What Does A Furniture Finisher Do (including Their Typical Day at Work)

Stan T.Career, Overview

Salary, Job Description, How To Become One, and Quiz

Furniture Finishers

Furniture Finishers shape, finish, and refinish damaged, worn, or used furniture or new high-grade furniture to specified color or finish.

Salary
$35040
Becoming One
Easy
Education
No degree required
Job Satisfaction
Job Growth

Personality


What they do

Furniture Finishers shape, finish, and refinish damaged, worn, or used furniture or new high-grade furniture to specified color or finish.

  • Confer with customers to determine furniture colors or finishes.
  • Brush, spray, or hand-rub finishing ingredients, such as paint, oil, stain, or wax, onto and into the wood grain and apply lacquer or other sealers.
  • Fill and smooth cracks or depressions, remove marks and imperfections, and repair broken parts, using plastic or wood putty, glue, nails, or screws.
  • Smooth, shape, and touch up surfaces to prepare them for finishing, using sandpaper, pumice stones, steel wool, chisels, sanders, or grinders.

Typical day

On a daily basis, Furniture Finishers remove accessories prior to finishing and mask areas that should not be exposed to finishing processes or substances. They select appropriate finishing ingredients such as paint, stain, lacquer, shellac, or varnish, depending on factors such as wood hardness and surface type.

A typical day for a Furniture Finisher will also include:

  • Wash surfaces to prepare them for finish application.
  • Brush, spray, or hand-rub finishing ingredients, such as paint, oil, stain, or wax, onto and into the wood grain and apply lacquer or other sealers.
  • Recommend woods, colors, finishes, and furniture styles, using knowledge of wood products, fashions, and styles.
  • Fill and smooth cracks or depressions, remove marks and imperfections, and repair broken parts, using plastic or wood putty, glue, nails, or screws.
  • Smooth, shape, and touch up surfaces to prepare them for finishing, using sandpaper, pumice stones, steel wool, chisels, sanders, or grinders.

Other responsibilities

Besides their typical day, Furniture Finishers also spread graining ink over metal portions of furniture to simulate wood-grain finish. They may also remove accessories prior to finishing, and mask areas that should not be exposed to finishing processes or substances.

On a weekly to monthly basis, Furniture Finishers treat warped or stained surfaces to restore original contours and colors. They might also disassemble items to prepare them for finishing, using hand tools.

In addition, they recommend woods, colors, finishes, and furniture styles, using knowledge of wood products, fashions, and styles.

Although specific duties may vary, many of them remove excess solvent, using cloths soaked in paint thinner.

To some Furniture Finishers, it is also their responsibility to brush bleaching agents on wood surfaces to restore natural color.

What is the job like

Job satisfaction

High

Is this job meaningful

Average

72% said they were satisfied with their job and 52% said they found their job meaningful.


Pros

Suitable for people who like practical and hands-on work.

Suitable for people who want to work in a supportive work environment.

It is very easy to get into this career. Little or no previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required to get started.

Demand for this career is growing.

Cons

Not suitable for people who like to help and teach others.

One of the lowest paying jobs.

How much do they make

Average salary

$35040 per year

Average hourly wage

$17 per hour

Entry-level Furniture Finishers with little to no experience can expect to make anywhere between $24,310 to $27,950 per year or $12 to $13 per hour.

Salary by experience Annual Hourly
Highest (Top 10%) $50,000 $24
Senior (Top 25%) $39,910 $19
Median $32,970 $16
Junior (Bottom 25%) $27,950 $13
No experience (Bottom 10%) $24,310 $12

This table shows the top 10 highest paying industries for Furniture Finishers based on their average annual salary.

Salary by industry Annual Hourly
Building Finishing Contractors $47080 $22.63
Miscellaneous Store Retailers $43360 $20.85
Management of Companies and Enterprises $40950 $19.69
Warehousing and Storage $39820 $19.14
Personal and Household Goods Repair and Maintenance $37290 $17.93
Furniture Stores $36990 $17.78
Other Wood Product Manufacturing $35450 $17.04
Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing $34440 $16.56
Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods $33760 $16.23
Employment Services $30290 $14.56

View more salary by industries here.

Where can they work

Where can Furniture Finishers work? Here is a table showing the top 10 largest employers of Furniture Finishers including the average salary in that industry.

Employers Total Employed Annual Salary Hourly Wages
Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing 9680 $34440 $16.56
Personal and Household Goods Repair and Maintenance 2180 $37290 $17.93
Furniture Stores 820 $36990 $17.78
Employment Services 760 $30290 $14.56
Other Wood Product Manufacturing 650 $35450 $17.04
Warehousing and Storage 360 $39820 $19.14
Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods 280 $33760 $16.23
Management of Companies and Enterprises 100 $40950 $19.69
Miscellaneous Store Retailers 90 $43360 $20.85
Building Finishing Contractors 90 $47080 $22.63

What is the work day like

Working hours

Less than 40 hours
11%

40 hours
53%

More than 40 hours
36%

Working schedule

75%

25%

0%

Email

How often do you use email in this job?

Once a week
0%

Every day
6%

Telephone

How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?

Once a week
5%

Every day
14%

Group discussions

How often do you have group discussions in this job?

Once a week
29%

Every day
48%

Public speaking

How often does this job require you to do public speaking?

Never
60%

Once a year
19%

Once a month
5%

Once a week
16%

Every day
0%

Level of competition

How much competitive pressure is in this job?

Not competitive at all
25%

Slightly competitive
16%

Moderately competitive
49%

Highly competitive
10%

Extremely competitive
0%

What is the work environment like

Office-style environment

Indoors in an environmentally controlled condition

Never
62%

Once a year or more
0%

Once a month or more
3%

Once a week or more
0%

Every day
35%

Warehouse-style environment

Indoors in a non-controlled environmental condition such as a warehouse

Never
35%

Once a year or more
2%

Once a month or more
0%

Once a week or more
3%

Every day
60%

Outdoors

Outdoors exposed to all weather conditions

Never
79%

Once a year or more
14%

Once a month or more
4%

Once a week or more
3%

Every day
0%

Outdoors – Under Cover

Outdoors but under cover (e.g. structure with roof but no walls)

Never
86%

Once a year or more
3%

Once a month or more
4%

Once a week or more
7%

Every day
0%

How to become one

Difficulty to become one

Easy
You may need some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience. Most careers in this difficulty category usually don’t require a degree. However, you will need a few months of on-the-job training with experienced employees. Similar careers include Customer Service Representatives, Security Guards, and Bank Tellers.

Required level of education

What level of education do you need to perform the job?

Less than a High School Diploma
36%

High School Diploma or equivalent
61%

Post-Secondary Certificate
3%

Some College Courses
0%

Associate’s Degree or similar
0%

Bachelor’s Degree
0%

Post-Baccalaureate Certificate
0%

Master’s Degree
0%

Post-Master’s Certificate
0%

First Professional Degree
0%

Doctoral Degree
0%

Post-Doctoral Training
0%

Relevant majors

Furniture Design and Manufacturing

A program that prepares individuals to apply technical knowledge and skills to prepare and execute furniture design projects, assemble and finish furniture articles or subassemblies, repair furniture, and use a variety of hand and power tools.

Relevant work experience

How much related work experience do you need to get hired for the job?

None
24%

1 month
1%

1 to 3 months
3%

3 to 6 months
9%

6 months to 1 year
9%

1 to 2 years
21%

2 to 4 years
0%

4 to 6 years
9%

6 to 8 years
8%

8 to 10 years
9%

Over 10 years
7%

On The Job Training

How much on the job training do you need to perform the job?

None or short demonstration
5%

1 month
24%

1 to 3 months
3%

3 to 6 months
32%

6 months to 1 year
7%

1 to 2 years
14%

2 to 4 years
7%

4 to 10 years
8%

Over 10 years
0%

Should you become one

Best personality type for this career

The Builder

People with this personality type likes practical and hands-on work. They prefer working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.

The Builder
100%

People with The Builder personality type likes practical and hands-on work. They prefer working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.


The Thinker
14%

People with The Thinker personality likes to work with ideas that require an extensive amount of thinking. They prefer work that requires them to solve problems mentally.


The Artist
38%

People with The Artist personality likes to work with designs and patterns. They prefer activities that require self-expression and prefer work that can be done without following a clear set of rules.


The Helper
14%

People with The Helper personality type likes to work with people and in teams. They prefer work that allows them to build relationships with others.


The Leader
24%

People with The Leader personality likes to start and work on projects. They also like leading people and making many decisions.


The Organizer
29%

People with The Organizer personality type likes to follow set procedures and routines. They prefer working with data and details more than with ideas.


You can read more about these career personality types here.

People who are suitable for this job tend to like work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They like working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.

They also like working with forms, designs, and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.

Take this quiz to see if this is the right career for you.

Work Values

Which values are the most important to a person’s satisfaction for this job?

Achievement
29%

You are someone who is results oriented. You prefer work that allows you to utilize your skills and abilities while at the same time giving you a sense of accomplishment.

Working Conditions
36%

You are someone who values job security, steady employment, and good working conditions. You also prefer work that keeps you busy all the time with something different to do every day.

Recognition
33%

You are someone who values job advancement and leadership roles. You prefer work that receives recognition for the work you do and jobs that are looked up to by others in the company and your community.

Relationships
48%

You are someone who likes to provide a service to others. You prefer a work environment where you can work with your co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment.

Support
57%

You are someone who values a company that stands behind their employees. You prefer a work environment where everyone is treated fairly and is being supported by the company.

Independence
33%

You are someone who likes to work on your own and make your own decisions. You prefer work that requires little supervision and are allowed to try out your own ideas.

FAQ


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