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All About Upholsterers

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

Daily Life Of an Upholsterer

  • Collaborate with interior designers to decorate rooms and coordinate furnishing fabrics.
  • Discuss upholstery fabrics, colors, and styles with customers, and provide cost estimates.
  • Sew rips or tears in material, or create tufting, using needles and thread.
  • Examine furniture frames, upholstery, springs, and webbing to locate defects.
  • Read work orders, and apply knowledge and experience with materials to determine types and amounts of materials required to cover workpieces.
  • Make, repair, or replace automobile upholstery and convertible and vinyl tops, using knowledge of fabric and upholstery methods.

Upholsterer Needed Skills

Below is a list of the skills most Upholsterers say are important on the job.

Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Active Learning: Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Types of Upholsterer Jobs

  • Stapler
  • Top and Trim Worker
  • Slip Cover Cutter
  • Sofa Back Upholsterer
  • Dining Chair Seat Cushion Trimmer

Job Outlook for Upholsterers

In the United States, there were 41,600 jobs for Upholsterer in 2016. There is little to no growth in job opportunities for Upholsterer. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 4,200 job openings in this field each year.

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The states with the most job growth for Upholsterer are Utah, Idaho, and Nevada. Watch out if you plan on working in Vermont, Rhode Island, or Kansas. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

Upholsterer Salary

The salary for Upholsterers ranges between about $21,860 and $52,450 a year.

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Upholsterers who work in Nebraska, Washington, or Idaho, make the highest salaries.

How much do Upholsterers make in different U.S. states?

State Annual Mean Salary
Alabama $33,850
Arizona $35,290
Arkansas $27,460
California $37,980
Colorado $38,900
Connecticut $41,100
Florida $33,240
Georgia $36,920
Hawaii $44,820
Idaho $45,310
Illinois $32,660
Indiana $35,860
Iowa $36,330
Kentucky $36,120
Louisiana $33,810
Maryland $37,150
Massachusetts $38,260
Michigan $29,920
Minnesota $39,060
Mississippi $33,740
Missouri $32,560
Montana $33,480
Nebraska $53,600
Nevada $36,350
New Hampshire $42,390
New Jersey $40,150
New Mexico $24,740
New York $39,930
North Carolina $39,580
Ohio $32,150
Oklahoma $30,130
Oregon $33,630
Pennsylvania $38,350
Rhode Island $33,540
South Carolina $30,680
Tennessee $29,160
Texas $31,590
Utah $32,220
Vermont $33,590
Virginia $31,110
Washington $46,950
Wisconsin $36,210

What Tools do Upholsterers Use?

Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Upholsterers:

  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Word
  • Microsoft Office
  • Microsoft PowerPoint
  • Microsoft Windows
  • Autodesk AutoCAD
  • Intuit QuickBooks
  • Enterprise resource planning ERP software

Becoming an Upholsterer

Education needed to be an Upholsterer:

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How many years of work experience do I need?

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Where do Upholsterers Work?

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The table below shows the approximate number of Upholsterers employed by various industries.

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Those interested in being an Upholsterer may also be interested in:

References:

Image Credit: Steven M O’Kelley via Attribution-ShareAlike 2.5

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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