I have been wanting to upgrade my coffee table for a long time. Then I found it—my unicorn find! A coffee table that looks like a stack of books. However, the leather was in terrible shape. So if you’re wondering how to repair damaged leather, here’s the process I used to bring my dream coffee table back to life.

before

The table is made by Maitland-Smith and is really special—the “books” are covered in leather and the spines even open for storage. That’s the good news. The bad news? It had gouges, dents, scratches… honestly a little overwhelming. I think the last owner had pets who really beat the poor table up. I was able to repair it and I thought I’d share the process if you need to fix leather too!

If you’re looking for this table, try looking on Facebook Marketplace! Search “Maitland Smith Stacked Books Furniture.” There’s a few different styles of coffee tables and end tables. There’s even a rare desk! Here’s a bunch linked here. You can also look on eBay or Etsy, though I imagine shipping would be expensive.

How to Repair Damaged Leather

SUPPLIES

Here are the items I used for this project:

Leather filler
Fine-grit sandpaper
Super glue (for lifted or torn leather)
Leather paint (your chosen colors- I used pink and yellow)
Small detail paintbrush
Brown wax
Sponge for buffing wax
Wood filler (if your piece has wood details)
Rub ’n Buff
Metallic gold paint

step 1- Clean the Leather

Before doing any repairs, you need a clean surface.

Remove all dust and dirt
Use a gentle leather cleaner or mild soap + water
Let everything dry completely

A clean surface ensures your filler and paint actually stick.

step 2- Apply Leather Filler

This step makes the biggest visual difference and is essential when learning how to repair damaged leather.

Use leather filler to patch dings, dents, and gouges
It behaves like wood filler but dries with the feel of leather

For deep holes, apply in layers, letting each layer dry fully
Once the imperfections are filled, sand with fine-grit sandpaper until smooth

If the leather is torn or lifted:

Use super glue to secure the leather back in place
Once dry, apply leather filler around the edges to even everything out
Sand smooth when fully dry

step 3- Paint the Leather

Once everything is smooth, it’s time to refresh the color.

I wanted a more playful palette since the original leather was darker than my style, so:

First, I painted the top book pink using leather paint
I painted the bottom book yellow for a soft pastel look
Then I left the middle book orange because it was still in great shape
The final effect is the prettiest gradient stack!

If you’re repairing a leather chair, sofa, or ottoman, choose a paint color that matches your piece… or switch it up for a fun, custom look.

Painting is a great trick when you’re learning how to repair damaged leather and want your piece to look brand new again.

step 4- Fix Other Materials

The “pages” on my coffee table are wood, and they were really dinged up.

To repair them:

Apply wood filler
Sand smooth
Paint or finish with Rub ’n Buff (I chose antique gold!)

step 5- Distress the Finish

After painting, everything looked a little too perfect—like new books instead of loved ones.

To fix that:

Add brown wax over the paint to give it an aged, worn-in look
Buff off the excess to keep it natural
The subtle distressing adds authentic character

step 6- Add Gold Details

One of my favorite parts!

Even though I painted everything, the original leather embossing still showed through. So:

Use gold paint and a tiny brush
Carefully trace the embossed designs and lettering
Take your time—this part is slow, but totally worth it

These little gold touches bring the whole piece back to life.

after

Learning how to repair damaged leather is so empowering—especially when it transforms a piece that felt unusable or too far gone. This book-stack coffee table went from scratched, gouged, and tired to bright, fun, and totally “me.” The process took some patience, but the results were absolutely worth it.

Repairing and repainting gave this table a second life and allowed it to truly fit my home and personality. Whether you’re fixing a vintage leather chair, restoring a thrift find, or tackling a quirky piece like mine, I hope this walkthrough helps you feel confident giving it a try.

There’s something so satisfying about taking a damaged piece and turning it into something beautiful again. And now? Every time I walk into the room and see that pink book on top, it makes me smile.

price breakdown

I’ve seen this same table sell for $2,500–$3,500, which is wild. I snagged mine for $350 (still a splurge!), and the repair supplies were super reasonable: