Upholsterers
Overview
Upholsterers bring furniture and vehicle interiors to life by creating, repairing, and replacing fabric coverings and padding. They work with their hands using both traditional tools and modern power equipment to remove old materials, cut new fabrics following patterns, and carefully install everything from foam padding to decorative trim. This skilled trade combines creativity with technical precision, as upholsterers must understand different materials, read blueprints, and often create custom pieces that match clients' specific needs. Many upholsterers today work in collaborative shop environments or even start their own businesses, blending traditional craftsmanship with contemporary design trends.
Did you know?
Upholstery work involves repetitive motions, heavy lifting, and exposure to chemicals and dust, requiring attention to ergonomics and safety practices.
At a Glance
Median Wage
$44,746.05 Avg/yr
Growth
Stable
Top Skill
Troubleshooting
Key Responsibilities
- Attach fasteners, grommets, buttons, buckles, ornamental trim, and other accessories to covers or frames, using hand tools.
- Operate sewing machines or sew upholstery by hand to seam cushions and join various sections of covering material.
- Read work orders, and apply knowledge and experience with materials to determine types and amounts of materials required to cover workpieces.
- Interweave and fasten strips of webbing to the backs and undersides of furniture, using small hand tools and fasteners.
- Examine furniture frames, upholstery, springs, and webbing to locate defects.
- Stretch webbing and fabric, using webbing stretchers.
- Discuss upholstery fabrics, colors, and styles with customers, and provide cost estimates.
- Build furniture up with loose fiber stuffing, cotton, felt, or foam padding to form smooth, rounded surfaces.
- Make, repair, or replace automobile upholstery and convertible and vinyl tops, using knowledge of fabric and upholstery methods.
- Collaborate with interior designers to decorate rooms and coordinate furnishing fabrics.
- Remove covering, webbing, padding, or defective springs from workpieces, using hand tools such as hammers and tack pullers.
- Draw cutting lines on material following patterns, templates, sketches, or blueprints, using chalk, pencils, paint, or other methods.
- Pick up and deliver furniture.
- Design upholstery cover patterns and cutting plans, based on sketches, customer descriptions, or blueprints.
- Adjust or replace webbing, padding, or springs, and secure them in place.
- Repair furniture frames and refinish exposed wood.
- Make, restore, or create custom upholstered furniture, using hand tools and knowledge of fabrics and upholstery methods.
- Attach bindings or apply solutions to edges of cut material to prevent raveling.
- Measure and cut new covering materials, using patterns and measuring and cutting instruments, following sketches and design specifications.
- Fit, install, and secure material on frames, using hand tools, power tools, glue, cement, or staples.
- Maintain records of time required to perform each job.
- Sew rips or tears in material, or create tufting, using needles and thread.
Career Considerations
Physical Demands and Safety
Upholstery work involves repetitive motions, heavy lifting, and exposure to chemicals and dust, requiring attention to ergonomics and safety practices.
Market Competition and Specialization
While mass-produced furniture creates competition, opportunities exist in custom upholstery, antique restoration, and high-end residential or commercial markets.
Skill Development and Training
Success requires developing both technical craftsmanship skills and business acumen, often through apprenticeships, vocational programs, or on-the-job training.