Profession upholsterer

Upholsterers provide objects such as furniture, panels, orthopaedic devices, fixtures or vehicle parts with padding or soft covering. They can install, repair or replace the upholstery of objects with materials such as fabrics, leather, suede or cotton. Upholsterers install the webbings and springs necessary to cover the material.

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Personality Type

Knowledge

  • Upholstery fillings

    Materials used to fill soft furniture like upholstered chairs or mattresses must have several properties such as resilience, lightness, high-bulk properties. They can be fillings of animal origin such as feathers, of vegetal origin such as cotton wool or of synthetic fibers.

  • Manufacturing of small metal parts

    The manufacture of metal cable, plaited bands and other articles of that typr, uninsulated or insulated cable not capable of being used as a conductor of electricity, coated or cored wire as well as barbed wire, wire fencing, grill, netting, cloth etc. Manufacture of coated electrodes for electric arc-welding, nails and pins, chain and springs (except watch springs): as well as leaves for springs.

  • Textile materials

    Have a good understanding of the properties of different textile materials.

  • Types of spring

    Types of metal springs such as leaf, coil, torsion, clock, tension and extension spring.

  • Upholstery tools

    Set of tools used for upholstering furniture, walls and floors such as staple gun, foam cutter, staple remover.

Skills

  • Provide customized upholstery

    Install custom upholstery, according to the customer's individual requests and preferences.

  • Perform upholstery repair

    Repair/restore damaged upholstery for a wide range of vehicles; use materials such as fabric, leather, plastic or vinyl.

  • Sew pieces of fabric

    Operate basic or specialised sewing machines whether domestic or industrial ones, sewing pieces of fabric, vinyl or leather in order to manufacture or repair wearing apparels, making sure the threads are selected according to specifications.

  • Install spring suspension

    Nail down the springs to the wooden frame of a chair or other piece of furniture to be upholstered. In the case of mattresses, check the structure holding the springs for defects and fix the layers of protective fabrics to cover the spring suspension.

  • Fasten components

    Fasten components together according to blueprints and technical plans in order to create subassemblies or finished products.

  • Sew textile-based articles

    Sew different products based on textiles and wearing apparel articles. Combine good hand-eye coordination, manual dexterity, and physical and mental stamina.

  • Create patterns for textile products

    Create a two-dimensional model used to cut the material for textile products such as tents and bags, or for individual pieces needed for upholstery work.

Optional knowledge and skills

furniture trends identify customer's needs clean furniture manipulate wood apply a protective layer furniture industry handle delivery of furniture goods decorate furniture upholster transport equipment's interior pieces advise on furniture style repair furniture parts design original furniture sell furniture prepare furniture for application of paint manufacturing of furniture clean upholstered furniture fix minor scratches evaluate restoration procedures pass on trade techniques operate furniture machinery design prototypes manipulate metal paint decorative designs estimate restoration costs apply restoration techniques artificially age furniture

Source: Sisyphus ODB