Upholsterers measure, cut, sew, and fit fabric or leather coverings for furniture, as well as apply upholstery and coatings to bed frames, cars, or boats. They can also advise on reupholstering and cleaning, and may sew curtains and soft furnishings. Apprenticeships are common.
An upholsterer is a person who measures, cuts, sews and fits fabric or leather coverings for furniture such as sofas and chairs. Upholsterers can also apply upholstery and coatings to bed frames, cars or boats. All upholsterers create upholstery for new furniture as well as reupholster antique furniture that still has usable moldings.
Most furniture has a wooden frame. The seating area of sofas and chairs usually has a structure of coiled springs, covered by a thin layer of fabric loosely called webbing. Cushioned foam seat pads covered with upholstery material nestle into the belt material. The backs and sides of chairs and sofas are usually padded and covered with upholstery fabric. An upholsterer secures the upholstery fabric to the underside of the couch or chair with staples, screws, or tacks.
An upholsterer must understand how to measure, cut and sew heavy, durable materials, as these are the types of fabric most often used to create upholstery. Upholsterers often start as apprentices to experienced upholsterers and work on smaller projects until they develop more experience. Upholsterers can work for a furniture manufacturer or have their own business, primarily upholstering household furniture.
Rather than throwing old sofas and chairs into landfills, many people prefer to have their furniture upholstered by a professional upholsterer. Upholsterers can advise customers if sofas or chairs have strong structures that are worth upholstering. They can replace the webbing and upholstery materials as well as the fabric, as well as create extra cushions for the sofa if that is desired by the customer.
Some upholsterers also sew curtains and other soft furnishings. Customers can choose coordinating upholstery and curtains to give their rooms a whole new look. Upholsterers can advise customers on how best to clean and maintain their new curtains and or upholstery. An upholsterer may first visit a customer’s home to provide a free estimate of the reupholstery job, in addition to showing the customer’s fabric samples.
Although most of an upholsterer’s initial training is on apprenticeship work, he or she should start learning basic sewing and covering techniques as soon as possible. To help get considered for an apprentice upholstery job, it’s a good idea for aspiring upholsterers to take photographs of their completed reupholstery projects that demonstrate sewing skill. These photos can serve as a portfolio for novice upholsterers.
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