Can Loafers Be Resoled? (Cost + DIY Solution)

Yes, loafers can be resoled if their soles get damaged beyond repair. Any cobbler will be able to resole a leather loafer.

I love loafers.

They are extremely light shoes with no laces and can be easily slipped on and off without any difficulties.

But depending on the build and material of the loafers, their sole can wear out pretty quickly.

However, instead of getting a new pair of loafers, you can just give your old pair a new sole. This process is called resoling.

This can be done at home, by hiring a nearby cobbler, or by buying the service of a restoration agency or company.

Don’t worry, I will teach you how to resole loafers at home later in the post. It’s quite simple!

Can Loafers Be Resoled?

Loafers can be resoled, and doing so increases their longevity and gives the shoes a new look.

Loafer soles are made of materials like leather, variations of rubber (camp, lug, crepe, dainite), a combination of both materials (rubber and leather), cork nitrile, polyurethane, etc.

These materials have their own different life spans, and over time, they are bound to get destroyed.

Luckily, there are a couple of different ways to solve this problem.

My recommendation is that you take your loafers to an experienced cobbler. This is actually cost-effective, because you don’t need to buy any of the resoling equipment (which you would if you were doing things DIY).

What Kind of Loafers cannot be Resoled?

Rubber-soled loafers are very tricky to resole once spoilt.

Most rubber soles are cemented to the shoe using very strong industrial adhesives. This makes any attempt to separate the sole from loafers practically impossible since it will destroy the leather alongside it.

However, I am not saying you cannot resole your rubber-soled loafers at all. I have been able to resole mine with mild sole problems before.

The process is just going to cost you a lot more headache (and money, because not every cobbler will be able to do so).

Cost Of Resoling Loafers

Replacing the sole on a pair of loafers can cost $50 to $100. Where your shoes end up between this price range depends on a number of factors.

These factors are as follows.

1. Quality of your Loafers

You need to consider the quality of your loafers. This is in terms of brands. Resoling an expensive brand will cost you more money.

2. The Type of Material used for the Sole

Another factor is the type of material used for the sole or loafers in general. Rubber soles loafers are extremely difficult to resole. Therefore, to get a new rubber sole, you need a higher budget.

3. The Amount of Damage to the Sole

The portion of your loafers’ sole that is compromised will determine how much you will be charged for resoling. Half-sole resoling will cost you less than full-sole resoling (including heels).

4. Cost of Materials to be Used

If you are resoling your loafers yourself, the cost depends on the materials you use. I will tell you what you need when I explain the DIY resoling for loafers.

5. Construction of the shoe

The construction of the sole can also be a determining factor. Loafers with more complicated constructions require more equipment and expertise, so they will cost you more.

How To Resole Your Loafers At Home?

There are two subcategories here.

First, if the sole of your loafers has been detached from your shoes, then you can just use susuper glueo join the two parts. This is extremely simple, and you will not have to deal with the hassle of resoling.

But if your leather sole is completely worn out, then you need to resole them. You can do it from the comfort of your own home, but the process is a bit complex, so I would advise you to only attempt it if you have prior experience with this sort of thing.

Materials Required

• Acetone
• Cobbler’s Stitching Machine
• Cement and Glue
• Half-Soles
• Vise Machine
• Heels
• Pincers
• Utility Knife
• Frye
• Hammer, Screwdriver, Pliers, and Nails

How to Resole a Leather Sole?

The first step is to visit a cobblers’ shop and get all these items. Make sure you take your loafers along so you can get the correct sizes for half-sole and heel.

After that, you need to remove the heel of the loafers. So, to remove the heel, you need to carefully place your file or knife between the heel and the sole and peel it off.

Once done with the heel, try peeling the sole off using a pincer or plier. This is a very delicate process as you can easily destroy the leather or the insole.

However, because of my experience with leather shoes, I can give you a special tip.

Apply acetone on the sole to weaken the glue binding it to the sole, this makes the peeling easier.

Once the peeling is done, you need to cut the sole to the exact size of the shoe and smoothen the edges. You can smoothen this using your file or edging tool.

After that, apply glue on the inner face of the sole and heel, then leave to dry for a few minutes. I’d say 10 to 15 minutes.

Once that is done, place the sole correctly under the loafers. Put the shoe on a stand and hammer the sole to it. This makes the glue stick the two surfaces firmly together.

Now, you need to stitch using a stitching awl or machine round the sole but not reach the place for the soles. It is more like a U-shaped stitch. At the heel side of the shoe, nail the sole to the shoe using a hammer.

After that, I would advise that you use a Frye (wood) and nail it to the heel part first as this will make the sole and heel stick more together. This prevents the loafer’s sole from falling off.

The last step is to place your heel on top of the Frye already added. After correctly positioning it on the Frye, hammer it together or use the vice to press it against the insole.

Voila! You have a resoled loafer shoe!

Final Remarks

Loafers are a great way to bring some variety to your summer footwear game. They can last pretty long too, especially if you take good care of their soles.

And an important aspect of that is making sure that the sole stays new and fresh through resoling every couple of years.

I hope I managed to make the entire process a little bit less daunting for you.

As always, here’s a quick recap of the article.

Can loafers be resoled?

Loafers can be resoled by any experienced cobbler. You can also resole them at home, but the process can be a bit daunting.