Upholsterers

Summary

Upholsterers replace and repair the coverings on furniture or in vehicles and upholster new pieces of furniture.

Quick Facts: Upholsterers
2010 Median Pay	$29,960 per year $14.40 per hour
Entry-Level Education	High school diploma or equivalent
Work Experience in a Related Occupation	None
On-the-job Training	Moderate-term on-the-job training
Number of Jobs, 2010	46,900
Job Outlook, 2010-20	4% (Slower than average)
Employment Change, 2010-20	2,000

What Upholsterers Do

Upholsterers make, replace, and repair coverings on furniture and in vehicles.

Work Environment

Most upholsterers work for household and institutional furniture manufacturers, upholstery shops, and automotive interior repair shops. About 36 percent of workers were self-employed in 2010. Most work full time.

How to Become an Upholsterer

There are no postsecondary education requirements to work as an upholsterer. Most workers have a high school diploma and are trained informally on the job. Some take classes to learn how to upholster furniture and sew.

Pay

The median annual wage of upholsterers was $29,960 in May 2010.

Job Outlook

Employment of upholsterers is expected to grow by about 4 percent from 2010 to 2020, slower than the average for all occupations. Growth is expected because demand is projected to increase for reupholstering work on used and antique furniture.

Similar Occupations

Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of upholsterers with similar occupations.

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Contacts for More Information

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What Upholsterers Do About this section

Upholsterers affix covering and cushions to create new furniture and update old furniture or vehicle interiors.

Upholsterers make, replace, and repair coverings on furniture and in vehicles.

Duties

Upholsterers typically do the following:

• Consult with clients to discuss alterations to the furniture and to help customers choose fabric
• Estimate costs for the project, including approximate fabric and labor costs
• Inspect furniture to find needed repairs in the frame, upholstery, and springs
• Remove and replace old and worn padding, filling, and broken springs
• Measure, cut, and sew fabric, and attach it to the furniture frame with tacks, staples and glue

Upholsterers put on covering and cushions to create new furniture and update old furniture and vehicle interiors. Although some upholsterers specialize in either working with old furniture or creating new furniture, most do both.

Upholsterers need to stay current with trends in furniture design and styles. They help choose fabrics that meet their customer's lifestyle, preferences, and needs. For example, upholsterers may help a client who has young children choose a long-lasting and durable fabric for a family room sofa that matches other furniture.

Sometimes they have to choose fabrics that meet building codes—such as being fire resistant—or fabrics that reflect the style of the building. They also may work with interior designers and architects who need furniture for a new building. For more information, see the profiles on interior designers and architects.

Upholsterers may specialize in working on cars and other vehicles. These workers create and replace upholstery for the interiors of cars and other vehicles. They upholster seats, carpet floors, and cover door panels. To replace interiors with another fabric or other material, such as leather, these workers first remove the seats from the vehicle before replacing the upholstery.

Some upholsterers own their business. In these cases, they may do management and administrative tasks, such as managing the finances of their business and taking orders.

Work Environment About this section

Most upholsterers work for household and institutional furniture manufacturers, upholstery shops, and automotive interior repair shops.

Upholsterers held about 46,900 jobs in 2010.

Most upholsterers work for household and institutional furniture manufacturers, upholstery shops, and automotive interior repair shops. About 36 percent of workers were self-employed in 2010. Some self-employed upholsterers work out of their home.

In 2010, the following industries employed the most upholsterers:

Injuries

Full-time upholsterers experience a rate of work-related injury and illness that is higher than the average among all occupations. Upholsterers usually wear protective gloves and clothing when using sharp tools and lifting and hanging furniture or springs.

During most of the workday, upholsterers stand and may do a lot of bending and heavy lifting. They also may work in awkward positions for short periods.

Work Schedules

Most upholsterers work full time. Some work nights and weekends to accommodate customers’ schedules.

How to Become an Upholsterer About this section

Most upholsterers have a high school diploma and are trained informally on the job.

There are no postsecondary education requirements to work as an upholsterer. Most workers have a high school diploma and are trained informally on the job. Some take classes to learn how to sew and upholster furniture.

Education

Generally, employers do not have any postsecondary education requirements for upholsterers. Some upholsterers take classes to learn how to sew and upholsterer furniture, but there are few formal programs to teach someone how to become an upholsterer.

Training

Those interested in becoming an upholsterer are often trained while working in an upholstery shop. Some are trained through apprenticeships, where they are hired by an upholsterer and get training to develop their skills. However, formal apprenticeships are difficult to find.

Most who are interested in becoming an upholsterer find employment working with an upholsterer and are trained informally on the job. Others teach themselves by taking furniture apart to learn how it is made and what appears to be needed to replace the fabric, padding, and broken springs.

Important Qualities

Creativity. Upholsterers should be able to help customers choose and use fabrics to match the design style they are trying to achieve with their furniture. Upholsterers must have a good eye for color and pattern to help customers fit the newly upholstered furniture with the rest of their décor.

Customer-service skills. Upholsterers need to meet customers’ requirements while managing customer expectations.

Detail oriented. Upholsterers need to take careful measurements to avoid wasting fabric and to do a neat and accurate job. Paying attention to details is essential to their work.

Problem-solving skills. Every piece of furniture and every upholstery job is different. Upholsterers need to use creativity to solve problems and to determine the best way to approach each job.

Pay About this section

The median annual wage of upholsterers was $29,960 in May 2010. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $19,540, and the top 10 percent earned more than $46,350.

Most upholsterers work full time. Some work nights and weekends to accommodate customers’ schedules.

Job Outlook About this section

Employment of upholsterers is expected to grow by 4 percent from 2010 to 2020, slower than the average for all occupations. Growth is expected because demand is projected to increase for reupholstering work on used and antique furniture.

People are increasingly interested in refurbishing furniture that they find in antique and second-hand stores and at flea markets. In addition, people often want to repair their furniture—especially if it is high quality—rather than replace it. As a result, there has been an increased demand for the services of upholsterers.

However, growth will be slowed, as customers continue to demand relatively inexpensive furniture. As this furniture becomes worn or broken, it is more likely to be replaced than repaired. This could decrease the demand for upholstery services.

Although overall employment of upholsters is expected to increase by 4 percent, employment of upholsterers in manufacturing industries is expected to decline by 3 percent from 2010 to 2020. Much furniture manufacturing has been sent to countries where labor is less expensive, limiting the demand for upholsterers.

Contacts for More Information About this section

The Handbook does not have contacts for more information for this occupation.