upholsterer

The work

Upholsterers pad and cover furniture such as chairs, bedheads and sofas. There are two types of work:

• production - working in a factory, upholstering complete items or particular parts such as chair or sofa arms
• craft  - working on individual pieces of new furniture or renovating or re-upholstering old and antique furniture.

The work can include:

• planning the work, advising on fabrics and estimating costs
• preparing patterns and templates
• cutting out fabric
• fixing webbing and springs
• covering frames with padding and fabric using stitching, staples, tacks or glue
• making cushions
• adding trimmings such as piping, fringing and buttons
• removing old upholstery and repairing the frame before re-upholstery.

Hours and Environment

In factories and workshops you might work a 39-hour week, and may have to work some evenings and weekends. If you are self-employed you will arrange your own working hours, depending on how much work you have.

You will work in a workshop, studio or factory. If you are self-employed you might visit clients' homes to give estimates, and collect and deliver furniture.

The job can be physically demanding, involving lifting and carrying furniture, and a lot of bending and standing. 

It will be useful to have a driving licence If you are self-employed.

Skills and Interests

To be an upholsterer you should:

• be very skilled at taking measurements and calculating quantities
• be able to pay strict attention to detail and accuracy
• be practical and enjoy using machinery and tools
• be interested in furniture design and history
• have patience and perseverance
• be physically fit as the work involves moving furniture
• be safety-conscious, well organised and tidy
• be self-motivated and able to work without supervision, particularly if self-employed
• have good business skills if self-employed.

Entry

You do not need any particular qualifications to work as an upholsterer, although you might need GCSEs (A-E)/S grades (1-5) for some jobs.  

You will usually need relevant practical skills and experience if you want to find work in production upholstery. You will then be trained on the job in relevant aspects of the production process.

Some colleges offer the following courses, which could be a useful introduction before you look for a job:

• City and Guilds NVQ/SVQ Level 1 in Supporting the Production of Furniture and Furnishings
• City and Guilds Certificate in Furniture Production levels 1-3.

If you want to be self-employed or work in craft workshops you will need to learn the relevant skills and/or gain qualifications before starting work. The following courses may be useful:

• City & Guilds Level 1 Certificate in Design and Craft (7722). This provides an introduction to a range of options including textiles
• City & Guilds Level 2 Certificate in Design & Craft (7822) which builds on the skills developed on the Level 1 course
• City & Guilds Level 3 Certificate (7922) which develops advanced skills
• City and Guilds Level 3 Diploma in Design and Craft (7923), which follows on from the Level 3 certificate.

At higher education level upholstery is just one part of courses in furniture-related subjects. Courses include:

• BTEC Higher National Diplomas (HNDs) and foundation degrees in subjects such as Furniture Making, Furniture Restoration and Furniture Design
• SQA HNCs/HNDs in Furniture Restoration and Furniture Design and Construction
• degree courses in furniture production and furniture design.

For information about foundation degrees see Foundation Degree Forward. To search for colleges and universities offering foundation degrees, HNDs and degrees see Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). You should check with colleges and universities for their entry requirements, as these can vary.

For details about this career, visit the Furniture, Furnishings and Interiors National Training Organisation (FFINTO). For details about working in textiles, see Skillfast-UK, the Sector Skills Council for the clothing, footwear and textiles industry, in Further Information.

Training

When you have a job in the industry, you can do other qualifications, including:

• City and Guilds NVQ/SVQ Level 2 in Making and Installing Furniture
• City and Guilds NVQ/SVQ Level 3 in Making and Installing Production Furniture
• City and Guilds NVQ/SVQ Level 3 in Making and Repairing Hand-crafted Furniture and Furnishings
• City and Guilds Level 4 Creative Arts Higher Professional Development Diploma (4440) which is suitable for people who work in creative businesses including upholstery and soft furnishings.

All the NVQs/SVQs consist of mandatory units plus options which include upholstery-related units

Apprenticeships may be available for those under the age of 24. In England these are currently Apprenticeships (level 2) and Advanced Apprenticeships (level 3). To find out more about these, visit www.apprenticeships.org.uk

Apprenticeships may be different in other areas. For further information see Scotland , Wales and Northern Ireland

Opportunities

Most upholsterers are employed in craft workshops, by furniture manufacturers, or are self-employed. Prospects for promotion are limited.

Annual Income

Figures are intended as a guideline only.

Starting salaries are likely to be around £12,500 a year.
Experienced upholsterer can earn from around £15,000 to around £18,000 a year. 
Overtime payments and bonuses can increase earnings.

The pay of upholsterers who are self-employed varies considerably between individuals and from week to week.

Further information

67 Wollaton Road
Beeston
Nottingham
NG9 2NG
Tel: 0115 9221200

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