Hire an Upholsterer
Upholsterers work for small businesses and other industries. With their knowledge of fabrics and upholstery materials, they restore or create custom upholstery for household furniture pieces, vehicles, and other materials. The work schedule of upholsterers is in the daytime during business hours. Upholsterers work independently or collaborate with interior designers to decorate rooms.
When looking to hire upholsterers, recruiters look for skilled individuals who are reliable, creative, and enjoy working with their hands. A job description is a document that helps hiring managers to present the job vacancy to job seekers. It is the first point of communication between candidates and the hiring company. By having a job description that is clear and easy to grasp, hiring managers can be sure to attract a good candidate pool for selection. If possible, why not include details that candidates would find interesting? Information on the company environment, culture, and even benefits for upholsterers are much welcome. Don’t be afraid to be creative in the job description. Make it stand out.
Responsibilities of an Upholsterer
For each job or project, upholsterers consult with clients to discuss their upholstery needs, furniture, timeline, budget, and requests. If the design elements have not yet been decided, they can recommend ideas, colors, fabrics, and textures. Depending on the job order, upholsterers provide clients with cost estimates for approval.
Once they have the client’s approval, upholsterers obtain or source needed upholstery materials. They prepare their work area and disassemble furniture for upholstery preparation. Using hammers and tack pullers, upholsterers remove covering, webbing, padding, or any damaged springs from furniture pieces.
Upholsterers draw cutting lines and patterns on fabrics or leather materials following stencils, templates, design sketches, and blueprints. Additionally, they install foam padding, loose fiber stuffing, cotton, or felt material on the furniture framework for smooth and rounded surfaces. Using webbing stretchers, they stretch webbing and fabric for installation. Upholsterers use different hand tools to install, stitch, nail, or glue fabric in place. If needed, they also repair furniture webbing and seating springs.
Additionally, upholsterers are responsible for updating clients throughout the upholstery process, answering their questions, and receiving feedback. They keep their work area clean and tidy and follow safety standards at all times.
Skills and Qualifications of an Upholsterer
Candidates for upholsterer might be required to have a high school diploma or GED. Depending on the hiring company, previous work experience in the same role may or may not be required. However, previous experience as an upholsterer or in the furniture industry is a definite advantage.
To be successful in the job, candidates for upholsterer must be detail-oriented and be able to draw, and follow written and verbal instructions well. Because upholsterers engage with clients and other team members, good listening, interpersonal, and communication skills are necessary. Familiarity with upholstery tools like sewing equipment and nail guns and other materials is part of the job. Lastly, candidates must have good manual dexterity, the ability to lift or pull heavy objects as needed, and stand, kneel, or be on their feet for long periods.
