Upholsterers

• Nature of the Work

  Whether making a new piece of furniture, restoring a treasured antique, or simply giving an ordinary living room couch a facelift, upholsterers combine knowledge of fabrics and other materials with artistic flair and manual skill. Some repair and replace automobile upholstery and convertible and vinyl tops.

  Upholsterers who make new furniture start with a bare wooden frame. Those who recondition old furniture first remove the old cover, padding, and springs, using hammers and tack pullers. They remove the material and padding that cover the arms, back, sides, and seat. They examine the springs and replace broken or bent ones. The springs sit on a cloth mat, called "webbing," that is attached to the frame. If the webbing is worn, upholsterers remove all the springs and webbing. They reglue loose sections of the frame and refinish exposed wood.

  The first step in upholstering new furniture or reupholstering old pieces is to install webbing of nylon, jute, or cotton in the frame to hold the springs. Upholsterers tack webbing to one side of the frame, stretch it tight, and tack it to the opposite side. Additional webbing is woven across the first row of webbing and attached to the frame to form a new mat. After putting springs on the mat so they compress evenly, upholsterers sew or staple each spring to the webbing or frame and tie each spring to the ones next to it. Burlap then is stretched over the springs, cut, smoothed, and tacked to the frame. To form a smooth rounded surface over the springs and other parts of the frame, upholsterers cover the furniture with filling material. They then cover this with a layer of felt and heavy cloth, and tack the cloth to the frame. Upholsterers measure and cut fabric for arms, backs, and other sections with as little waste as possible. They temporarily stitch pieces together for fitting and after assuring tight and smooth fit of the cover—or noting where adjustments are necessary—they remove the cover, sew it together, and tack, staple, or glue it to the frame. To complete the job, upholsterers sew, tack, or glue on fringes, buttons, or other ornaments.

  Upholsterers use common handtools, including tack hammers, staple guns, tack and staple removers, pliers, and shears, and special tools such as webbing stretchers and upholstery needles. They also use sewing machines.

  Upholsterers who work in upholstery shops pick up and deliver furniture or help customers select new furniture coverings. Those who manage shops also order supplies and equipment and keep business records.

• Working Conditions

  Most upholsterers work inside a shop or factory. Working conditions in these facilities vary—many are spacious, adequately lighted, well ventilated, and well heated; others are small and dusty.

  The work is not dangerous, but upholsterers must be careful to avoid cuts and bruises when they use sharp tools and when they lift and handle furniture or springs. Upholsterers stand most of the workday, and they do a lot of bending and heavy lifting. They also have to work in awkward positions for short periods of time.

• Employment

  Furniture upholsterers held about 63,000 jobs in 1994. About 1 out of 3 were self-employed. Of the remaining upholsterers, companies that manufacture household and office furniture employed 65 percent and shops that reupholster and repair furniture employed nearly another 17 percent. Over 10 percent worked in shops that specialize in reupholstering the seats of automobiles and other motor vehicles, and a few worked in furniture stores.

• Training, Other Qualifications, and Advancement

  Most upholsterers are trained on the job as a helper to an experienced worker. Usually about 3 years of on-the-job training are required to become a fully skilled upholsterer. On-the-job training in a furniture factory usually is much shorter because the range of skills required is more limited. Others learn upholstery through apprenticeship or formal training.

  When hiring helpers, employers generally prefer people with some knowledge of the trade. Inexperienced persons may get basic training in upholstery in high school, vocational and technical schools, and some community colleges. Programs include sewing machine operation, measuring, cutting, springing, frame repair, tufting, and channeling; as well as business and interior design courses. However, additional training and experience usually are required before graduates can perform as quickly and efficiently as experienced upholsterers.

  Upholsterers should have manual dexterity, good coordination, and strength to lift heavy furniture. An eye for detail and flair for color and creative use of fabrics are helpful.

  The major form of advancement for upholsterers is opening their own shop. It is relatively easy to open a shop because a small investment in handtools and a sewing machine are all that is needed. The upholstery business is extremely competitive, however, so operating a shop successfully is difficult. In large shops and factories, experienced or highly skilled upholsterers may become supervisors.

• Job Outlook

  Employment of upholsterers is expected to grow more slowly than the average for all occupations through the year 2005. Most of the growth will be in furniture manufacturing. Employment in reupholstery shops is expected to remain steady. Each upholstery job is unique, so upholstery work does not lend itself to automation; consequently, technology is not expected to affect employment of upholsterers. Most job openings will arise because of the need to replace experienced workers who transfer to other occupations or leave the labor force.

  Opportunities for experienced upholsterers should be very good. The number of upholsterers with experience is limited because few young people want to enter the occupation and because few shops are willing to train people.

• Earnings

  Median weekly earnings of upholsterers were $359 in 1994; the middle 50 percent earned between $283 and $490 per week. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $198, and the top 10 percent earned more than $617.

  Earnings of self-employed upholsterers depend not only on the size and location of the shop but also on the number of hours worked.

• Related Occupations

  Other workers who combine manual skills and knowledge of materials such as fabrics and wood are fur cutters, furniture finishers, pattern and model makers, and casket coverers.

• Sources of Additional Information

  For details about work opportunities for upholsterers in your area, contact local upholstery shops or the local office of the State employment service.

  To receive a list of technical schools accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology that have programs in upholstery, contact:
  Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology, 2101 Wilson Blvd., Suite 302, Arlington, VA 22201.

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