What Does an Upholsterer Do?
A good frame deserves a second life. In furniture shops, auto trim shops and the maintenance departments of hotels and universities, upholsterers strip worn covers from sofas, chairs, car seats and boat cushions, rebuild the padding and springs underneath and fit new fabric. Sturdy frames often outlast several covers.
Upholsterer Duties and Responsibilities
The primary responsibilities of an upholsterer include:
- Strip worn fabric, padding and webbing from chairs, sofas and booths down to the frame.
- Repair loose joints and broken frames with glue, dowels and clamps before re-covering.
- Replace springs, webbing and foam, cutting new cushions to the original shape.
- Measure and cut fabric, vinyl or leather to make the most of each roll and match patterns.
- Sew cushion covers, welting and seams on an industrial walking-foot sewing machine.
- Staple, tack and stretch covers smoothly over frames, and finish with trim or nailheads.
- Reupholster lounge furniture, auditorium seats, gym mats and vehicle seats for campus departments.
- Estimate yardage, labor and cost for each job, and order fabric from approved suppliers.
- Choose fabrics and foams that meet fire-safety rules for dorms, theaters and public buildings.
- Advise customers on fabric durability, cleaning and whether a piece is worth saving.
Required Skills and Qualifications
To succeed as an upholsterer, you will need the following skills and qualifications:
- Industrial sewing machine operation
- Pattern making and fabric layout
- Pneumatic stapler and hand tool skills
- Basic woodworking for frame repairs
- An eye for straight seams and matched patterns
- Knowledge of foams, fabrics and fire-safety ratings
- Patience with detailed, repetitive work
- Strength for lifting sofas and heavy frames
Education and Training
Sewing experience could lead to a trainee spot. Training happens on the job after high school, and in the case of a small shop, it might be something as basic as stripping chairs for months before touching the machine. Many experienced upholsterers eventually open their own shops or specialize in antiques, boats or car interiors.
Salary and Job Outlook
Typical pay: $37,340 - $54,580 per year, with a median of $46,340.
The range covers the middle half of earners nationwide. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Upholsterers.
BLS projects employment of upholsterers to decline about 2 percent from 2025 to 2035. Openings should still average about 1,700 a year, according to the same projections, as older upholsterers retire. Much cheap furniture now goes to the curb when it wears out, but hotels, theaters, boat owners and antique collectors keep paying for skilled reupholstery.
Outlook source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, Upholsterers.