Upholsterers

Make, repair, or replace upholstery for household furniture or transportation vehicles.

What you'd actually do

• Fit, install, and secure material on frames, using hand tools, power tools, glue, cement, or staples.
• 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.
• Examine furniture frames, upholstery, springs, and webbing to locate defects.

How you get there

Typical entry-level education: High school diploma. Overall preparation: some preparation (Job Zone 2 of 5).

The feel of the work

The work is mostly indoors; much of the day is spent working solo. (Compared against the other 818 careers in the guide.)

Working for yourself

About 9.2% of upholsterers are self-employed.

Who it tends to fit

This work tends to fit people who are hands-on and creative.

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Quick questions

How much does a upholsterer make?

The median pay is $22.28 per hour — roughly $46,500 a year, with the real range running from about $15.24/hr (10th percentile) to $30.66/hr (90th percentile). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Do you need a degree to be a upholsterer?

The typical entry-level education is: High school diploma. Overall preparation level: some preparation (Job Zone 2 of 5).

What does a upholsterer actually do all day?

Fit, install, and secure material on frames, using hand tools, power tools, glue, cement, or staples. 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.