How to Fix the Sole of Your Shoe

Old Sole

Once you’ve worn a pair of shoes for far too long, it’s normal for even the most expensive and exclusive shoes to develop problems, such as the sole of the shoe coming off. If this happens, the most practical thing to do would be to repair it rather than go in for a new pair.

True, there are a number of adhesives that would do the job well enough, but is there a particular procedure involved to do this? Here’s how you go about fixing the sole of your shoe.

First, take off any stitching from the toe part of your shoe, using a craft blade. Now, pull back the sole to the maximum and clean it by putting it on a sheet of newspaper. Now, clean either side of the sole with a white cloth and alcohol. You could also use an old sock for this.

Now, sandpaper both surfaces of the sole in order to roughen it. Once this is done, it can hold the adhesive better. It’s now time to get yourself a good brand of adhesive which you will use to stick the sole of your shoe and your shoe. If there are any precautions mentioned on the label of the adhesive, pay extra attention to it. Take care of the adhesive you use as sometimes they emit very strong fumes, so repair your shoe in an airy atmosphere.

Now, squirt a bit of the adhesive on to the part of the sole that’s just coming off. Don’t use too much in case it runs down the shoe. Use a knife to spread the adhesive over the sole surface. Spread it thoroughly over the entire surface and into all the cracks of the sole. Now, you might find some extra adhesive in the areas of the sole that don’t require any. So, take it off by using a cleaner with a citrus base.

Now that you’ve stuck the sole and the shoe together, the shoe needs a heavy weight to hold the sole tightly against the shoe. Place the shoe on a sheet of newspaper. Cover the shoe with a sheet of plastic or a plastic bag and put a heavy object like a heavy book or any other object on it. With this weight, the shoe and sole should adhere tightly together. If you’re doubtful about the weight, you can add some more.

Keep the weight on the shoe until the adhesive dries completely. If you take off the weight before the drying time concludes, you might have to start all over again. So, be watchful about the time you remove the weight. If this is the only shoe to be repaired, you’re done with this, but if more have to be done, just repeat the procedure. Once you finish, take a little more of your citrus-based cleaner to take off the extra adhesive from your tools. However, it’s usually recommended to dry the adhesive for 48 hours. After this, you can safely wear your mended shoes.

Photo Credits: Robert S. Donovan

Originally posted 2010-04-19 17:58:28.

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