Button die for Leather, vinyl, thick fabric 24

Upholstery Button Die for Leather, Vinyl & Thick Fabric

This upholstery button die for leather, vinyl and thick fabric is made for making professional covered furniture buttons where the covering material is heavier or more difficult to form than standard upholstery fabric.

Available in sizes 24, 30, 36 and 44, the die is made for use with the D-1 Button Press and TEP-2 Press.

It is suitable for upholsterers, furniture manufacturers, headboard makers, automotive trimmers and restoration workshops producing covered buttons from leather, vinyl and other upholstery materials.

Product Specification

• Product type: Upholstery button die
• Material suitability: Leather, vinyl and thick upholstery fabric
• Available sizes: 24, 30, 36 and 44
• Press compatibility: D-1 and TEP-2
• Application: Covered upholstery button making
• Use with: Matching button shells and compatible button backs
• Suitable for: Furniture upholstery, headboards, trimming and restoration

Why Use a Specialist Die for Thick Upholstery Materials?

Leather, vinyl and heavyweight upholstery fabric create more bulk around a button shell than lighter woven fabric.

Trying to form thicker material with unsuitable tooling can make it harder to achieve a neat, secure covered button.

A specialist thick fabric button die is made for these more demanding materials and helps produce a cleaner, more consistent result.

It is particularly useful when working with:

• Leather
• Faux leather
• Upholstery vinyl
• Contract vinyl
• Heavy woven upholstery fabric
• Thick decorative fabric
• Other covering materials

Leather Covered Upholstery Buttons

Leather-covered buttons are widely used on furniture where a or traditional finish is required.

Typical applications include:

• Leather headboards
• Chairs
• Sofa backs
• Footstools
• Ottomans
• Upholstered wall panels
• Bespoke furniture
• Furniture restoration

Leather can be considerably thicker than conventional upholstery fabric, particularly once the material folds around the shell.

Using the correct leather button die helps manage this additional material thickness during button production.

Vinyl Covered Upholstery Buttons

Vinyl-covered buttons are commonly used in furniture, commercial seating and trimming work.

Typical uses include:

• Contract seating
• Restaurant furniture
• Bar seating
• Headboards
• Automotive trim
• Caravan and motorhome upholstery
• Marine-style interiors
• Decorative upholstered panels

Browse Vinyl & Fabric for upholstery vinyl and covering materials suitable for a wide range of furniture and trimming projects.

The suitability of a particular vinyl for covered buttons will depend on its thickness, flexibility and backing construction.

Button Dies for Thick Upholstery Fabric

Heavy woven fabrics can also require additional room within the die because several layers of material gather behind the shell during pressing.

A specialist die is useful for thick materials such as:

• Heavy furniture fabric
• Dense woven upholstery cloth
• Thick contract upholstery material
• decorative fabrics
• Some backed upholstery materials

Always test the material before producing a complete batch of buttons.

Available Button Die Sizes

Size 24 Button Die

Size 24 is suitable for smaller covered buttons where a compact decorative finish is required.

Use with matching size 24 shells and compatible button backs.

Size 30 Button Die

Size 30 is a upholstery button size suitable for furniture, headboards and decorative upholstery.

Use with corresponding size 30 components.

Size 36 Button Die

Size 36 creates a larger covered button and is particularly suitable for headboards, sofa backs and more prominent decorative buttoning.

Size 44 Button Die

Size 44 is the largest option in this range and produces a covered button suitable for furniture where the button is intended to form a strong visual feature.

Always match the shell, button back and die size.

Use with Aluminium Button Shells

Use the die with compatible Aluminium Button Shells.

The aluminium shell forms the visible face of the finished button while the selected covering material is formed around it inside the die.

The finished button can then be assembled with the appropriate rear fixing.

Choosing the Correct Button Back

The correct back depends on how the finished button will be fitted to the furniture.

Wire Backs

Button Wire Backs provide a loop suitable for upholstery twine and traditional deep-buttoning methods.

Prong Backs

Button Prong Backs provide long mechanical prongs that pass through suitable upholstery constructions.

Hook Backs

Hook Backs produce buttons designed to attach to a prepared upholstery twine loop.

Tape Backs

Tape Backs accept long and short button tapes for suitable through-buttoning applications.

Browse Button Parts for shells, backs, washers and associated button-making components.

Cutting Leather and Thick Material for Covered Buttons

Accurate cutting is particularly important with thicker materials.

Use a suitable Leather Cutter to prepare consistent pieces before forming the covered button.

Correct cutting helps:

• Keep the covering centred
• Reduce excessive material inside the button
• Improve edge formation
• Reduce uneven folds
• Produce more consistent buttons
• Reduce wasted material and components

Always test one complete button before beginning a larger production run.

Preparing Leather for Covered Buttons

Some leather may benefit from careful preparation where excessive thickness would otherwise create too much bulk around the shell.

The preparation required depends on:

• Leather thickness
• Leather firmness
• Grain structure
• Button size
• Shell depth
• Finished button design

Where thinning is necessary, work carefully and test on an offcut first.

Do not remove more material than required to form the button securely.

Preparing Vinyl for Covered Buttons

Vinyl varies significantly in thickness, stretch and backing construction.

Before producing a batch:

1. Cut a test piece.
2. Check how readily the vinyl forms around the selected shell.
3. Confirm the material sits correctly inside the die.
4. Press one complete test button.
5. Inspect the edges and rear fixing.
6. Adjust the preparation method if required.

Testing first can prevent unnecessary waste where the vinyl is particularly thick or heavily backed.

Using the Die with the D-1 Button Press

The D-1 Button Press provides a hand-operated solution for workshops making covered upholstery buttons.

The specialist die can be installed in the press to form leather, vinyl and thick fabric buttons using matching components.

This combination is suitable for:

• Upholstery workshops
• Furniture repair
• Headboard manufacture
• Bespoke furniture
• Decorative button production
• Small and regular production runs

Using the Die with the TEP-2 Press

The TEP-2 Press is another compatible press for this die set.

Its interchangeable tooling makes it useful for workshops carrying out different upholstery fastening and button-making operations.

Always ensure the correct die and button components are securely fitted before pressing.

Standard Button Die or Thick Material Button Die?

Choose the standard Button Die for conventional upholstery fabric.

Choose this button die for leather, vinyl and thick fabric when the covering material has greater bulk or requires tooling specifically intended for thicker materials.

The correct choice depends on:

• Material thickness
• Material flexibility
• Fabric backing
• Button size
• Shell type
• Finished appearance

Testing one button before production is the best way to confirm the combination.

Thick Material Button Dies for Headboards

Leather, vinyl and heavy-fabric covered buttons are frequently used for upholstered headboards.

Applications include:

• Deep-buttoned headboards
• Diamond buttoning
• Upholstered bedheads
• Feature bed panels
• Decorative wall panels

Using the same die, shell size and cutting method throughout the project helps maintain a consistent finished appearance.

Button Dies for Automotive and Contract Upholstery

Leather and vinyl covered buttons can also be useful in specialist trimming and commercial upholstery.

Suitable applications may include:

• Automotive interiors
• Caravan upholstery
• Motorhome interiors
• Contract seating
• Restaurant seating
• Hospitality furniture
• Commercial furniture

The material, shell and fixing method should always be appropriate to the finished application.

Button Dies for Furniture Restoration

This die can also be used when reproducing covered buttons on furniture originally upholstered in leather, vinyl or heavy fabric.

Before making replacement buttons, check:

• Existing button size
• Covering material
• Material thickness
• Button-back type
• Fixing method
• Button spacing
• Finished pull depth

Matching the original construction where practical helps replacement buttons blend with the existing upholstery.

Button Die for Professional Upholstery Workshops

This specialist die is suitable for:

• Professional upholsterers
• Headboard manufacturers
• Furniture manufacturers
• Leather furniture repairers
• Automotive trimmers
• Contract seating manufacturers
• Furniture restoration workshops
• Bespoke furniture makers

Browse Buttoning Tools for button presses, fabric cutters, leather cutters, dies and related equipment.

Browse Button Parts for aluminium shells and compatible button backs.

Browse Buttoning Parts & Equipment for the wider upholstery buttoning and finishing range.

For help choosing the correct die, shell, button back or press for your covering material, contact us.

Specialist upholstery button die for making fabric-covered buttons from leather, vinyl and thicker upholstery materials.

• Available in sizes 24, 30, 36 and 44
• made for leather, vinyl and thick upholstery fabric
• Suitable for professional covered-button production
• For use with D-1 and TEP-2 button presses
• Use with matching aluminium button shells and compatible button backs
• Use it for headboards, chairs, sofas, footstools and decorative upholstery
• Suitable for upholstery workshops, furniture manufacture and restoration

Pair with matching Aluminium Button Shells and the appropriate button back for the required fixing method.

For preparing heavier covering materials, use a suitable Leather Cutter before pressing the button.

For ordinary upholstery fabrics, use the standard Button Die.

Browse Buttoning Tools for presses, dies, cutters and professional button-making equipment.