How to Replace a Boot Heel

Here is my step by step tutorial on how to replace the Stacked Leather Heel Cover on a pair of boots. I did this DIY more than two years ago, and they have held up beautifully.

Here is what my boots looked like before with typical wear and tear; I drive a stick shift so I think this is why they are so bad on the bottom back of the heels.

Here is the finished product after I had replaced the Leather Covering.

Here is a video showing exactly how to replace the boot heels as well, if you would prefer to see this tutorial in video format.

This is the stacked leather that you will need to replace what is currently on your shoes/boots.

This Glue is one of the best I have found to fix any of the typical issues you can run into on shoes. If the sole or heel is coming off, this is a great product to use to get your shoes in order.

You will start by using a box cutter to remove the existing leather covering.

I tried to keep it all in one piece so that I could possibly use it as a pattern piece.

This is what the heel looks like with the leather removed. My soles were in good shape, so I didn’t need to replace those.

Next use Acetone to clean off any of the yellow glue residue that is left over on the heel. I used paper towels and Q-tips to do this.

You can try and use your existing pieces as pattern pieces for the new leather.

Draw them with pencil on your leather, this way you can erase if you make a mistake. There is a rough and a smooth side to your leather, make sure you draw on the rougher side so it won’t show on the final heel.

If your pieces are too shredded, just use a piece of printer paper to press along the edges. This will also give you a very good template to work with.

Next you want to use this Barge Cement glue. Apply this to both the leather and the heel. Let them dry for 15-20 minutes before adhering them together. This is very sticky, so try and have them lined up well to avoid bubbling.

Once you have the leather on, trim any extra pieces that are hanging over with some clippers. Let this dry for at least 24 hours.

Next take some 800 grit sandpaper, and lightly sand the leather to remove any uneven parts so it is nice and smooth.

My leather color, didn’t look good with my boots, so I decided to use Edge Kote to color it darker than the raw leather.

I then sanded down the dried heel again to give a more varied look than a solid brown heel. This is purely optional, you could also use a leather stain instead of an edge kote.

Next I did a coat of this clear Resolene with a paint brush and let it dry. I repeated this step 3 times.

Once dry, it has a nice sheen to it. This will protect the leather from water and will harden the leather so it can’t get damaged as easily in the future.

Here is what the final boots look like. I am so pleased with them. They have held up extremely well for the last three years now.

If you are needing a leather cleaning brush, here is a link to my favorite one. I also love this conditioning and cleaning set from clarks as well.

I hope this post was helpful to you. If you have any questions, tips, or advice, please feel free to comment below. Have a great day!

LINKS (affiliate)

E6000 Glue – https://amzn.to/3ubNbGX

Stacked Leather Strips – https://amzn.to/3JtOyqQ

Dark Brown Edge Kote – https://amzn.to/34VLlRX

Leather Dye – https://amzn.to/3qglKuj

Acrylic Resolene Finish – https://amzn.to/3N1WvWD

Barge Cement Glue – https://amzn.to/36cOnC2

800 Grit Sandpaper – https://amzn.to/3ueT0mY

Paint Brushes – https://amzn.to/3wlzuYE

Acetone – https://amzn.to/3qmcm8O

Flush Cutters – https://amzn.to/3tlWJQz

Leather Cleaning Brush – https://amzn.to/3toPmYB

Leather Cleaning & Conditioning Supplies – https://www.clarksusa.com/c/Leather-Kit-II/p/261312590000

Clark’s Boots – https://amzn.to/37K8hVr

This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you, but this helps me to create better content. All things in this post are my opinions, and I was not sponsored for this post.

DIY Edge Kote How to fix boots how to fix heel how to fix shoes how to fix wedges leather cover leather working reuse

5 comments

Kat October 31, 2022 - 8:51 am

When do you use the E6000 glue in replacing the stacked leather? I can’t find in your tutorial where you use it. Are you saying E6000 is good in general for other shoe repair, but not this specific tutorial for replacing stacked leather? Thanks!

Jessica November 1, 2022 - 2:26 pm

Kat,
I’m sorry for the confusion. The E6000 is what I use if parts of the sole are coming off of the shoe or heel. For the actual, tutorial, it isn’t needed. Please let me know if you have any other questions.

AM September 19, 2023 - 8:13 am

The stacked leather strips are almost impossible to find online now. The amazon link is unavailable too.
Sad as that makes the project impossible.

Jessica September 19, 2023 - 12:17 pm

Thanks so much for reading the blog, and yes you are right that is is a lot harder to find than perviously. I have found two sellers on etsy, hopefully that helps. https://www.etsy.com/listing/1432290368/stacked-heel-cover-strips-12mm-x-975×425?gpla=1&gao=1&&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=shopping_us_-craft_supplies_and_tools&utm_custom1=_k_CjwKCAjwjaWoBhAmEiwAXz8DBRH-ZukrV4D8sp_wRplKCERX0AFZ9CMeZmylBi0sqwdOT_9sHcPSBRoCZe0QAvD_BwE_k_&utm_content=go_12665398257_121762925993_511610210343_pla-295462056867_c__1432290368_156933983&utm_custom2=12665398257

https://www.etsy.com/listing/1312871528/shoemaking-heels-veg-tan-stacked-genuine?gpla=1&gao=1&&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=shopping_us_-craft_supplies_and_tools&utm_custom1=_k_CjwKCAjwjaWoBhAmEiwAXz8DBYolh7uLMu0w9ONlodY2qpLgQ53pXnWaBAk0i0Gz7kd08CESghE1KxoCF28QAvD_BwE_k_&utm_content=go_12665398257_121762925993_511610210343_pla-295462056867_c__1312871528_468297304&utm_custom2=12665398257

Gretchen October 25, 2023 - 4:49 pm

I found the strips on Etsy! Thank you for theis blog!

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