Job Description

Upholsterers make, repair, or replace upholstery for household furniture or transportation vehicles. They also fit, install, and secure material on frames, using hand tools, power tools, glue, cement, or staples.

Other tasks include:

• Measure and cut new covering materials, using patterns and measuring and cutting instruments, following sketches and design specifications.
• Build furniture up with loose fiber stuffing, cotton, felt, or foam padding to form smooth, rounded surfaces.
• Make, restore, or create custom upholstered furniture, using hand tools and knowledge of fabrics and upholstery methods.
• Read work orders, and apply knowledge and experience with materials to determine types and amounts of materials required to cover workpieces.
• Draw cutting lines on material following patterns, templates, sketches, or blueprints, using chalk, pencils, paint, or other methods.
• Stretch webbing and fabric, using webbing stretchers.

We asked Upholsterers how satisfied they are with their job. Here is what they said.

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71% of them said they were satisfied with their job and 52% said they find that their job makes the world a better place or helps to make someone else’s life better.

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Typical Day At Work

On a daily basis, Upholsterers draw cutting lines on material following patterns, templates, sketches, or blueprints, using chalk, pencils, paint, or other methods. They fit, install, and secure material on frames, using hand tools, power tools, glue, cement, or staples.

A typical day for an Upholsterer will also include:

• 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.
• Measure and cut new covering materials, using patterns and measuring and cutting instruments, following sketches and design specifications.
• Stretch webbing and fabric, using webbing stretchers.
• Make, restore, or create custom upholstered furniture, using hand tools and knowledge of fabrics and upholstery methods.

We asked some Upholsterers a few questions to find out what else does their work day look like. Here is what we found.

	Do you have telephone conversations everyday in this job?	13% said yes
	How important is it to work in a team in this job?	57% said very important
	Do you have group discussions everyday in this job?	68% said yes
	Do you talk or work with customers everyday in this job?	7% said yes
	Do you have to deal with angry customers everyday in this job?	12% said yes
	Do you have to make decisions everyday in this job?	35% said yes

Other responsibilities

Besides their typical day, Upholsterers also pick up and deliver furniture. They may also collaborate with interior designers to decorate rooms and coordinate furnishing fabrics.

On a weekly to monthly basis, Upholsterers Adjust or replace webbing, padding, or springs, and secure them in place. They might also Maintain records of time required to perform each job.

In addition, they Discuss upholstery fabrics, colors, and styles with customers, and provide cost estimates.

Although specific duties may vary, many of them Remove covering, webbing, padding, or defective springs from workpieces, using hand tools such as hammers and tack pullers.

To some Upholsterers, it is also their responsibility to Sew rips or tears in material, or create tufting, using needles and thread.

Working life

Standard 40 hour work week

Regular schedule like a 9 to 5

In a typical work week as an Upholsterer, you can expect to work 40 hour work week.

Is this right for me

People who are suitable for this job tends 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 starting up and carrying out projects. They like leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.

You can read more about these career personality types here.

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