of my boots, from a brown to a gray, and stumbled across the Rub n Restore web site. What a terrific accident. I was skeptical but ordered a 8 oz bottle of the Ash color. I taped off the soles and heals and applied 2 coats of Rub n Restore. I was amazed with the results and as you can see in the pictures provided the first coat changed the color but was a little dark, however the second coat did the job and lightened up the color to the Ash color. As I said I was amazed, but even though the Rub n Restore changed the color to Ash, I wade a mistake when I ordered the Ash color it turn...More
    First time using Rub n Restore. I wanted to change the color of my boots, from a brown to a gray, and stumbled across the Rub n Restore web site. What a terrific accident. I was skeptical but ordered a 8 oz bottle of the Ash color. I taped off the soles and heals and applied 2 coats of Rub n Restore. I was amazed with the results and as you can see in the pictures provided the first coat changed the color but was a little dark, however the second coat did the job and lightened up the color to the Ash color. As I said I was amazed, but even though the Rub n Restore changed the color to Ash, I wade a mistake when I ordered the Ash color it turned out to be too light. I called the store and Ada was very helpful in explaining that using the Ash as a base color. Once I ordered the color Stone which is a little bit darker and applied 2 coats of the Stone color it would be the darker color I was going for. It would also help with the wear and tear that shoes get through daily wear. Ada was also helpful in telling how I could get the Rub n Restore off of the metal eyelets. She said a q-tip and some rubbing alcohol would remove any stray dye off the metal eyelets. Thanks again Ada!
    Mike
    1 out of 5
    January 15, 2022
    Don't waste your money on their "Professional Assessment"
    I can't speak to the product, just the customer service, which is severely lacking. Don't waste your money on their $15 "professional assessment." They may or may not give you the proper information and will copy and paste a bunch of other info about the DIY. Every other company out there that I found does all of this for free, most list this info on their websites. I spoke with Lesandre. She compared my sofa to my coffee table mistaking it for my ottoman. I left the ottoman out of the 1st pic so there was no confusion of what I wanted to dye (I clearly stated that I wanted to dye the sofa to match my ottoman, not dye my ottoman). She reco...More
    I can't speak to the product, just the customer service, which is severely lacking. Don't waste your money on their $15 "professional assessment." They may or may not give you the proper information and will copy and paste a bunch of other info about the DIY. Every other company out there that I found does all of this for free, most list this info on their websites.

    I spoke with Lesandre. She compared my sofa to my coffee table mistaking it for my ottoman. I left the ottoman out of the 1st pic so there was no confusion of what I wanted to dye (I clearly stated that I wanted to dye the sofa to match my ottoman, not dye my ottoman). She recommended dying the ottoman (my coffee table) and repairing the sofa due to the color being a taupe/off white and lighter than my sofa. When I responded to her that I was confused by her assessment and explained she should look at the close up pic that I took showing my ottoman (which is dark grey) side by side with my sofa (which is lighter, greenish and stained), she again compared my sofa to my taupe coffee table and didn't seem to read my response at all. I asked for my money back explaining that professionals that I had at my house differed from her recommendations and that I highly disagreed with her assessment. This was when she discovered what I was asking, but instead of apologizing, I was told that my submission was unclear even after I clarified. Here is a direct quote:

    "Clear photos and information yield a better result. I can't chase people down for more info in order to then do the work."

    So she can charge $15, but it's not her job to clarify what the customer wants? She thinks this is good customer service. Being in customer service almost my whole life, I know the customer is always right even when they are wrong. I submitted the same info/pics to 3 companies and the initial info was clear to the other 2, but I will take the blame for the initial confusion. Once I clarified things and was talked down to for asking for my money back (legitimate ask when info given is incorrect), I no longer believe in giving money to that company. I wish you luck if you choose to use this company. They are not the only company around to offer this, I personally recommend looking elsewhere.
    Reply from lesandre:
    This evaluation service was launched in July 2019, after three months of engineering. Every word was written by Lesandre (founder and CEO with decades of professional experience in the leather and vinyl repair industry). Significant time has been made to improve the evaluation since, including elimination of projects that are not candidates for repair or restoration. To date, Lesandre has uniquely assessed over 4,075 projectsā€”the first 3,400 of which were a free service. The evaluations have been met with otherwise rave reviews by those paying customers.

    Mike's submission contained only two photosā€”when up to six can be submitted. A picture o...More
    This evaluation service was launched in July 2019, after three months of engineering. Every word was written by Lesandre (founder and CEO with decades of professional experience in the leather and vinyl repair industry). Significant time has been made to improve the evaluation since, including elimination of projects that are not candidates for repair or restoration. To date, Lesandre has uniquely assessed over 4,075 projectsā€”the first 3,400 of which were a free service. The evaluations have been met with otherwise rave reviews by those paying customers.



    Mike's submission contained only two photosā€”when up to six can be submitted. A picture of the whole ottoman, as the evaluation requests, was not included; only the couch was shown in its entirety with a portion of the neighboring coffee table. The only other photo compared a portion of a couch cushion to a portion of the ottoman. Lesandre mistook it for the left and middle couch cushions, because the style of upholstery, piping, and colors did not look all that different, and yet Mike said he wanted to change the color of the couch to conform to the ottoman. This is howĀ Lesandre mistook the solid beige coffee table for the ottoman and thought a more dramatic color change was desired.



    Lesandre asked for clarification in the evaluation and the subsequent email exchange. She suggested the confusion would be remedied by mailing a swatch of the ottoman (which was also necessary for color matching, as requested). Mike could have replied with more photos and clarification. Instead he elected to quit the process and demanded a refund.



    Mike still received accurate, comprehensive information about the leather, cleaning it, the differences between dyes and finishes, application techniques, and care, which can serve him with other DIY products or vetting professionals.



    Free hand-made swatches of our Stone and Taupe, which could be candidates for the ottoman color, had also been mailed.



    We suggest folks avoid purchasing services they donā€™t want. We regret that our company is not a good fit for Mikeā€™s project and with him the best of luck with it.Ā 
    Project Evaluation photo review
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    +8
    Gerald Ray Peckham
    5 out of 5
    January 1, 2022
    help
    help
    Reply from lesandre:
    Click here for info about hot tub covers. Looks like it may be a candidate for a rubberized coating. Best you can do on the torn seams is to patch them with some more marine vinyl, strong fabric glue, and stitch if desired.
    Project Evaluation photo review
    Project Evaluation photo review
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    before and after
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    +3
    Linda C
    5 out of 5
    December 13, 2021
    I had two very nice leather couches that were probably 30+ years old and other than the color they were in excellent shape.Ā Ā  They were expensive when we originally purchased them as we bought them at Harrison Fine Furniture.Ā Ā  Anyway, I was researching on what to do with them, found Rub-n-Restore on line and decided to give it a try and could not be HAPPIER with the results.Ā Ā  I only went through 1 large bottle and a small amount of the second one so I could have gotten by purchasing a small and a large.Ā Ā  This was the result of three coats and then follow up ā€œtouch upsā€ of places I missed.Ā Ā  I may give it one more coat when it is sunny outs...More
    I had two very nice leather couches that were probably 30+ years old and other than the color they were in excellent shape.Ā Ā  They were expensive when we originally purchased them as we bought them at Harrison Fine Furniture.Ā Ā  Anyway, I was researching on what to do with them, found Rub-n-Restore on line and decided to give it a try and could not be HAPPIER with the results.Ā Ā  I only went through 1 large bottle and a small amount of the second one so I could have gotten by purchasing a small and a large.Ā Ā  This was the result of three coats and then follow up ā€œtouch upsā€ of places I missed.Ā Ā  I may give it one more coat when it is sunny outside.Ā Ā  I included pictures of the one couch that was in process along with the original color so you could see the change.Ā Ā  I then took two pictures today showing the finished product. Ā I did not use the top coat yet as I sort of like it without the shine (and as I said I may do another touch up).Ā  Bottom line is I spent a little over $100 and saved THOUSANDS and did a wonderful ā€œupstoreā€!

    I would DEFINITELY use this product again, they are extremely helpful and I give it a five star rating!
    Linda C
    5 out of 5
    December 13, 2021
    I had two very nice leather couches that were probably 30+ years old and other than the color they were in excellent shape.Ā Ā  They were expensive when we originally purchased them as we bought them at Harrison Fine Furniture.Ā Ā  Anyway, I was researching on what to do with them, found Rub-n-Restore on line and decided to give it a try and could not be HAPPIER with the results.Ā Ā  I only went through 1 large bottle and a small amount of the second one so I could have gotten by purchasing a small and a large.Ā Ā  This was the result of three coats and then follow up ā€œtouch upsā€ of places I missed.Ā Ā  I may give it one more coat when it is sunny outs...More
    I had two very nice leather couches that were probably 30+ years old and other than the color they were in excellent shape.Ā Ā  They were expensive when we originally purchased them as we bought them at Harrison Fine Furniture.Ā Ā  Anyway, I was researching on what to do with them, found Rub-n-Restore on line and decided to give it a try and could not be HAPPIER with the results.Ā Ā  I only went through 1 large bottle and a small amount of the second one so I could have gotten by purchasing a small and a large.Ā Ā  This was the result of three coats and then follow up ā€œtouch upsā€ of places I missed.Ā Ā  I may give it one more coat when it is sunny outside.Ā Ā  I included pictures of the one couch that was in process along with the original color so you could see the change.Ā Ā  I then took two pictures today showing the finished product. Ā I did not use the top coat yet as I sort of like it without the shine (and as I said I may do another touch up).Ā  Bottom line is I spent a little over $100 and saved THOUSANDS and did a wonderful ā€œupstoreā€!

    I would DEFINITELY use this product again, they are extremely helpful and I give it a five star rating!
    Picture of repaired and restored tufted leather on 60-90 year old black leather Chesterfield tufted couch
    Picture of 60-90 year old tufted leather Chesterfield sofa restored with Rub n Restore products
    Picture of black tufted leather Chesterfied couch with yellow cracking
    Picture of huge hole in tufted black leather sofa
    Picture of huge hole in vintage tufted black leather couch
    Close-up of repair with subpatch and filler to large hole in tufted leather couch
    Close-up photo of cracking on 60-90 year old tufted leather couch
    Close-up of torn tufting on vintage black Chesterfield couch
    after
    Picture of repaired and restored tufted leather on 60-90 year old black leather Chesterfield tufted couch
    +7
    Kathryn Y
    5 out of 5
    December 1, 2021
    Iā€™m sure youā€™ll see my amateur blending job on the patch and rip, but Iā€™m still so pleased with the results. Iā€™m not very sentimental about things but this sofa is just such a gem I couldnā€™t let it go to ruin and replace it with something cheap and mass produced. This sofa was from my college which was in The Fine Arts Building in Chicago, when they relocated it was up for grabs and I snatched it.Ā  Itā€™s been in my possession since 2003. I believe it 60-90 years old - and still going strong! Ā Still need to repair the tufting but doesnā€™t this look so great!!! Thank you so much for all the detailed instructions and help finding the right product...More
    Iā€™m sure youā€™ll see my amateur blending job on the patch and rip, but Iā€™m still so pleased with the results. Iā€™m not very sentimental about things but this sofa is just such a gem I couldnā€™t let it go to ruin and replace it with something cheap and mass produced. This sofa was from my college which was in The Fine Arts Building in Chicago, when they relocated it was up for grabs and I snatched it.Ā  Itā€™s been in my possession since 2003. I believe it 60-90 years old - and still going strong! Ā Still need to repair the tufting but doesnā€™t this look so great!!! Thank you so much for all the detailed instructions and help finding the right products.
    Transformation, like new!
    Project Evaluation photo review
    Lori Jackowitz
    5 out of 5
    November 18, 2021
    Amazing transformation!
    I had bought new leather thinking I needed to have my ottoman recovered. Since it was hard to find someone to do the work, I look for alternatives and am so glad I did. My ā€œnewā€ ottoman now looks amazing!
    Andy L
    5 out of 5
    November 15, 2021
    I FINALLY found the time to get to the honey-do list item of refinish sofa. Your products perform EXACTLY as advertised. Ā Color close to perfect, instructions clear and helpful and end result just great!!!

    Thanks for excellent products and superb customer service, a true rare combination these days.
    Picture of original, undamaged and repaired black vinyl chairs
    Picture of cracks in black vinyl chair after repair with filler and new black finish by RubnRestore
    Close-up photo of cracks in black vinyl headrest
    Photo of cracks in headrest of black vinyl chair
    after
    Picture of original, undamaged and repaired black vinyl chairs
    +3
    Jen
    5 out of 5
    October 26, 2021
    Thank you so much for the guidance, my only mistake was letting my husband spread the repair compound which he applied too generously. Weā€™re so happy with the results and thrilled that we could save the chair without having to hide the tears with an obvious cover. We have a dark house. Itā€™s very difficult to tell which has the repair. In the most obvious photo I had to turn on all the lights and open the curtainsā€¦ not anything we do ever.
    Picture of aniline leather chair restored with Espresso RubnRestore and Clear Prep+Finish for shine
    Picture of faded aniline leather chair
    Picture contrasting original and sunfaded areas on aniline leather chair
    after
    Picture of aniline leather chair restored with Espresso RubnRestore and Clear Prep+Finish for shine
    +2
    Nicole T
    5 out of 5
    October 14, 2021
    I cannot believe how well this worked. The Rub n Restore product saved a sun-damaged, expensive leather chair. I used three coats of espresso and one coat of the clear finish, the amountĀ recommended was perfect and customerĀ service wasĀ excellent. Great product!
    HR
    5 out of 5
    October 6, 2021
    I am a satisfied customer who appreciates the great customer service. Ā My first project turned out great.

    I am looking forward to my second project and using my new found skills.Ā  The videos by Lasundra helps give one confidence on that first try.
    Ready To Enjoy
    Project Evaluation photo review
    Robbin Williams
    5 out of 5
    September 29, 2021
    Love Our New Sofa
    Wanted a grey leather sofa, but not the high end price that went with it. Purchased a white leather sofa for a great price and took a leap of faith on dyeing the leather. I researched multiple products and honestly felt that Rub'nRestore has the best product and customer reviews. I chose the color Stone. I admit that I was very nervous taking on this project. I cannot believe how easy this was and I completed this project in one day. It is simply beautiful and I cannot thank Rub'nRestore enough for such an amazing product. I have two other projects that I plan on completing with Rub'nRestore. Such a great company!
    DAVID LISIECKI
    5 out of 5
    September 26, 2021
    The steering wheel on my new-to-me 2017 Buick/Opel somehow suddenly got a few spots worn into each side. (I don't know, maybe hand-sanitizer? Or that name-brand interior wipe I was stupid enough to try?)Ā  After much on-line searching, and finding the RnR how-to and FAQ's, andĀ  trying the Project Evaluation, I was pleased to quickly receive a personal reply and recommendation. After ordering I recieved the product right away and gave it a go.Ā  I did some prep and product application, and it was WAY better.Ā  I realized I tool it a little to easy on the first try, so I went over it again and it was even better.Ā  The color dried to matte, but imm...More
    The steering wheel on my new-to-me 2017 Buick/Opel somehow suddenly got a few spots worn into each side. (I don't know, maybe hand-sanitizer? Or that name-brand interior wipe I was stupid enough to try?)Ā  After much on-line searching, and finding the RnR how-to and FAQ's, andĀ  trying the Project Evaluation, I was pleased to quickly receive a personal reply and recommendation. After ordering I recieved the product right away and gave it a go.Ā  I did some prep and product application, and it was WAY better.Ā  I realized I tool it a little to easy on the first try, so I went over it again and it was even better.Ā  The color dried to matte, but immediately blended in with the rest of the sheen of the wheel. Now that I'm a little more brave, I might touch it up a little more. I also appreciate the follow-up email to check on my resuklts, and the answers to the follow-up questions I had.Ā  O know no one is going to retire off my small order, but it's not often you find personalized service like this anymore.
    Mary Mclaughlin
    5 out of 5
    September 23, 2021
    Thank you
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    +5
    DA
    5 out of 5
    September 7, 2021
    thank you!
    As a side hustle I have offered to restore close friends' and families' leather furniture. Here are some of the pieces. Your projects and videos have made this fun and enjoyable.
    Sharon J
    5 out of 5
    August 9, 2021
    I purchased a beat up recliner at an estate sale where the lighting was terrible. When I picked it up, I realized it was going to need work that I knew nothing about. After doing research I found Rub N Restore. I purchased sample swatches I thought would match an existing sofa, & filled out their initial report for a small fee (which was applied to my purchase later). I learned everything & then some from Lesandre. I am attaching before & after pictures. I used the color cherrywood & I mixed it with clear prep and finish, 4 to 1 (4 color to 1 clear). After following the instructions I received, The chair came out newer looking...More
    I purchased a beat up recliner at an estate sale where the lighting was terrible. When I picked it up, I realized it was going to need work that I knew nothing about. After doing research I found Rub N Restore. I purchased sample swatches I thought would match an existing sofa, & filled out their initial report for a small fee (which was applied to my purchase later). I learned everything & then some from Lesandre. I am attaching before & after pictures. I used the color cherrywood & I mixed it with clear prep and finish, 4 to 1 (4 color to 1 clear). After following the instructions I received, The chair came out newer looking then my sofa! I can not say enough good things about these products and the assistance I received. Thank you Lesandre!
    Mike Jarecki
    5 out of 5
    July 25, 2021
    Wow! What a difference. Easy to apply and the videos helped a lot. We saved $10K worth of furniture for $155.
    Project Evaluation photo review
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    +2
    Karen S.
    5 out of 5
    July 20, 2021
    Stunning Results
    I had two dark brown couches that were in pretty good shape (some dog scratches and small tears) but they were too dark for our home. I found Rub-n-Restore online and ordered swatches so I could see the quality and the actual colors. After selecting a color (sage) and completing the online evaluation, I ordered the product. I received everything I needed to do minor repairs and instructions on how to apply the color (also watched the informative online videos). The evaluation provided by Lesandre was excellent and worth $10! She made recommendations on how to mix the color with the clear finish instead of applying the finish at the end to get...More
    I had two dark brown couches that were in pretty good shape (some dog scratches and small tears) but they were too dark for our home. I found Rub-n-Restore online and ordered swatches so I could see the quality and the actual colors. After selecting a color (sage) and completing the online evaluation, I ordered the product. I received everything I needed to do minor repairs and instructions on how to apply the color (also watched the informative online videos). The evaluation provided by Lesandre was excellent and worth $10! She made recommendations on how to mix the color with the clear finish instead of applying the finish at the end to get a satin finish instead of a shiny finish. She also said going from dark to light was going to take more coats and lots of touch up. I started with coloring all of the stitching and tufting, then applied four coats of the color. The results were amazing! Each time my husband walked through the room he commented on how good it looked and how he couldn't believe it actually worked! Because I ordered the product, my $10 evaluation fee was refunded, and when I returned the swatches, I received a 10% discount on my order. Well worth the time and money to order swatches and to do the online evaluation. Looking forward to finishing up the second couch!
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