Upholsterer

Job Description:

Upholsterers pad, cover and re-cover furniture with materials like leather, suede or cotton.

Job Category:

Manufacturing & Electronics

See Manufacturing & Electronics jobs

What you will do:

Day-to-day tasks

In this job you could:

plan work, advise on fabrics and estimate costs
prepare patterns and templates
cut fabric to correct measurements
fix webbing and springs
cover furniture frames with padding and fabric, using stitching, staples, tacks or glue
make soft furnishings like cushions
add trimmings like piping, fringing and buttons
remove old upholstery and repair frames before re-upholstering

Skills:

You’ll need:

knowledge of manufacturing production and processes
design skills and knowledge
the ability to use, repair and maintain machines and tools

As well as:

to be thorough and pay attention to detail
the ability to work well with your hands
the ability to use your initiative
to be flexible and open to change (adaptability skills)
the ability to work well with others (teamwork skills)
to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device

Illustration of employee looking at workspace

Entry Requirements:

You can get into this job through:

a college course
an apprenticeship
working towards this role
specialist courses run by professional bodies

College Course

You could take a college course, like a:

Certificate in Upholstery
Diploma in Furnishings – Traditional Upholstery
Diploma in Furnishings – Modern Upholstery

Courses like these may be useful when looking for a trainee upholsterer job with a company.

Apprenticeship
You could do a furniture manufacturer intermediate apprenticeship or an upholsterer advanced apprenticeship.

These typically take 24 months to complete as a mix of learning in the workplace and off-the-job study.

Work
You may be able to get work as a trainee upholsterer, without any experience. You would then do qualifications and get experience on the job.

Working Hours and Environment:

Typical hours are 43-45 hours a week.

You could work as a freelancer and manage your own hours.

You could work in a workshop, in a factory, at a client’s business or at a client’s home.

Your working environment may be physically demanding.

Career Path & Progression:

With experience, you could

move into a supervisory or management position.
specialise in re-upholstering antique furniture or work in interior design.
become self-employed and set up your own upholstery business.
teach your upholstery skills to apprentices and students in further education.