Leather couches always look great in any living or dining room area. This is why so many people have one in their house.
Can You Make A Leather Couch Comfortable?
The short answer is that any leather couch will need to be worn in (meaning you will need to sit on it to break it in). After awhile the leather will wear in and become more cozy for you to sit on.
Throughout this article we have researched and found the answers to your questions about the comfort ability of your couch, how to make it more comfortable over time, and how exactly to break it in with ease.
Are Leather Couches Uncomfortable?
All couches are designed to be comfortable and pleasant to sit on, but leather couches can be quite uncomfortable when you first buy them.
This is because they haven’t been “broken in” yet and leather can be incredibly stiff and sturdy before it has been used. You may feel like you can’t quite relax on a leather couch when you first bring it home because the material will be cold, stiff, and hard.
Unlike fabric couches, leather couches are slower to get used to lots of people sitting on them every single day. However, once the material starts to soften, you’ll find that your leather couch is really comfortable.
High-quality leather is strong and retains its condition very well, so it will take longer to soften than fake leather, but you can rest assured that your couch will not be easily damaged.
Leather couches may be uncomfortable during the winter because the material won’t be able to retain any heat.
During the summer, the material will heat up, but adding some throw blankets to your couch during the winter is the easiest way to make it more comfortable. Warming up the room that your couch is in will also make it more inviting to sit on.
However, if the room becomes too hot, especially during the summer when it will likely get a lot of direct sunlight through the windows, a leather couch can become a bit sticky on the skin, which also makes it uncomfortable.
The best way to stay comfortable no matter the season is to have some blankets nearby to drape over the couch when needed. Otherwise, you’ll feel just as relaxed on your leather couch as you would on another material when it starts to shape itself to your body.
Do Leather Couches Get More Comfortable Over Time?
Leather is a material that is slow but sure to change its shape. Leather shoes, for example, will remain incredibly sturdy for years and years, but luckily couches are designed to soften the more they are used.
When your leather couch is first bought, the material will feel very smooth and stiff, almost as if you’re about to slide right off the cushions. The more you use the couch, the more it will get used to having weight on it, and it will start to accommodate that shape.
You will doubtless notice some signs of general wear as you’ll use a leather couch daily, but there are plenty of products that can be bought to help keep your couch in the best condition possible.
Fabric conditioners are one way to add an extra layer of protection to the material while helping to soften it at the same time. Any cracks or signs of peeling that you notice can be easily rectified with handy leather repair kits that can be bought online.
If you have a favourite spot to sit on the couch, some sagging or sinking might occur, but you’ll actually find that this makes the couch much more comfortable to sit on because it will have naturally shaped itself to your body.
A fabric couch or a fake leather couch will become comfortable much more quickly than a real leather couch, but real leather will last longer and allow you to enjoy it every day after you’ve broken it in properly.
Don’t try to preserve the material of a leather couch by barely using it because couches are designed for people to sit on and enjoy them.
Instead, care for the material regularly to keep it in good condition, use preventative measures to stop young children and pets from destroying the material, and use the couch daily to help it accommodate your weight better.
Never using your couch over time will ensure that the material remains uncomfortable and you’ll have nowhere to sit and relax.
Do Leather Couches Get Softer Over Time?
Leather couches will get softer naturally over time, so you don’t need to use any force to speed up the process as this can damage the couch.
If you do want it to feel a little softer while you are breaking it in, apply a leather moisturizer to the couch, which will make the cushions more comfortable to sit on. The more that you relax into a material, the faster it will soften.
Leather is a naturally strong and durable material, but the leather used to make couches should be an even split of protective and comfortable, otherwise nobody would ever buy leather couches for their homes.
One type of leather that is used for couches is aniline leather, which is soft to the touch. However, aniline leather is also one of the most expensive types, so if you aren’t looking to spend as much money on your couch, you’ll just have to wait longer for the material to fully soften.
It should take an average of 6 weeks for leather couch cushions to noticeably soften, though spending longer on the couch may shorten that timeframe.
If your cushions still seem stiff at the 6-week mark, it might be that you’re not spending consistent time sat on the couch, or that your cushions are just extra stubborn.
But you should never worry about them not softening because they will, the process just takes some time.
How Do You Break In A Stiff Leather Couch?
The best way to break in a stiff leather couch is to use it every day. You don’t need to use the couch excessively in an attempt to break it in faster, but just sitting on it every day will get it slowly used to being used as furniture.
To ensure that you break in your couch evenly, have people regularly sit on every couch cushion, otherwise you’ll be left with one comfortable side and one side still stiff and cold.
Keeping the room that you are couch is in at a regular warm temperature will also help to break it in because leather naturally stiffens more in cold temperatures.
During summer, sunlight will help to soften the material too, but try not to expose your couch to too much direct sunlight or you might notice the colour fading. A comfortably warm temperature will be more than enough to encourage leather to lose its stiffness.
If you don’t have time to spend ages sat on the couch every day to break it in, you can break in hard leather cushions by simply sitting down on them for a moment and then standing back up.
Repeating this process every day for 5-10 times in a row may seem like a hassle, but it will help to get the couch used to be sat on. Once you notice the cushions softening, you won’t need to do this as often.
And the softened couch shouldn’t return to its same stiff state unless you go a long time without using it. Regular everyday use is the perfect way to keep your leather couch comfortable and used to your weight.
You’ll find your favourite spots the most comfortable of all, but a softened leather couch is great to spend time on, especially as the material will continue to resist stains and other damage.