Description

Upholsterers cover furniture, fixtures and similar items with fabric, leather or other upholstery materials. They are employed by furniture, aircraft, motor vehicle and other manufacturing companies, furniture retail outlets and repair shops or they may be self-employed.

Job Titles

• Automobile upholsterer
• Custom upholsterer
• Furniture upholsterer
• Upholsterer
• Upholstery repairer

Main Duties

• Discuss upholstery fabric, colour, and style with customers and provide cost estimate for upholstering furniture or other items
• Lay out, measure and cut upholstery materials according to sketches or design specifications
• Replace worn-out webbing, springs and other furniture parts using hand and power tools
• Operate sewing machines or sew upholstery materials by hand to seam cushions and join sections of covering materials
• Install padding and underlays and fasten covering materials to furniture frames
• Tack, glue or sew ornamental trim, braids or buttons on upholstered items
• Lay out, cut, fabricate and install upholstery in aircrafts, motor vehicles, railway cars, boats and ships
• May repair furniture frames and refinish wood surfaces
• May make upholstery patterns from sketches, customer descriptions or blueprints
• May install, fabricate, maintain and repair interior components of aircraft, such as seats, coverings, drapes, cargo nets, flooring, closets, bins and panels.

Workplaces

• Furniture repair shops
• Furniture retail outlets
• Furniture, aircraft, motor vehicle and other manufacturing companies
• Self-employment

Skills

• Equipment and Tool Selection
• Product Design
• Quality Control Testing
• Repairing
• Critical Thinking

Abilities

• Colour Perception
• Arm-Hand Steadiness
• Body Flexibility
• Control of Settings
• Finger Dexterity

Personal Attributes

• Attention to Detail
• Active Learning
• Adaptability
• Analytical Thinking
• Collaboration

Similar Occupations

• Furniture and fixture assemblers, finishers, refinishers and inspectors (94210)

Source: OaSIS