An upholsterer is someone who measures, cuts, sews, and fits fabric or leather covers for furniture like sofas and chairs. Upholsterers can add padding and coverings to bed frames, automobiles, and boats, among other things. Upholsterers work on new furniture as well as reupholstering old furniture that still has usable frames.
The frame of most furniture is made of wood. Coiled springs are commonly used in the seating area of sofas and chairs, which are covered by a thin layer of loosely woven fabric known as webbing. On top of the webbing, padded foam seat cushions with upholstery material are placed. Upholstery fabric is usually used to cover the back and sides of chairs and sofas. Upholstery fabric is stapled, screwed, or tacked to the underside of a sofa or chair by an upholsterer.
Because heavyweight, durable fabrics are the most commonly used for upholstery, an upholsterer must know how to measure, cut, and sew them. Upholsterers typically begin their career as an apprentice to a more experienced upholsterer, working on smaller projects until they gain more experience. Upholsterers may work for a furniture manufacturer or run their own company that specializes in reupholstering domestic furniture.
Many people prefer to have their old sofas and chairs reupholstered by a professional upholsterer rather than throwing them away in landfills. Upholsterers can tell clients if their sofas or chairs have sturdy frames and should be reupholstered. They can replace the webbing and padding materials, as well as the fabric, and make additional sofa cushions if the client requests it.
Draperies and other soft furnishings are also sewn by some upholsterers. Clients can choose matching upholstery and drapery to completely transform their rooms. Upholsterers can advise customers on how to clean and care for their new drapes and furniture covers. An upholsterer may first come to a client’s home to provide a free estimate for reupholstering and to show fabric swatches.
Although an upholsterer’s initial training is primarily on the job as an apprentice, he or she should start learning basic stitching and covering techniques as soon as possible. It’s a good idea for aspiring upholsterers to take photographs of their completed reupholstering projects that show stitching skill to help them be considered for an upholstery apprentice job. These images can be used as a portfolio for a new upholsterer.