Fastest Birkenstock Repair – How To
All styles of Birkenstock sandals are designed to be repaired – here’s the fastest way to repair them for summer! Whether you need a new sole, a reheel, a cork or leather patch, or a full rebuild with a new footbed, Awl Together Leather offers the fastest Birkenstock repair in Vancouver. Here’s a guide to all the types of Birkenstock repair services most cobblers will offer, and what you can do at home to keep your Birkenstocks lasting longer!
DIY Home Care for Birkenstock Sandals
The first step in caring for your Birkenstocks is to buy the correct size! As experts in repairing these sandals, we often see people coming in with footbeds that have their heels crushed and the cork falling out. This is sometimes from wearing a Birkenstock that is a size too small. We recommend a footbed where you have at least a quarter inch of space in front of your toes and behind your heel to prevent flattening out the cork. If you’ve bought the wrong size in the past, and are getting a full re-build, we install your existing straps onto a new footbed in the correct size!


Step two in caring for your Birkenstocks at home is to reseal the cork! Cork is a material that is not meant to bend and you always see cracks forming near the toes (and heels!) on the footbeds. To prevent your cork from falling out, use Kelly’s Cork Renew – this invisible sealant coat prevents the cork from drying out and crumbling away from your footbed!
Step three for preparing your Birkenstocks for summer is to repair them early! As spring and summer approaches, head into your local cobbling shop for all other styles of Birkenstock repair. Awl Together Leather in East Vancouver offers mail-in services for all types of shoe repair.
Re-Heeling and Re-Soling Birkenstock Sandals
Once the rubber on the bottom of your sole has worn thin, it’s time for a new sole or heel! Birkenstocks can have their rubber sole replaced fully or only on the heels. Most shoe repairers will carry the Birkenstock official rubber, which comes in white, brown or black. Awl Together Leather also stocks the equivalent rubber, made by Vibram, which we recommend as it is slightly more durable and will outlast the Birkenstock rubber while providing essentially the same level of comfort!

This is the perfect time to bring in your Birkenstocks for re-heeling! Just before you wear into the cork footbed.
Worn into your cork?! Not a problem! Small wear in the cork footbeds can be reinforced by a cork build-up layer. Using a special high-density cork, Awl Together Leather can restore your Birkenstocks to their original balance and heel height with virtually no change in their appearance.
Complete Rebuild – New Birkenstock Footbeds
When you’ve worn through the sole and the cork of your Birkenstocks, it’s time for a complete rebuild! Awl Together Leather transfers your original uppers in any style – including the Gizeh, Mayari, Arizona, or the Boston Clog – onto the genuine Birkenstock footbed with a complete new rubber sole for a virtually new pair of sandals! This process is cheaper than buying a new pair of Birkenstocks, cuts down on textile waste and supports your local East Vancouver Cobbling shop.

A complete rebuild on a Birkenstock Gizeh Sandal, using Vibram Woodstock soling and new cork footbeds
An added bonus of a complete rebuild is the ability to customize your sandals to be completely your own! You have the ability to change your rubber color, or go in a completely new direction with a customized sole, such as the Vibram mini-ripple or something non-slip and oil proof (perfect for working in kitchens!).
Repair Rips, Tears and Buckles on Birkenstocks
Birkenstock sandals are meant to be repaired – even for the small things! If your strap has broken, we can patch the tear and get you back in style for summer. On thong styles, we can both patch torn ones (such as those on the Birkenstock Mayari) or replace plastic ones (such as those on the Birkenstock Gizeh). Lost a buckle – we have a new one! We have all sizes and colours of Birkenstock buckles available. Even if you just need extra holes put into your straps, we can do that while you wait for the fastest resizing in town.
Building Your Own Birkenstock Sandals
Want to build your own custom sandals for summer? Awl Together Leather sells a variety of soles and the footbeds in store and online. Talk to us about customizing or creating your dream sandal today!